Japan Timeline for June 2026

Japan Set for New World Heritage Site

1

Softbank’s shares rise sharply on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, and the tech/communications giant overtakes Toyota to become Japan’s largest public company, with a market capitalization of more than ¥48 trillion.

2

Tokyo Electric Power Company begins removal of nuclear fuel from the storage pool of the number 2 reactor at its Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

Former world lightweight champion boxer Guts Ishimatsu, who was also known as a television celebrity, dies at the age of 76.

Guts Ishimatsu celebrates defeating Rodolfo Gonzalez of Mexico in the eighth round of a match in Tokyo to become WBC world lightweight champion on April 11, 1974. (© Jiji)

3

The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare announces that there were 671,236 births in Japan in 2025, down 14,937 (2.2%) year on year to set a new record low.

5

A ¥3.1 trillion supplementary budget, addressing the spike in energy prices due to turmoil in the Middle East, passes through the Diet. It includes ¥2.5 trillion earmarked for continuing gasoline subsidies.

Electronics retailers Yamada and Edion agree to integrate their operations, creating a group with combined annual sales of ¥2.5 trillion.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry announces plans to replace two to five nuclear reactors slated for decommissioning. It aims to do so by the 2040s, but as construction costs soar, it is unclear whether the plans can proceed as scheduled.

6

The International Council on Monuments and Sites recommends Japan’s Asuka-Fujiwara sites to be registered as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage. The proposal consists of 19 sites in Nara Prefecture, including the ruins of imperial palaces.

Oda Tokito wins his fourth consecutive men’s wheelchair singles title at the French Open, matching the achievement of Kunieda Shingo.

Oda Tokito with his French Open trophy in Paris on June 6, 2026. (© Kyōdō)

8

Kōno Yōhei, remembered for the 1993 Kōno Statement expressing remorse over the “comfort women” issue, dies at the age of 89. A leading dove within the Liberal Democratic Party, he was chief cabinet secretary when he delivered the statement. He later became the LDP president while the party was in opposition, and also served as speaker of the House of Representatives.

Kōno Yōhei in November 2008. (© Jiji)

12

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency successfully launches an H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture. This comes six months after a failed launch in December 2025, and also serves as a test for use of a low-cost rocket without solid boosters.

13

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako depart for an official visit to the Netherlands and Belgium, where they remain until June 26, on their first trip involving multiple countries since Naruhito ascended to the throne.

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, together with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, watch the World Cup game between their respective countries in Apeldoorn on June 14, 2026. (Courtesy the Dutch Royal House)

15

Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae attends the G7 summit in Evian, France, for her first time at the global gathering. She proposes a framework for jointly stockpiling critical minerals.

16

The Bank of Japan raises its short-term interest rate to 1.0%, the highest level for 31 years, as a countermeasure against inflation risks.

17

In a case concerning the sightseeing boat that sank in 2022 off Shiretoko, Hokkaidō, leading to 26 people dying or going missing, Katsurada Seiichi, the president of the company that operated the boat, is sentenced to five years in prison.

18

The Nikkei index closes at 71,053, exceeding 70,000 for the first time, as investor sentiment improves following the signing of a memorandum of understanding ending hostilities between the United States and Iran. This new milestone comes less than two months after the index rose above 60,000.

20

Singer and actor Miwa Akihiro dies at the age of 91. He came out as gay in his twenties, had a massive hit with the song “Yoitomake no uta,” and became a major star. Born in Nagasaki, he was living there at the time of the atomic bombing, and later wrote a number of antiwar songs.

Miwa Akihiro in April 1986. (© Jiji)

22

The Asahikawa District Court in Hokkaidō sentences Uchida Riko (23) to 27 years in prison for killing a 17-year-old girl by forcing her to leap from a bridge in the city in April 2024.

23

In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court upholds the Tokyo High Court’s ruling ordering the dissolution of the Unification Church.

24

Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru announces at a press conference that two Japanese nationals have been detained by Chinese authorities in Dalian. Both are suspected of smuggling prohibited goods.

25

Japan qualifies for the round of 32 by securing second place in Group F at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 1–1 draw against Sweden. This follows a 2–2 draw against the Netherlands and 4–0 victory against Tunisia.

29

Japan loses 2–1 to Brazil in the World Cup round of 32, despite leading 1–0 at halftime.

Japan coach Moriyasu Hajime expresses thanks to supporters after the defeat to Brazil in Houston on June 29, 2026. (© Jiji)

30

The yen falls to ¥162 to the dollar, its lowest level since December 1986.

The government adopts a bill including two proposals to ensure the continuation of the imperial family. These are to allow female members to retain their imperial status after marriage and to adopt male descendants in the male line into the imperial family (from branches that were removed during postwar reforms). The sons of adopted descendants would be eligible to succeed to the throne.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: Banner photo: An electronic stock board showing the Nikkei index closing price above the 70,000 mark for the first time. © Jiji.)