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July 03, 2026
 

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CHILDREN

Punsiripanya Phakhaphon, a former massage parlor worker in Tokyo who is suspected of brokering a Thai girl to offer sexual services at the story, in Tokyo on Wednesday
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jan 15, 2026
Alleged broker arrested in case involving Thai girl forced to work at Tokyo massage parlor
A 38-year-old Thai woman residing in Japan is suspected of acting as a broker in a high-profile case involving a 12-year-old girl.
Rohingya refugees study in a makeshift learning center at the Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhia, Bangladesh, on Dec. 17.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Jan 15, 2026
Dreams on hold for Rohingya children in Bangladesh camps
The education system at the camps has become severely overstretched — a situation worsened by cuts to U.S. aid that slashed funding and forced sweeping closures or scale-backs.
Residence halls and the playground at Hiroshima Shinsei Gakuen in Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture
JAPAN / Society / Regional Voices: Hiroshima
Jan 12, 2026
Hiroshima child welfare home marks roots in founder’s A-bomb experience
The facility initially cared for children who had lost their guardians during World War II and now cares for those who have faced difficulties at home.
An electronic display board shows the daily movement of the Nikkei Stock Average on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Jan 10, 2026
Set your children up for financial success with the new NISA
Details are not yet final, but plans for the new take on the tax-advantaged investment account indicate a contribution limit of ¥600,000 per year and ¥6 million in total.
The new covers of the beloved Japonica Gakushucho notebook series will feature illustrations on the cover and photos and explanations on the back.
LIFE
Jan 10, 2026
Japan’s bestselling school notebook gets an illustrated makeover
First released in 1970, the Japonica Gakushucho series has sold about 1.4 billion notebooks in total, boasting about a 40% share of the country’s school notebook market.
In response to concerns that some children have reservations about discussing their issues with adults, the Children and Families Agency established a project team of about 30 officials in autumn 2024 to hear what children's have to say.
JAPAN
Jan 7, 2026
Japan launches campaign to encourage children to talk about problems
The campaign focuses on creating an environment in which children can consult with adults comfortably.
Children play at a park in Beijing on Saturday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Jan 7, 2026
China’s birth-rate push sputters as couples stay child-free
A decade since China scrapped its stringent one-child policy and implemented a two-child policy in January 2016, the nation is dealing with a looming demographic crisis.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike speaks during an interview on Monday at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
JAPAN
Jan 6, 2026
Tokyo governor negative on addressing tax revenue gaps
The central government’s policy of addressing tax revenue gaps between the capital and other local governments would “obstruct the growth of Tokyo,” Gov. Yuriko Koike said.
As head of primary at The British School in Tokyo, Eleanor Loran brings her experience working in far-flung locales like Hong Kong and New Zealand to the diverse school community in Japan.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Jan 6, 2026
Eleanor Loran: ‘I believe in building empathy, tolerance and kindness’
A senior administrator at The British School in Tokyo shares her views on the value of international education and the challenges of maintaining a community in constant flux.
A facility dog naps alongside a patient at the National Center for Child Health and Development in Tokyo.
JAPAN / Society
Jan 6, 2026
Facility dogs comfort hospitalized children in Japan
With high costs posing a challenge, some hospitals are turning to crowdfunding to introduce facility dogs.
X's Grok AI tool created and published images of minors in minimal clothing, in apparent violation of its own acceptable use policy, which prohibits the sexualization of children.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jan 3, 2026
Grok makes sexual images of kids as users test AI guardrails
X’s AI tool created and published images of minors in minimal clothing, in apparent violation of its own acceptable use policy, which prohibits the sexualization of children.
Estella, 14, a homeschooled student, attends a Spanish class at her home in Shanghai on Nov. 25.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Dec 30, 2025
Chinese homeschool students embrace freer youth in cutthroat market
Despite China’s ban on homeschooling, the number of homeschoolers has increased annually by around 30% from 2013.
The university entry rate for fiscal 2024 was initially announced as 59.1%, but after correction by adding 9,836 special school graduates to the denominator, it was revised to 58.6%.
