Grave of the Fireflies remains the defining expression of Takahata Isao’s artistic vision. In contrast to the fantasy-driven worlds of fellow Ghibli director Miyazaki Hayao, Takahata spent his career exploring new forms of realism, culminating in the spare, innovative aesthetic of The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.

The rising cost of living and income insecurity are affecting the family planning of Japanese couples, with fewer now hoping for a second child even as the government works to make early childhood education and childcare free.

With the bearing of a noble prince, Yakushiji’s national treasure Kannon combines grace with quiet intensity.

Top stories in Japan for October 2026 included the Japanese scientist Soai Kensō’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

The latest quarterly survey on generative AI use in Japan finds it to be more popular than ever, even among older users, although the main uses seem to be shifting over time.