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Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements

Required time spent living in Japan to apply for citizenship likely to double too.There’s long been a perception from the international community that, in terms of immigration laws, Japan isn’t very receptive to the idea of foreigners living in the country indefinitely. However, out of the 12,248 applications filed by foreign residents in Japan seeking to acquire Japanese citizenship in 2024, 72.4 percent were approved. Meanwhile, statistics show that as of the end of last June, 932,100 foreign

More Than a Capsule Stay: Why Solo Travelers Choose “global cabin Yokohama Chinatown”

“I want to stay at a capsule hotel at least once during my trip to Japan!”This wish often appears on the must-do list of Western travelers because of capsule hotels’ futuristic, minimalist spaces that feel uniquely Japanese and frequently go viral on social media.At the same time, however, many people also have concerns such as:・“Aren’t they too cramped to sleep comfortably in?”・“Are they actually clean?”・“Are they really safe?”Traditional capsule hotels have long carried the image o

Drunk cycling can result in an instantly suspended driver’s license in Japan

If you’re bad behind the handlebars, you’re considered bad behind the wheel here.As the end of the year approaches, it’s a common time of year to meet family, friends, and coworkers in situations that often involve lots of alcohol. Of course, drinking and driving don’t mix, so many people may opt to ride a bicycle home instead, but that isn’t advisable either, as police all across Japan are taking a very hard line against drinking and cycling, and the penalties can

Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo

Mr. Sato bypasses the high-priced sushi that’s become the neighborhood’s new normal and finds a super-cheap, super-tasty bowl of ramen.It’s now been over a month since the Chinese government issued a travel advisory telling citizens to avoid traveling to Japan. Since then, we’ve been heading out to check on the current conditions at some of Japan’s most popular destination districts for inbound international travelers, since Chinese tourists have been the single largest nationality within the de

Ultra-premium matcha, koji rice mold star in Starbucks Japanese New Year’s Frappuccino and drinks

Starbucks Japan closes out the year with luxurious and innovative dessert drinks for the most Japanese holiday season of the year.Unlike some other countries in Asia, Japan doesn’t really celebrate the lunar New Year. Instead, Japan follows the same custom as most of the western world, with New Year’s Eve celebrations on December 31, and the first three days of the January traditionally considered the New Year’s season.However, in Japan New Year’s, or Oshogatsu, as it’s called in Japanese, is st

Why you shouldn’t call this food “Hiroshimayaki” if you’re talking to people from Hiroshima

There are two main types of okonomiyaki, but people in Hiroshima don’t like one of the names the rest of the country has for theirs.Okonomiyaki isn’t just one of Japan’s most delicious foods, it’s also one of its most linguistically complex. The –yaki suffix can be used for all sorts of different types of cooking, but in this case it’s referring to flat-grilling. And the okonomi part? That translates to “what you like,” and it’s there because while okonomiyaki is a sort of round, savory cr

Starbucks Japan releases new zodiac chilled cup drink for 2026

Limited-edition drink celebrates the Year of the Horse with gorgeous Japanese details. With only a couple of weeks left in the year, we’re galloping full pelt towards 2026, which is the Year of the Horse. In Japan, where the Chinese zodiac is celebrated from 1 January, the four-legged steed will be making its appearance on all sorts of New Year’s imagery, including… a Starbucks chilled cup.The chilled cup series made its worldwide debut in Japan in September 2005, and since the

A Japanese dating app matched our bachelorette with a Buddhist monk, and she learned some things

“I’ll be coming to the restaurant from work, so I apologize if I smell like incense.”A few months ago, our Japanese-language reporter and eligible bachelorette Asami Oshima decided to dip her toes into the world of online dating. Up until now, most of Asami’s romances have been with coworkers at previous places of employment, but with no such sparks of mutual attraction arising between her and her fellow SoraNews24 writers, and being in a bit of a rut as far as meeting prospective romantic partn

Naruto ninja village theme park area, Kyubi coaster being added to Parc Spirou Provence【Pics】

New section at French amusement park scheduled to open in 2026.Like any proper ninja village, Konoha is a hidden stronghold. Still, most people would assume that the closely guarded secret location where Naruto and his friends grew up is somewhere in Japan, so it’s surprising to learn that Konoha is in the south of France.That will be, in any case, where you’ll find Naruto Konoha Land, a new area of the Parc Spirou Provence theme park in Monteux, a town in France’s Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Az

Large amount of supposed human organs left in Osaka marketplace

One person’s trash is another’s nightmare.We sometimes hear stories of people lucky enough to find incredibly valuable items or straight-up piles of cash among piles of garbage. However, the opposite is also true, in which people find things far worse than the usual watermelon rinds, egg shells, and even dirty diapers.Such a case occurred last September, when several glass jars containing what are believed to be human organs were found left in cardboard boxes on the premises of the O

