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July 12, 2026
 

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HEALTH

The cruise ship MV Hondius anchored off the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on Monday
JAPAN
May 5, 2026
One Japanese aboard cruise ship hit by hantavirus outbreak
Three people have died amid the outbreak of the virus onboard the ship, which was transporting 150 passengers and crew.
A Maholo humanoid robot carries out a series of tasks at the Institute of Science Tokyo's Robotics Innovation Center, during the center's opening last month.
JAPAN / Science & Health / FOCUS
May 4, 2026
Japanese scientists push for AI use in medical research and diagnoses
The technology has the potential to free staff from time-consuming, repetitive lab work and reduce human error.
The cruise ship MV Hondius is stationary off the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on Sunday.
WORLD
May 4, 2026
Hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship leaves three dead, WHO says
Hantavirus is a rare but potentially deadly infection that typically spreads to humans through contact with infected rodents, with person-to-person transmission uncommon.
Tomoya Saito
JAPAN / Science & Health
May 3, 2026
Aged people still cautioned against COVID-19 during Golden Week
The Japan Institute for Health Security continues to monitor COVID-19 cases at about 3,000 medical institutions nationwide.
Following approval by the health ministry, Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare's Norlevo went on sale at drugstores on Feb. 2, becoming the first emergency contraception available over the counter in Japan.
JAPAN / Society
May 2, 2026
High costs and lack of privacy slow uptake of OTC emergency contraceptives
Having to receive explanations about the pill from pharmacists and take it in front of them poses significant hurdles for buyers seeking anonymity.
The combined balance at health insurance associations at all large firms in the fiscal year that ends in March 2027 is forecast to result in a ¥289 billion ($1.8 billion) deficit, according to the National Federation of Health Insurance Societies.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 30, 2026
Deficits loom for many health insurance associations at large Japanese firms
Over 70% of such groups are projected to log deficits in fiscal 2026, the National Federation of Health Insurance Societies says.
An experiment shows smoke being emitted by old lighting fixtures after fluorescent lamps were switched to LED lighting.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 29, 2026
Replace fixtures too when switching to LED lighting, safety watchdog urges
Over 50 cases reported to the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation in the 10 years until 2025 involved fires believed to have occurred due to aging fixtures.
The Institute for AIM Medicine filed for approval a treatment for chronic kidney disease in cats with the agriculture ministry.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 27, 2026
Japan startup seeks approval of cat kidney disease treatment
A trial showed the drug significantly extended the life of afflicted cats.
Sports dietitian Yuka Sanui works behind the scenes to ensure Blue Jays players get the most out of their bodies when they step on the field.
BASEBALL / MLB
Apr 27, 2026
The Japanese dietitian who keeps the Blue Jays’ engines running
Japanese dietitian Yuka Sanui is responsible for helping to keep the Blue Jays players in peak condition before games.
Revolution Medicines’ pancreatic cancer therapy daraxonrasib has delivered stunning results in clinical trials, offering patients significantly more time to live and laying the groundwork for future advancements in treating this deadly disease.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 24, 2026
Finally, real progress against pancreatic cancer
The challenge comes from how late the disease is discovered — some 80% of pancreatic cancer patients’ tumors have already spread by the time of diagnosis.
A woman adjusts her posture due to pain in her back and neck. In Japan, multidisciplinary pain centers have been established to provide coordinated care, but many patients continue to suffer from severe symptoms without a clear underlying cause.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 23, 2026
Japanese study links ADHD symptoms to severity of chronic pain
The research team found that patients with symptoms of the disorder were more likely to report extreme pain than those without.
Japan is seeing the number of measles cases rise this year, with a total of 299 recorded as of early April.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 22, 2026
Measles cases rise in Japan with 299 reported this year
The total as of early April already surpassed the 265 cases recorded for all of last year.
Petro Hurin, now 76, was one of hundreds of thousands of ‘liquidators’ brought to clean up the aftermath of the explosion that tore apart reactor four of the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine on April 26, 1986.
WORLD
Apr 21, 2026
Chernobyl first responder says few survive 40 years on
“Not a single Chernobyl person is in good ⁠health,” the 76-year-old said. “It’s death by a thousand cuts.”
U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington on Saturday.
WORLD / Science & Health
Apr 19, 2026
Trump signs order to accelerate access to psychedelic drug treatments
The order instructs the authorities to expedite the review of drugs such as ibogaine, which U.S. military veteran groups ​have said can help treat post-traumatic stress disorder.
Male participants line up to get weighed and have their waist measured at a local community center in Wuxi, in eastern China's Jiangsu province.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Apr 17, 2026
Chinese slimmers trade lost fat for beef
Rising obesity rates have led to unusual weight-loss programs springing up across China.
Tests for patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease are displayed at the Memory Center in Geneva in June 2023.
WORLD / Science & Health
Apr 16, 2026
Alzheimer’s drugs targeting amyloid don’t help, review finds
Despite successfully removing amyloid from the brain, the drugs don’t improve cognitive function or slow its decline.
Japan's health ministry has imposed restrictions on blood and organ donations from people who have stayed in Britain or elsewhere in Europe between 1980 and 2004.
JAPAN
Apr 15, 2026
Japan to lift organ donation curbs for those who have stayed in Europe
The change is expected to take effect as early as this autumn.
Researchers evaluated five popular artificial intelligence chatbots by asking 10 questions each across five health categories. About 50% of the responses were deemed problematic, including almost 20% that were highly problematic.
BUSINESS / Tech
Apr 15, 2026
AI chatbots give misleading medical advice 50% of the time, study finds
The chatbot’s answers were often delivered with confidence, though none produced a fully complete and accurate reference list in response to any prompt, the researchers said.
As Tokyo's public bathhouses age, many are embracing more contemporary aesthetics to stay relevant for a younger class of customer.
LIFE / Lifestyle
Apr 13, 2026
Where Tokyo goes to sweat and soak
To stay relevant and attract new customers, public bathhouses and saunas are trading weary grandeur for contemporary cool.
Many women going through midlife are turning to strength training to combat age-related muscle loss and health risks, but the trend is being clouded by conflicting advice and influencer-driven misinformation.
COMMENTARY
Apr 12, 2026
The most valuable menopause fitness hack
Middle-aged women aiming to build muscle should be skeptical of “fitfluencers,” many of whom promote junk science and grifts.
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.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival
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