JAPAN
Dec 26, 2025
Japan corrects inappropriate calculation of university entry rate
The revision comes after the initial entry rate had been calculated without reflecting the rate of graduates from schools for children with disabilities.
Under a revised Civil Code, joint parental custody of children and a statutory child support system after divorce will be introduced.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Dec 25, 2025
Japan to start joint parental custody after divorce in April
The new framework represents a major shift in the post-World War II legislative system governing families.
Tesla was a pioneer of electrically controlled doors and flush handles, but when power is lost, the electric vehicle's doors lose function.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 24, 2025
Tesla drivers buying escape tools and new cars to avoid getting trapped inside
Addressing Tesla’s malfunctioning doors has gained urgency in the U.S. after numerous incidents in which people were severely injured or died after being unable to escape vehicles.
The mother (center) of a Thai girl forced to perform sexual services for money at a Tokyo massage parlor is escorted by police and immigration officers at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan. Parts of the image have been blurred.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Dec 24, 2025
Thai girl in Tokyo sex-work case to be returned home
The girl has expressed a desire to return to Thailand since first seeking help from the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau in September.
The number of children registered for <i>gakudō hoiku</i> after-school care facilities for elementary school students rose by 50,693 to 1,570,645 as of May 1, hitting a record high, according to the Children and Families Agency.
JAPAN / Society
Dec 23, 2025
Waiting lists for gakudō hoiku after-school facilities shorten after four years
The decline has been attributed to local governments improving such facilities’ capacity to accommodate children.
Kidsdoor head Yumiko Watanabe presents the results of a recent survey on Dec. 10 in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward.
JAPAN / Society
Dec 23, 2025
Survey shows 98% of struggling families with children experiencing hardship
Asked about the impact of surging prices, respondents said they had become unable to save money, needed to reduce meals, and were limiting utility use.
The education ministry reported on Monday that 281 teachers and staff were disciplined for sexual offenses in fiscal 2024, down 39 from 2023, but cases continue to emerge nationwide.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Dec 23, 2025
More than 280 educators disciplined for sexual misconduct in fiscal 2024
The figure was down 39 from the record high in fiscal 2023, but cases of indecent acts by teachers and staff have continued to surface nationwide.
Hitoshi Kikawada (second from left), minister in charge of children’s policies, speaks during an expert panel meeting at the the Children and Families Agency on Monday.
JAPAN
Dec 22, 2025
Experts draft guidelines for Japanese version of Britain’s Disclosure and Barring Service
The system from the Children and Families Agency would allow businesses to check the sexual offense records of teachers and others whose work involves contact with children.
Japan triples departure tax in push to combat overtourism
Tourists in Yanaka Ginza, Tokyo, on Wednesday. Japan tripled its International Tourist Tax (departure tax) to ¥3,000 from ¥1,000 on Wednesday for all travelers leaving Japan, regardless of nationality.
‘My dream is broken’: Japan visa rules push out foreign residents
A man orders from a kebab shop in the Okubo district in Tokyo.
More facilities in Japan placing sanitary bins in men’s restrooms
A sanitary bin with an awareness sticker placed in a men&#039;s restroom in the Nagasaki Municipal Government building
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
Why is the yen so weak and what can Japan do about it?
Japan spent ¥11.7 trillion ($73 billion) between late April and late May to prop up the weak yen.
Six of the best: rikishi of note in each sumo division
Kazuma (right) faces off against future <i>yokozuna</i> Onosato during the All Japan Amateur Sumo Championships at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo in December 2020.
Some startups see opportunity in an aging Japan
Yasmin Baba, CTO of Amilis, wins the Grand Prize at the Pitch2Tokyo Grand Final on Feb. 19.
Japan’s fertility system offers few safe paths for same-sex couples
A Tokyo Pride parade participant holds a sign that says "we want to be a married couple, not a couple."
Life inside Japan’s largest prison for women
Western-style rooms spanning the size of four tatami mats with hardwood floors, a toilet and soft mattresses on bed frames are designated for foreign nationals and those with health conditions at Tochigi Prison.
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival
By Alex K.T. Martin

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