Climate change and urbanization are believed to have contributed to the earliest ever observation of cedar pollen in Tokyo, on Jan. 8, an expert says.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jan 20, 2025
Cedar pollen is already in the air in Tokyo
Tokyo officials are urging people to take steps to prevent and mitigate hay fever symptoms, as pollen counts are expected to rise in the coming weeks.
Officials with the agriculture ministry hold a news conference in Nagoya on Friday following an outbreak of avian influenza in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, earlier this month.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jan 20, 2025
More bird flu cases found in Japan; 1.44 million birds to be culled
A total of about 1.44 million birds at the seven farms and related facilities will be destroyed.
A map of the hypocentral region of an anticipated Nankai Trough earthquake
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jan 16, 2025
Possibility of Nankai Trough megaquake now 80%, government panel reports
Last year, the likelihood of an earthquake in the zone had been projected at “between 70% and 80%.”
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Ispace's Resilience lunar lander lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jan 15, 2025
Japanese space startup launches second bid for historic moon landing
A successful landing would make Ispace the first private Asian company to touch down on the moon.
A research team from Nagoya University and other institutions hopes that further testing on humans involving the antioxidant luteolin will lead to the development of a drug for preventing or reducing gray hair.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jan 14, 2025
Antioxidant found in broccoli, celery suppresses gray hair in mice
Researchers hope that further testing on humans could lead to the development of a drug that would prevent or reduce gray hair.
Epidurals during childbirth have long been uncommon in Japan, though they have been growing more popular in recent years.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jan 14, 2025
Tokyo plans to subsidize epidurals, but are hospitals ready?
If all goes to plan, Tokyo will be the first to offer prefecture-level financial support for epidurals.
A clinic in the city of Saitama in May 2020
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jan 11, 2025
Japan may provide support to boost rollout of smartphone-based health cards
The health ministry may provide support to medical institutions and pharmacies to promote the use of digital My Number personal identification and health insurance cards.

Longform

Ayumi Matsuki, a priestess at Yoshiwara Shrine, shows off some "o-mamori" charms. She says visitors to the shrine have increased since the NHK drama “Unbound” began airing this month.
Tracing Tsutaya Juzaburo, Edo’s media maverick