News

The Japanese government has begun releasing its massive stockpile of rice to combat soaring prices, with the first batch of surplus rice hitting supermarket shelves as early as the end of March. This move is expected to bring welcome relief to shoppers who have been struggling with the high cost of the staple food.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams finally returned to Earth on Friday, March 14, 2025, after a nine-month stay on the International Space Station. Their replacements, Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Takuya Onishi, and Kirill Peskov, launched from Kennedy Space Center on Friday night and are scheduled to arrive at the space station on Saturday night.

Japan's ruling coalition and Nippon Ishin agreed to make high school education free from fiscal 2025, marking the first time in 29 years that a draft initial budget has been revised through talks between the ruling and opposition parties at the Diet. This agreement ensures the passage of the budget proposal before the new fiscal year begins in April.

A small humanoid robot named Robohon is being tested as a copilot for elderly drivers in Japan, with the goal of reducing traffic accidents by providing real-time information and leveraging the "passenger effect." The project, led by Nagoya University and Sharp Corp., aims to commercialize a driving assistance system by the end of March 2027.

The ruling coalition and opposition Nippon Ishin Party agreed on education and social welfare policies, including free senior high school education and lower social insurance premiums, to ensure the passage of the fiscal 2025 budget. This agreement is crucial as the ruling coalition lacks a majority in the Lower House and requires support from opposition parties to pass legislation.