ニュースアーカイブ
これまでの学習者向け記事。
- government
One card instead of two: Japan's combined residence + My Number card is now live
Japan's Immigration Services Agency has started issuing the "special resident card" (tokutei zairyu card), which merges a residence card and a My Number Card into a single card. The system went live on June 14, 2026, and regional immigration bureaus began accepting applications the next working day, June 15. It is open to mid- to long-term residents and special permanent residents who are on the resident registry, and taking it is entirely optional — you may keep carrying two separate cards. Applications are counter-only: at an immigration bureau when you file a residence-status application or a residence card notification, or at your city or ward office when you report your address. The online residence application system cannot be used for it for the time being. The payoff is fewer trips — when immigration issues the card, the My Number side is updated at the same time, so no separate visit to city hall is needed. The trade-off is time: issuance takes longer than for an ordinary residence card and there is no same-day service, so apply with room to spare before your period of stay runs out. Check the Immigration Services Agency site for current conditions and any fees.
N5N4N3N2N1 - society
Hiroshima Marks 81 Years: Peace Ceremony August 6, Park Closed to General Entry 5–9 a.m.
Hiroshima holds its Peace Memorial Ceremony on Thursday, August 6, 2026, 81 years after the atomic bombing. The ceremony opens at 8:00 a.m. in Peace Memorial Park, with a one-minute silence and the Peace Bell at 8:15 a.m., the mayor's Peace Declaration, and a children's Commitment to Peace; it closes around 8:50 a.m. About 7,000 seats are set out in the park, and the nearby Hiroshima International Conference Center has roughly 2,200 indoor seats with a live relay. For security, general access to the park is restricted from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.; attendees may enter from 6:00 a.m., with bag checks and metal detectors at the entrances. Wide traffic restrictions apply around the park, so the city asks people to come by public transport. From about 6 p.m., the Peace Message Lantern Floating is held on the Motoyasu River. Early August in Hiroshima is very hot, so bring water, wear a hat and take breaks.
N5N4N3N2N1 - travel
Obon expressway forecast: 436 jams of 10km or more, peaking August 13 and 15
Japan's expressway operators (the three NEXCO companies, JB Honshi Expressway and the Japan Road Traffic Information Center) have published their Obon congestion forecast for August 7-16. They expect 436 traffic jams of 10 km or more across both directions, well above last year's 345. Outbound jams - people leaving the big cities for their hometowns - cluster on August 8 and on August 13, the start of Obon, while inbound jams peak on August 14 and 15. The worst single stretch is the Chuo Expressway near Sagamiko IC, with up to about 45 km, and around 40 km is expected on the Kan-Etsu Expressway. The usual weekend/holiday toll discount does not apply during this period. If you plan to drive, shift your departure date or time away from the peaks, check live traffic information before you set off, and take frequent breaks.
N5N4N3N2N1 - economy
Japan and the U.S. jointly bought yen after a 40-year low
Japan's Ministry of Finance said on August 3 that it had bought yen together with the U.S. Treasury on July 31 (U.S. Eastern time) — a rare joint currency intervention, the first time the two countries have bought yen side by side since 1998. The yen had slipped to around 164 to the dollar in late July, its weakest in roughly 40 years, and recovered to about 157 after the operation. Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said recent moves in the currency market had been excessive and disorderly, and that Japan would not hesitate to intervene jointly again; the U.S. Treasury secretary signalled the same readiness. Analysts note that intervention buys time but does not by itself change the interest-rate gap that drives the yen. For people living in Japan the practical link is import prices: a weak yen pushes up the cost of imported food, fuel and everyday goods, and it also changes how much your salary is worth when you send money home.
N5N4N3N2N1 - economy
2,311 Food Items Get More Expensive in Japan This August — 80% More Than a Year Ago
Credit research firm Teikoku Databank reported on July 31 that 2,311 food and drink products in Japan are scheduled for price increases in August 2026 — roughly 80% more items than in August 2025 (1,262), with an average rise of about 15%. Processed foods such as ham, sausage, cup noodles and canned goods make up the largest share at 1,419 items, followed by seasonings (589) and raw ingredients such as sesame, wheat flour and sugar (276). The survey attributes the increases to higher raw-material prices plus rising logistics and packaging-material costs. September looks heavier still, with 4,531 items scheduled to rise — the biggest single month of 2026 — and the year's cumulative total may pass 20,000 items. If you live in Japan, it is worth watching supermarket sale days, store-brand products and bulk buying over the next few months.
