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July 12, 2026
 

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IWATE

A Japan Meteorological Agency map shows the seismic intensity of Sunday morning's earthquake off the coast of Iwate Prefecture.
JAPAN
Jun 28, 2026
Magnitude 6.1 earthquake strikes off coast of Iwate
The quake registered a lower 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture. No tsunami warning was issued.
A screenshot of the Japan Meteorological Agency website shows the seismic intensity of Thursday morning's earthquake.
JAPAN
Jun 25, 2026
Magnitude 7.2 quake hits northern Japan
No tsunami warning has been issued over the temblor, which registered a rare upper 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale in the town of Hashikami, Aomori Prefecture.
A captured bear in Kuroishi, Aomori Prefecture, earlier this month
JAPAN
May 28, 2026
Bear sightings hamper school activities in Japan
The sightings have led to evacuations, delays and some children opting to stay home as boards of education grapple with how to safely continue classes.
The Metropolitan Police Department discovered the lower half of a human body on Tuesday, approximately 100 meters off a hiking trail in Nippara, in the town of Okutama, located on the outskirts of western Tokyo.
JAPAN
May 20, 2026
Possible fatal bear attack reported in mountains of western Tokyo
If confirmed, the incident in the mountains of Okutama would mark Tokyo’s first recorded fatal bear attack since at least 2006.
Asian black bear sightings reached an all-time high of 50,776 in fiscal 2025, the environment ministry announced Monday.
JAPAN / Society
May 12, 2026
Black bear sightings in Japan more than doubled in 2025
The total number of deaths caused by bear attacks in fiscal 2025 was 13, the highest in recorded history.
Japanese authorities confirmed Friday the first fatal bear attack of 2026, in which a 55-year-old woman died on April 21 in Iwate Prefecture, according to media reports.
JAPAN
May 8, 2026
Japan confirms year’s first fatal bear attack
The victim, reportedly a 55-year-old woman, died on April 21 in Iwate Prefecture, an environment ministry official said.
The city of Otsuchi on Saturday
JAPAN
May 3, 2026
Iwate town declares forest fire under control on 11th day
According to the prefectural government, the fire burned about 1,633 hectares.
Police seal off a residential area in Sendai on April 19 after a bear was spotted on the grounds of an apartment complex.
JAPAN
May 1, 2026
As bears emerge from hibernation, local governments warn of attacks
Japan’s municipalities are telling residents to take extra precautions this spring, such as refraining from leaving outside their homes any items that could attract bears.
A helicopter conducts firefighting operations as wildfires continue in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, on Sunday.
JAPAN
Apr 29, 2026
Iwate wildfire starting to be brought under control, authorities say
While the town lifted evacuation orders in most areas as the fire is being brought under control, there is still no clear timeline for full containment.
Tsunami barriers on the beach in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture.
JAPAN
Apr 27, 2026
Japan lifts advisory a week after magnitude 7.7 quake
A Cabinet Office official cautioned that “this does not mean the possibility of a major quake has disappeared.”
Volunteer firefighter Ryota Haga carries a fire hose to battle a wildfire in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, on Sunday.
JAPAN / Society
Apr 27, 2026
Tsunami survivor battles wildfire to protect hometown in Iwate Prefecture
Volunteer firefighter Ryota Haga is working to contain a wildfire raging for a sixth ​day that is threatening his community 15 years after it was devastated by a tsunami.
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake, measuring an upper 5 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, struck Hokkaido before 5:30 a.m. on Monday.
JAPAN
Apr 27, 2026
Magnitude 6.2 quake shakes Hokkaido
While no tsunami alert was issued, the quake came less than a week after Japan issued a special advisory warning of the increased risk of a megaquake.
A helicopter conducts firefighting operations as wildfires continue in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, on Sunday.
JAPAN
Apr 26, 2026
Firefighters in Iwate struggle to contain blazes as over 3,000 people evacuated
