4+ day, 2+ min ago  (219+ words) February 26, 2026 (Mainichi Japan) KOYA, Wakayama -- An automatic simultaneous Japanese-English interpretation system was recently tested at a temple here with the cooperation of a Buddhist monk and received praise from participating foreign nationals while revealing some future challenges. The test was…...

1+ week, 3+ day ago  (201+ words) February 20, 2026 (Mainichi Japan) KITAKYUSHU -- A "children's cafeteria" planned and run by students at Kyushu Nutrition Welfare University in this southwestern Japan city recently staged its first off-campus event. Aimed at gaining a deeper level of understanding from the local community,…...

2+ week, 6+ day ago  (365+ words) February 9, 2026 (Mainichi Japan) GUANGZHOU, China (Kyodo) -- Cosplay and merchandise sales of popular Japanese anime series "Detective Conan" have been banned at some events in China since it drew backlash over recent collaboration with the manga series "My Hero Academia" that…...

3+ week, 2+ min ago  (1053+ words) February 9, 2026 (Mainichi Japan) TOKYO -- Highly motivated international students in Japan have become indispensable as workers at convenience stores, but the country's residency status system remains an issue as it generally does not allow them to become full-time employees and ultimately…...

3+ week, 5+ day ago  (565+ words) February 4, 2026 (Mainichi Japan) FUKUOKA (Kyodo) -- A Japanese startup is expanding a "granny business" that turns seniors' lifetime skills into paid work through cafes, food stalls and community festivals, placing elderly women -- including those with dementia -- at the center of local…...

1+ mon, 1+ day ago  (206+ words) January 31, 2026 (Mainichi Japan) SHANGHAI (Kyodo) -- A Pokemon card game event originally scheduled to be held at the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on the weekend has been canceled after triggering a backlash from China, according to the license management company…...

1+ mon, 3+ week ago  (340+ words) January 11, 2026 (Mainichi Japan) NEW DELHI (Kyodo) -- Two Japanese women are running businesses in India to spread the taste of Japan in the world's most populous nation with more than 1.4 billion people, with one pitching "onigiri" rice balls and another promoting…...

1+ mon, 3+ week ago  (467+ words) January 7, 2026 (Mainichi Japan) HONG KONG (Kyodo) -- A limited-edition collaboration between a Japanese sushi chain and the manga sensation "Chiikawa" that kicked off on New Year's Day has sparked a buying frenzy in Hong Kong, despite a monthslong diplomatic spat between…...

1+ mon, 3+ week ago  (182+ words) January 5, 2026 (Mainichi Japan) The world is in turmoil, and the international order and rule of law are being shaken. Meanwhile, the outlook for Japan's politics and economy are unclear. What kind of year will 2026 be? With society's gaze on policies…...

2+ mon, 3+ day ago  (515+ words) December 29, 2025 (Mainichi Japan) FUKUOKA -- A 39-year-old Nepalese man who plays an important role at a famous Nagahama ramen shop here is dreaming of opening his own such eatery and eventually serving as a bridge between Japan and his homeland. When…...