Top stories in Japan for October 2026 included the Japanese scientist Soai Kensō’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Asian Games End
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The Immigration Services Agency tightens the requirements for granting permanent residency to foreign nationals. Under the new criteria, applicants must continuously earn more than the average annual income of Japanese citizens and meet a set level of Japanese language proficiency.
Tennis player Nishikori Kei, formerly ranked number four in the world, retires after losing in the first round of the Japan Open.
Nishikori Kei, at center, poses for a commemorative photo after concluding the final tournament of his career at Ariake Tennis Park in Tokyo on October 1, 2026. (© Jiji)3
The Toyama Prefectural Police search Toyama City Hall following allegations that the city inflated its population figures by more than 2,000 people in the 2025 National Census.
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The Okinawa Prefectural Police arrest a US Marine lance corporal stationed at US Futenma Air Station on suspicion of robbery-murder, following allegations that he killed a woman and stole her wallet and other belongings at a hotel in Naha
As the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games end, Japan finishes with an all-time high of 269 medals (83 gold, 95 silver, 91 bronze), placing second in the medal standings behind China. The games were marred by a number of operational issues through the course of the events, including mix-ups of national anthems.
Japanese athletes at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games closing ceremony on October 4, 2026. (© Jiji)7
Japan's Fair Trade Commission raids the offices of the country's four major beer brewers—Asahi, Kirin, Suntory, and Sapporo—on suspicion of violating the Antimonopoly Act. The companies are suspected of having formed a cartel to fix wholesale shipping prices for beer and related beverages.
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded to Soai Kensō, professor emeritus at the Tokyo University of Science, and Henri B. Kagan, professor emeritus at Paris-Saclay University, for discoveries that offer clues to how living organisms came to contain only one of the two mirror-image variants of key molecules, such as amino acids.
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Hanshin Tigers infielder Satō Teruaki wins the Triple Crown in Nippon Professional Baseball, leading the league in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in. He is the ninth player in NPB history to achieve the feat.
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In its latest World Economic Outlook, the International Monetary Fund projects that Japan's GDP will drop from fourth to sixth place globally in 2027, falling behind both India and Britain.
Russia's Federal Security Service arrests a Japanese journalist from the Hokkaidō Shimbun in Sakhalin on espionage charges. Consular access is finally granted on October 26, allowing Japanese embassy officials to meet with the detainee.
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Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae effectively dismisses Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Yana Kazuo following allegations including violations of the Public Offices Election Act. On October 15, she appoints lower house lawmaker Takebe Arata to succeed him.
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Murakami Ryū, who won the Akutagawa Prize for Almost Transparent Blue and was known for other bestsellers like Coin Locker Babies, dies at the age of 74.
Murakami Ryū in December 2016. (© Jiji)20
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launches an H3 rocket carrying the Martian Moons Exploration probe from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture. The mission aims to collect samples from the Martian moon Phobos. If successful, it will mark several scientific firsts, including a round-trip voyage to and from the Martian system.
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Former Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo dies in Tokyo at the age of 90. He took office in September 2007, following the abrupt resignation of Abe Shinzō due to ill health.
Fukuda Yasuo during his time as prime minister in June 2008. (© Jiji)Chiba Tetsuya, the manga artist best known for Ashita no Joe, dies in Tokyo at the age of 87. In 2023, he became the first manga creator to be awarded Japan’s Order of Culture.
Chiba Tetsuya in October 2023. (© Jiji)23
The government decides to award the Order of Culture to eight individuals, including Nintendo’s Miyamoto Shigeru, creator of hit video games such as the Super Mario series, and Nobel laureate in chemistry Soai Kensō. This marks the first time a video game producer has received the honor.
Former Yomiuri Giants star Matsui Hideki, also known for his standout career in Major League Baseball with the New York Yankees and other clubs, is appointed manager of the Giants.
At a press conference, Matsui Hideki shows that he is wearing uniform number 90, which his longtime mentor Nagashima Shigeo wore during his managerial tenure. (© Reuters)24
GMO Internet calls on the government to take “active cyber defense” measures following a server breach and its refusal to pay a $50 million ransom demand, amid a surge in corporate cyberattacks this month. Companies hit by major attacks include a SoftBank cloud affiliate, Burger King, Capcom, and Sagawa Express.
The Japan Shōgi Association announces that it has accepted an application from Nishiyama Tomoka to transfer into the regular professional ranks. She becomes the first female regular professional in the game’s history, following her title defense in the separate women’s professional system
Nishiyama Tomoka in competition on October 10, 2026. (© Jiji)28
Prime Minister Takaichi meets with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Tokyo, where the two leaders discuss developments regarding China and Russia, reaffirming their commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation in defense and the economy. They also adopt a joint declaration on economic security and cooperation in advanced science and technology, including AI.
Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, at right, shakes hands with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz after their joint press conference in Tokyo on October 28, 2026. (© Jiji)30
At its monetary policy meeting, the Bank of Japan issues a report indicating that underlying inflation, excluding temporary fluctuations, has reached its 2% target.
(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: Soai Kensō at a press conference following the announcement of his winning the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. © Jiji.)
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