SPMG - Japan News & Events

08/09/2025

Celebrating my 9th year on Facebook. Thank you for your continuing support. I could never have made it without you. 🙏🤗🎉

08/09/2025

🍁✨ Japan Autumn Foliage Forecast 2025 is here! ✨🍁

The first fall foliage forecast has just dropped and these are the predicted dates for Autumn in Japan 2025, courtesy of the Japan National Tourism Organization.

Just like the annual cherry blossom forecasts 🌸, please remember these are predictions and may shift slightly depending on the weather. 🍂

👉 Whether it’s strolling under Tokyo’s golden ginkgo trees, chasing fiery momiji in Kyoto, or catching early colors in Hokkaido, this guide will help you plan the perfect autumn trip.

📸 Pro tip: bring your camera—Japan’s fall season is pure postcard magic.

📅 Save the dates, book your stay, and experience the breathtaking beauty of Japan’s autumn foliage 2025 with Tokyo Stays.

08/09/2025

The son of former Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi said on Friday that his mother is suffering from health problems and needs urgent medical attention, appealing for her release from military custody.

Kim Aris told Reuters that the 80-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate had asked to see a cardiologist about a month ago, but that he wasn’t able to determine if that request had been granted.

“I am extremely worried,” he said, according to Reuters. “There is no way of verifying if she is even alive.”

08/09/2025

Japan's prime minister says he will resign, following a series of bruising election losses https://cnn.it/4lZyJL3

08/09/2025

08/09/2025

Top 10 Richest in Japan (Forbes, June 2025)

1. Tadashi Yanai – $48.2B
Founder of Fast Retailing (Uniqlo). Built a global fast-fashion empire.
2. Masayoshi Son – $28.2B
SoftBank CEO. Invests in AI, robotics, and startups, high-risk/high-reward.
3. Takemitsu Takizaki – $20.7B
Founder of Keyence. Leads in sensors and factory automation.
4. Nobutada Saji – $10.5B
Chairman of Suntory. Expanded globally with Beam acquisition.
5. Yasumitsu Shigeta – $6.9B
Founder of Hikari Tsushin. Rebuilt into a telecom & services group.
6. Takao Yasuda – $5.4B
Founder of Don Quijote (Donki). Discount retail giant in Asia.
7. Takahisa Takahara – $5.3B
CEO of Unicharm. Strong in diapers & hygiene products, Asia-focused.
8. Sekiya family – $5.0B
Major shareholders of Disco Corp., chip-making tools leader.
9. Ito siblings – $4.9B
Heirs of Ito-Yokado, founders of Seven & I (7-Eleven).
10. Akira Mori – $4.7B
Head of Mori Trust. Luxury hotels and prime Tokyo real estate.

08/09/2025

Nagoya University scientists push the boundaries of material architecture with advanced nanospace engineering.   H...

08/09/2025

Chinese star Xin Zhilei won the Best Actress award at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on Saturday, becoming the second actress from the Chinese mainland to receive the honor, more than three decades after Gong Li's historic win in 1992.

08/09/2025

Japan is facing a unique real estate paradox — while land prices in major cities like Tokyo and Osaka remain sky-high, the countryside is dotted with over 9 million abandoned homes, known as Akiya. These properties, often left behind as younger generations migrate to urban centers, have become symbols of Japan’s aging population and rural decline. Many of these homes are structurally sound but remain unused for decades, leading to concerns about safety, community vitality, and wasted resources.

To combat this, several municipalities have launched Akiya banks — online platforms where owners list these empty houses, sometimes for shockingly low prices. In some cases, they’re sold for just a few thousand dollars, and in others, transferred nearly for free if buyers commit to renovation or local residency. For adventurous homeowners and investors, Akiya represent not just cheap property, but also an opportunity to revive forgotten towns and experience authentic rural Japan.

08/09/2025

口に入れた瞬間にとろける芳醇なバタークリーム、まろやかな味わいのレーズンとサクサクとした食感のガレットブルトンヌ。主張は強くないものの、全てが見事に調和し、まさに至高の味わいのバターサンドでした。

08/09/2025

The number of Chinese artificial intelligence ( ) companies has surged from just over 1,400 to more than 5,000 in the past five years, according to data released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology at the World Smart Industry Expo in China's Municipality.