The Tokyo headquarters of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, also known as the Unification Church
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 29, 2025
Hearings on Unification Church dissolution order to end in November
The church had allegedly inspired the fatal shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe three years ago.
Participants march through Tokyo for the Tokyo Rainbow Pride parade in April last year.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal / FOCUS
Oct 29, 2025
Gender identity law reform stalls despite court rulings
Strong opposition from conservatives in parliament have dimmed prospects for reform.
Members of the media gather outside the Nara District Court in the city of Nara on Tuesday hours before the start of the trial of Tetsuya Yamagami, the man accused of fatally shooting former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 28, 2025
Abe shooting suspect Yamagami pleads guilty to murder
On the first day of his trial, Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, admitted to the 2022 killing of the former prime minister.
The Children and Families Agency plans to launch a system in December 2026 that would allow employers to verify whether job seekers who will work with children have a sexual offense record.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 27, 2025
Japan faces gaps in new system to track teachers with sex offense records
The new system excludes offenses such as stalking, as well as cases that end without indictment because the crime is deemed minor or a settlement is reached with the victim.
The Nara District Court has scheduled 19 days for the trial of Tetsuya Yamagami before it hands down a ruling on Jan. 21 next year.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 27, 2025
Three years later, trial begins for man accused of ex-PM Abe’s assassination
The delay was due to pretrial proceedings and a lengthy psychiatric evaluation for Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, to determine his fitness to stand trial.
The scene near the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo where a riot police officer was injured on Friday.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 25, 2025
Man arrested near U.S. Embassy in Tokyo carried more weapons
The man armed with knives who was arrested near the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo was also carrying a foldable saw and scissors.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 24, 2025
Man with knife arrested near U.S. Embassy in Tokyo after police officer injured
The man became violent after being questioned by police near the embassy.

Longform

Mamoru Iwai, stationmaster of Keisei Ueno Station, says that, other than earthquake-proofing, the former Hakubutsukan-Dobutsuen (Museum-Zoo) Station has remained untouched.
Inside Tokyo's 'phantom' stations — and the stories they tell