The area is already scarred by the memory of March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, when the town of Otsuchi lost nearly a tenth of its population.
Two helicopters doing water drops fly over smoke from a forest fire on a hillside near the town of Otsuchi, in Iwate Prefecture, on Saturday.
JAPAN
Apr 25, 2026
Over 3,200 forced to evacuate as crews battle Iwate wildfires
As of Saturday morning, blazes in the mountainous areas of Iwate region had burned about 700 hectares since breaking out three days ago.
A wildfire near residences in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, on Thursday
JAPAN
Apr 24, 2026
Firefighters struggle to contain wildfires in northern Japan
Authorities have said there is still no clear timeline for containment of the wildfires, which have prompted evacuation orders for 2,500 people in Iwate.
Sendai Station is crowded with people Monday after the Tohoku shinkansen line suspended operation following a powerful earthquake off the Sanriku coast.
JAPAN / Explainer
Apr 21, 2026
How to prepare when Japan is under an earthquake advisory
Authorities in Japan are urging residents from Hokkaido to Chiba Prefecture to be ready in case a major earthquake strikes, following Monday’s magnitude 7.7 jolt.
An electronic board displays a subsequent earthquake advisory in Iwate Prefecture on Tuesday, a day after a magnitude 7.7 temblor struck off the Tohoku coast.
JAPAN / Science & Health / EXPLAINER
Apr 21, 2026
Why did a big earthquake strike the Tohoku region again?
Monday’s temblor struck off the coast of the Tohoku region, which experienced the devastating Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.
An official from the Japan Meteorological Agency speaks about the powerful quake that hit northern Japan at a news conference in Tokyo Monday evening.
JAPAN
Apr 20, 2026
Japan issues rare special advisory over chance of more powerful quake
The government issued the advisory to residents of 182 municipalities from Hokkaido to Chiba, urging them to be ready to evacuate at any moment.
Everett Hopkin, second from left, marches on the field with his Yamauchi Spirits teammates before a competition.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Apr 3, 2026
Unifying power of Japanese baseball brings together people from all walks of life
In Japanese baseball, everyone belongs.
People pray on a seawall in Miyako, Iwate Prefecture, on Wednesday, the 15th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
JAPAN / Society
Mar 11, 2026
Japan marks 15th anniversary of Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledged to ensure that the invaluable lessons from the disaster are handed down to future generations.
China’s demand for Soviet-style apartments shows limits to revival
Apartments built during a Soviet Union-inspired construction drive in the 1970s and 1980s tend to suffer from poor insulation and outdated plumbing, but they are seeing a revival in interest due to their attractive locations.
Japanese scientists identify neural mechanism that may explain why we dislike people
The aggressive mouse (left) used in the experiment and a mouse defending itself
Japanese payment processor’s collapse hits banks and restaurants
Zentoshin served around 200,000 shops, many of which rely on early payments to maintain cash flow, raising concerns over their financial stability following the disruption.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
Lenders seek $700 million after Japanese payments firm’s collapse
The financial failure of Osaka-based Zentoshin has left 63 creditors with claims totaling ¥115.16 billion, according to Tokyo Shoko Research.
Japan’s largest exhibition of women photographers rights a wrong in cultural history
Miwa Yanagi’s “Elevator Girl House” series skewers the superficiality of gender roles through staged images.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
‘Princess Mononoke’ comes alive in Super Kabuki staging
The “Princess Mononoke” adaptation was created under Shochiku’s Super Kabuki initiative, a modern form of kabuki with more technology in staging and open to pop culture collaborations.
The beating heart inside ‘Human Vapor’
Different forms of love and connection form the emotional backbone of Netflix’s “Human Vapor,” says actor Shun Oguri, who plays troubled detective Kenji Okamoto.
Japan bets on character IP to drive global growth
Born on social media platforms in 2022, Opanchu Usagi has become a major hit, especially among Generation Z.

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