N5N4N3N2N1 - society
Very Strong Typhoon Dolphin to Approach the Ogasawara Islands on August 3-4
Typhoon No. 13, named Dolphin, is a very strong storm moving west-northwest over the ocean far south of mainland Japan. The Japan Meteorological Agency expects it to bring a wide area of storm-force winds to the Ogasawara Islands on August 3 and 4, passing closest to Chichijima around August 4; the probability that the islands enter the storm-wind zone is extremely high. Violent gusts, high waves and heavy rain are possible even if the centre stays offshore. Later in the week the typhoon may approach the Daito Islands, and effects on Okinawa and Amami cannot be ruled out. Flights and ferries to remote islands are often cancelled well in advance, so anyone travelling should check operating information frequently, keep water and food on hand, and secure balconies and windows early.
N5N4N3N2N1 - daily life
About 30 fireworks festivals across Japan this weekend; Nagaoka opens Aug 2
The first weekend of August is the busiest stretch of Japan's fireworks season. Around 30 major hanabi taikai are scheduled nationwide on Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 2, 2026. Tokyo's Edogawa Ward festival sends up roughly 14,000 shells on the 1st, and Chiba's Makuhari Beach Fireworks Festa about 24,000 the same evening. In Niigata, the Nagaoka Matsuri Grand Fireworks run on the 2nd and 3rd along the Shinano River, where the "Phoenix" sequence honours the victims of the wartime air raid. Expect very crowded trains and crowd control at the nearest stations; rail operators add extra services, but it pays to leave early, carry water and salt for the heat, and check the organiser's official page before setting out, because bad weather can cancel or postpone an event on the day.
N5N4N3N2N1 - economy
Japan's Minimum Wage Guideline: National Average to Rise to ¥1,176
Japan's Central Minimum Wage Council (under the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) issued its guideline for fiscal year 2026 on July 28, recommending a nationwide weighted-average hourly minimum wage of 1,176 yen — up 55 yen, or 4.9%, the smallest increase in six years. Prefectures are grouped into three ranks with suggested rises of 54 to 56 yen; each prefecture's own labor bureau will finalize its actual minimum wage, usually effective from around October. This matters for anyone paid by the hour in Japan, including foreign residents working part-time, so it is worth checking your prefecture's updated rate closer to autumn.
N5N4N3N2N1 - travel
Japan's Tax-Free Shopping Goes 'Pay First, Refund Later' From November 2026
Japan is overhauling its tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists starting November 2026. Instead of getting an instant discount at the register, travelers will pay the regular tax-included price and then claim a refund of the consumption tax when they leave the country, for example at the airport. The change is meant to stop cases where duty-free goods were resold inside Japan instead of being taken abroad, and it also removes the special sealed-bag rule that used to apply only to consumable items. Travelers should keep their receipts and purchased goods on hand to show at the refund counter before departure.
N5N4N3N2N1 - daily life
Japan issues heatstroke warning alert for 14 prefectures as dangerous heat continues
On July 29, 2026, Japan's Ministry of the Environment and the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a Heatstroke Warning Alert covering 14 prefectures stretching from the Kanto region to Okinawa, as dangerously hot weather continues. Residents in the affected areas are urged to drink water frequently, avoid unnecessary outdoor activity, and use air conditioning indoors rather than enduring the heat, with extra care recommended for elderly people, young children, and those with chronic health conditions.
N5N4N3N2N1 - travel
Mt. Fuji's Yoshida Trail: ¥4,000 fee, reservations, and a 2pm–3am gate closure for 2026
Mt. Fuji's Yoshida Trail is in its official 2026 climbing season (July 1 to September 10). Climbers passing the fifth-station gate must pay a ¥4,000 toll, reserve online in advance, and finish a short safety course before entering. Daily climbers are capped at 4,000, and the gate closes from 2pm to 3am to discourage rushed, no-rest overnight "bullet climbing" that has caused accidents. Anyone planning to climb should book ahead on the official fujisan-climb.jp site.
N5N4N3N2N1 - society
Foreign Students Now Power Japan's Convenience Stores
A review of Japan's three biggest convenience store chains — 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart — found that foreign nationals now make up over 110,000 of their roughly 800,000 combined part-time staff. Most are international students from countries such as Vietnam, Nepal, China, and Myanmar, working under a permit that caps non-student jobs at 28 hours a week. The finding highlights how essential foreign workers have become to keeping Japan's convenience stores running amid a nationwide labor shortage.
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