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Japan’s celebrated food culture rests on a supply system that is increasingly difficult to sustain. An aging farming population, declining domestic production and decades of policies designed to control supply have left the country heavily dependent on imports, even for many foods widely considered Japanese. As a weaker yen and global instability push food prices higher, the consequences are becoming more visible for households, farmers and fishing communities alike. For real

Financial markets and real estate are often influenced by the same economic forces, although the connection is not always immediately visible. On July 14, Bloomberg’s The Asia Trade examined the weak yen, Japanese equities and the changing position of overseas investors, including how Japan’s stock market performance looks different when measured in US dollars. We summarize the main discussion points before applying the same currency lens to Greater Tokyo existing condominium

Japan has clarified that local governments may restrict or prohibit registered minpaku operations, including rules that leave properties with no permitted operating days. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and Japan Tourism Agency jointly issued technical guidance to local governments on July 15th concerning registered private lodging properties under the Housing Accommodation Business Act. So-called zero-day r

Tower Semiconductor is preparing a major expansion of its Japanese manufacturing operations, including the return of semiconductor production to its Arai facility in Myoko, Niigata Prefecture. The project will increase capacity for advanced semiconductors used in AI data centres, high-speed communications and next-generation optical connectivity. Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry certified the company’s supply assurance plan on July 14th. METI estimates total pr

Corporate bankruptcies in Japan continued to increase during the first half of 2026 as rising costs, labor shortages and accumulated debt placed greater pressure on smaller businesses. Tokyo Shoko Research recorded 5,346 bankruptcies between January and June, up 7.1 percent from the same period of 2025. It was the fifth consecutive first-half increase and the first total above 5,000 since 2014. Photo by Beth Macdonald on Unsplash Combined liabilities increased 6.3 percent to