Proposed sakura name for new middle school in Japan draws complaints for kamikaze overlap

This isn’t the cherry blossom image the committee was going for.As Japan’s population shrinks and housing densities shift, sometimes the decision is made to merge two preexisting schools into a single new one. That’s what’s on the schedule for Hakko Middle School and Amagi Middle School, a pair of public schools in Omuta, a city in Fukuoka Prefecture with a population of around 105,000 people.Since this is meant as a merger of equals, not one school absorbing the other, the local board of educat

Starbucks on a Shinkansen bullet train platform: 6 tips for using the automated store in Japan

Essential pointers to ensure you get your coffee without missing your train.Last month, Starbucks opened its first-ever store on a Shinkansen bullet train platform, at Shin-Yokohama Station. Located on the Tokaido Shinkansen’s outbound platform 11, the new store makes the chain’s coffee-to-go more convenient than ever for rail travellers, and even if you’re not catching a train, you can try it out by purchasing an entry ticket, either via the station’s ticket machines (lo

Black Thunder chocolate-bar-shaped fishing lures coming next year

All the fun of a Black Thunder bar, but with sharp hooks!It’s never been a better time to enjoy the pastime of fishing with an ever-growing collection of themed tackle being developed by Japan’s biggest and best brands. Now, hot on the heels of a new Evangelion line of fishing gear, we have a revolutionary lure based on the popular Black Thunder mini chocolate bars.But this is hardly just a regular fishing lure with the Black Thunder logo on it. The makers at DUO in Shizuoka Prefectu

Start saving room now – Japanese grocery store’s biggest sushi roll yet is coming for Setsubun

The “super-thick” ehomaki is a luxurious way to ensure good luck for your home and family in the coming year.With just one week left to go until Christmas, many people are rushing to get their present and party preparations finished. Here at SoraNews24, though, we’re always looking one step farther ahead…right? Or was it that we’re always thinking about food?Actually, today both of those things can be true, because we just got back from attending an ehomaki unveiling event.If you’re a pass

Japanese convenience store Family Mart adding crane games to thousands of branches

Crane games are big hits with foreign tourists and Japanese kids, so Family Mart is happy to have them come in and play.7-Eleven Japan has been grabbing a lot of attention recently, what with their matcha dessert burritos and their new luggage storage service for travelers. But rival Japanese convenience store chain Family Mart isn’t going to let itself be forgotten, and it’s announced that it plans to make a big push in adding crane games and coin-op video games to its stores.The move comes as

Is this the most relaxing Starbucks in Japan?

Forest bathing adds unique Japanese charm to this special location in Osaka.You’ll find a lot of unique Starbucks stores in Japan, with some of the most famous being the traditional townhouse in Kyoto and the Shibuya branch in Tokyo that overlooks the scramble crossing.However, in the city of Osaka, there’s an underrated Starbucks location that’s yet to become a tourist spot, and it’s conveniently located on the second floor of the Links Umeda shopping mall. This Starbuck

7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches

Japanese convenience stores really do have everything, even your luggage.The variety at Japanese convenience stores truly is amazing. Take 7-Eleven Japan, for example, which offers everything from matcha burritos to sakura lipstick blessed by a 300-year-old Kyoto temple. Want even more proof that 7-Eleven has everything? They might even have your luggage.And I mean that literally when I say “your luggage,” as 7-Eleven can literally have your suitcases at their shops during your Japan travels. Th

New Evangelion short anime, written by Hideaki Anno, to have world premiere early next year

Impactful announcement made for Evangelion 30th anniversary fan event.Late last month, we found out that there’s going to be a live-action Evangelion kabuki stage play, which will be performed at the upcoming Evangelion:30+ ; 30th Anniversary of Evangelion event. It turns out, though, that even that’s not the most surprising part of the festivities, because now comes word that a brand-new Evangelion anime short will screen at the event as well.The announcement was made on the event’s official we

Dragon Quest Slime toys appear at McDonald’s Japan in crossover with Grimace and pals【Video】

We did not expect a Slime to appear here.Dragon Quest got its start when random monster encounters were the norm in the RPG genre, and most games in the series have carried on that tradition of not knowing what sort of creatures are lurking about until the moment you’re face-to-face with them. Still, it’s usually not a shock when the fan-favorite Slime appears. Over the years, the lovable little guy has grown from being just a safe source of XP for starter-level adventurers into a mascot for the

Tokyo adding new anti-littering fines in Shibuya and Harajuku, will require more trash cans too

With fewer excuses for littering, there’s going to be less tolerance too.Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood is one of the most popular, and crowded, parts of the city. In particular the part of the district that stretches from Shibuya Station, across the world-famous Shibuya Scramble intersection, down the Center-gai shopping street, and into the shops, restaurants, and pubs along the way and the roads that branch off from it, is packed with sightseers on pretty much any day or night of the week.Shibu