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The Japanese government's decision to incorporate the Science Council of Japan (SCJ) while strengthening state oversight has sparked renewed concerns about academic freedom. The move comes after Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's controversial refusal to appoint six candidates nominated by the council in 2020, leading to speculation that their political views differed from those of his predecessor, Shinzo Abe.

Shinji Ishimaru's new party, Saisei no Michi, has received over 1,000 applications for the upcoming Tokyo metropolitan assembly election, with the party aiming to field up to 60 candidates across all 42 electoral districts. The party, which will not set specific policy goals and will limit its assembly members to two terms, will finalize its candidate list after a multi-stage selection process.

Tokyo's Ginza district boasts a unique indoor plant factory within the Itoya stationery store, showcasing the growing trend of urban agriculture and sustainable food production. This innovative approach to vegetable cultivation offers a promising solution for ensuring fresh produce availability amidst climate change and extreme weather events.

The Japanese government plans to introduce legislation in February that would allow them to publicly identify and shame AI companies responsible for serious human rights violations, aiming to strike a balance between promoting AI innovation and mitigating the risks associated with its misuse. This approach, however, has sparked debate, with some experts questioning its effectiveness and calling for more concrete penalties.

Japan's economy grew at a slower pace than initially reported in the October-December quarter, raising concerns about the impact of U.S. tariffs and weak consumption. The revised data showed an annualized growth rate of 2.2%, lower than the initial estimate of 2.8% and below economists' median forecast.