As part of the 2024-2025 FPCJ Fellowship Program, Mr. Andrew Greene, a journalist with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), visited Japan from December 8 to 14, 2024.     The ABC is an Australian public broadcaster which produces news content for audiences domestically and across the Indo-Pacific region. The ABC provides unique reporting in a variety of fields such as the arts, science, health, Aboriginal issues, and local industries via TV, radio, and online to a monthly audience of over 14 million people.     While in Japan, Mr. Greene covered the topics of secu ..read more

The FPCJ has invited Mr. KIUCHI Minoru, Minister in charge of Economic Security, to discuss Japan’s economic security policy.   -Members of the foreign press and embassy representatives: This will be a hybrid briefing, with participation in person possible at the FPCJ Conference Room, in addition to an online livestream via Zoom webinar.   – FPCJ supporting members may participate in the briefing online as observers (admission free).   ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ■Date: April 21 (Mon), 2025, 14:00-15:00 ■Theme: Japan’s Economic Security Policy ■Briefer: Mr. KIUCHI Minoru ..read more

As part of the 2024-2025 FPCJ Fellowship Program, Ms. Michaela Del Callar, a journalist who contributes to the Associated Press (AP) and GMA News Online, visited Japan from January 19 to 25, 2025.     The AP is a leading US news agency. GMA News Online is an English online news media organization operated by the GMA Network, a major integrated media group in the Philippines which owns a network of 106 TV stations and 21 radio stations throughout the country.     While in Japan, Ms. Del Callar covered topics including security, diplomacy, and Japan-Philippines trade, intervi ..read more

　The Sendai Aoba Festival, which represents Sendai in the season of fresh green leaves, will be held on May 17-18, 2025. 　The City of Sendai has set up the “Shukusai Ryokusai Virtual Suzume Matsuri,” an interactive tourist content so that visitors can enjoy “Suzume Odori,” a traditional dance of Sendai that appears during this Aoba Festival, even outside of the festival period. 　Visitors can create their own avatar by coloring the dancer’s costume on the touch-panel “sub-monitor,” and the avatar will perform the Suzume Odori dance on the “main monitor. 　There will be a 30-second shutter chance ..read more

On February 18, the Cabinet approved the Seventh Strategic Energy Plan, which indicates the direction of Japan’s energy policy, revised Plan for Global Warming Countermeasures including 2035 and 2040 climate targets, and the GX 2040 Vision, a national strategy to realize green transformation. Japan’s energy situation has changed significantly since the Sixth Strategic Energy Plan was formulated in October 2021. In light of these changes, the government has made a new plan to achieve a stable energy supply and create a carbon neutral society by making maximum use of renewable energy and nuclear ..read more

To disseminate information about Oita Prefecture’s history, culture, and initiatives in response to a declining birthrate and aging population, a press tour sponsored by Oita Prefecture was held for foreign correspondents in Japan (planned/operated by the FPCJ). Nine journalists joined the tour, from six companies based out of countries such as China, Qatar, Singapore, and Vietnam. The tour covered the following topics: – Oita, Coexisting with Nature—Impact of Climate Change/Building Communities Resilient to Natural Disasters – Protecting Oita History—Passing on Traditions and Historical Towns ..read more

  With nearly 14 years having passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake, a press tour sponsored by the Fukushima Innovation Coast Promotion Organization was held for foreign correspondents in Japan (planned/operated by the FPCJ).   The journalists visited Fukushima Prefecture’s coastal area (Hamadori) and were briefed on the framework by members of the Fukushima Innovation Coast Promotion Organization, followed by covering companies carrying out research and development under the Fukushima Innovation Coast Framework and visiting a local college of technology educating students so ..read more

On February 18, the Cabinet approved the Seventh Strategic Energy Plan, which indicates the direction of Japan’s energy policy, revised Plan for Global Warming Countermeasures including 2035 and 2040 climate targets, and the GX 2040 Vision, a national strategy to realize green transformation. Japan’s energy situation has changed significantly since the Sixth Strategic Energy Plan was formulated in October 2021. In light of these changes, the government has made a new plan to achieve a stable energy supply and create a carbon neutral society by making maximum use of renewable energy and nuclear ..read more

Oshikatsu, activities to support your favorite anime, character, pop star or even athlete (“oshi”), has been growing popular, particularly among Gen Z (people born from the mid 1990s to the early 2010s). In the two most recent regional economic reports released by the Bank of Japan, mentions were made of the high demand from oshikatsu among the youth, showing the oshikatsu market is booming. Will oshikatsu be the driving force behind a recovery of consumption?   The FPCJ has invited marketing analyst Mr. Yohei Harada, a leading researcher of young people and a professor for the UX course ..read more

On January 20, 2025, the Republican Party’s Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States of America, beginning the second Trump administration. In his inauguration speech, he once again emphasized “America First,” and by signing huge numbers of executive orders on his first day is already quickly implementing significant policy changes from the previous Biden administration. The Japanese government would like to build a strong relationship of trust and cooperation with the Trump administration, further enhancing the Japan-US alliance and cooperating closely on workin ..read more