Japan

• The Shanghai film festival has excluded all Japanese movies this week, signaling a potential unofficial boycott of Japanese cultural exports. • While China has already imposed official restrictions on trade and tourism with Japan since November, no formal ban on the cultural sector has been announced. • This development suggests that diplomatic tensions between the two nations are now extending into the arts, music, and cinema industries.

Police and hunters in Utsunomiya, 100km north of the capital, resume their search for animal that is not usually seen so close to TokyoA city in Japan has closed all its 94 primary and secondary schools after a bear was spotted in the municipality for the first time.Officials in Utsunomiya, a city of half a million people about 100km (62 miles) north of Tokyo, took action after a medium-sized black bear – estimated to be about one-metre-long – was seen near a park in the city on Saturday. The bear was spotted again on CCTV running just in front of two startled young men in the city centre, in the early hours of Sunday. Continue reading...

• Indian chess prodigy Pragg has secured the Norway Chess title, marking a significant international victory. • On June 6, 2026, the Indian men's U18 hockey team will face Japan in the Asia Cup final. • The Indian women's football team is scheduled to play Bangladesh at 6:30 PM in the 2026 SAFF Women's Championship final held in Goa.

• Indian golfer Kochhar started strong at the US$500,000 IGPL Bharath Classic, shooting a 6-under 66 to place himself just one shot behind leader Runchanapong Youprayong of Thailand. • Fellow Indian Aryan Roopa Anand also performed well on the first day, recording a 4-under 68 to sit tied for eighth place. • These results highlight the current strong form of Indian golfers, with Kochhar previously securing a win at the IGPL Dubai and top-five finishes in the Philippines and Japan.

More than 1 million people advised to evacuate homes amid 80mph winds and heavy rainTyphoon Jangmi (also known as Typhoon No 6) moved northwards over the course of this week. From Okinawa to mainland Japan, prolonged and heavy rainfall led to landslide warnings and the flooding of rivers, with Japan issuing level 4 warnings for some rivers, signalling a risk of overflowing. This level is high enough for municipalities to issue evacuation orders. Three-hourly rainfall totals on Wednesday reached 105mm in Chiyoda, Tokyo, which was a record high for the month. Sustained wind speeds of 80mph (130kph) were recorded on Monday – making it a category 1 typhoon – bringing damage and disruption to businesses, transport, infrastructure and the environment.By Wednesday, 23 people had been injured, 17 of whom were in Okinawa. The typhoon damaged 57 homes and led to 60,000 homes losing electricity. In addition to this, 1.52 million people were advised to evacuate by authorities. The typhoon damaged the exterior wall of Himeji Castle, a Unesco world heritage site in western Japan. The maximum recorded wind speed at Himeji was 56mph, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The typhoon has now weakened into a tropical depression and has moved eastwards, away from the islands. Continue reading...

• Japan Women (JPNW) secured a dominant victory over Mongolia Women (MGLW) in the 13th match of Group A at the ACC Women's T20I Premier Cup 2026. • Japan posted a formidable total of 188/4 in their 20 overs, while Mongolia struggled in response, finishing with only 72/8. • The result highlights a significant skill gap between the two sides, with Mongolia's batting lineup failing to build momentum against the Japanese attack.

• President Lee Jae Myung's left-wing party secured a significant victory in South Korea's nationwide elections, demonstrating Lee's strong personal popularity. • Despite the national win, the party failed to capture Seoul, indicating a geographic divide in voter support. • The results highlight the ongoing struggles of the opposition People Power Party to rebuild its influence and organizational strength.