A weekly roundup of the week's biggest — and smallest — national news, crime, politics and entertainment stories from Japan Today with a dash of opinionated commentary and a sprinkling of readers' comments. Ready for you every Friday evening (JST).
Oct. 31, 2025 | Japan’s foreigner problem: Kimi Onoda and the politics of coexistence
When Sanae Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister on Oct. 21, one of her new cabinet pick's stood out. Kimi Onoda was appointed minister for economic security and the “Cool Japan” strategy — but also given a new title: Minister for Promoting an Orderly Coexistent Society with Foreigners.
It’s a phrase that says a lot about how Japan sees outsiders.
In this week’s Japan Today Spotlight, we look at how anti-foreigner sentiment is gaining political traction, why “coexistence” has become such a loaded word and what that means for Japan’s future.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-vDNg-hhBZo
Chapters
00:00 Intro: Japan’s first female prime minister
01:36 Blame the foreigners
03:48 The coexistence policy
04:33 Kimi Onoda’s appointment
05:51 Anti-foreigner rhetoric in Japan
06:30 Japanese labor needs foreigners
07:57 Fear of foreigners and the facts
09:30 Cultural misunderstandings
11:08 Sanseito’s argument
12:32 Outro: The choice ahead
Do you think Japan’s “foreigner problem” is really about policy or fear? Tell us in the comments.
25 Oct 2025
Oct. 24, 2025 | Trial of Shinzo Abe's assassin
The trial of Tetsuya Yamagami — the man who assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — has begun in Japan. But this case is about more than guilt or innocence.
It exposed disturbing ties between Japan’s ruling party and a controversial church, triggered public sympathy for the killer and forced the country to confront deeper questions about justice, trauma and political power.
🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/A2hwKzrn7ls
Do you think the trial will bring clarity or just more controversy?
Chapters
00:00 – Intro
00:45 – The assassination of Shinzo Abe
02:10 – Who is Tetsuya Yamagami?
04:30 – Sympathy and the “Yamagami Girls”
06:40 – Unification Church and LDP ties
08:55 – What the trial means for Japan
10:12 – Outro
Explore more episodes of Japan Today Spotlight:
https://japantoday.com/category/japan-today-spotlight
💬 What do you think about this case and its impact on Japan? Drop your thoughts in the comments on YouTube.
📌 Subscribe on YouTube for full video episodes:
https://www.youtube.com/@JapanTodaySpotlight
3 Oct 2025
Oct. 3, 2025 | Why stalking cases in Japan keep ending in tragedy
Stalking cases in Japan are becoming harder to ignore. Women are being targeted, threatened and, in too many cases, killed — even after going to the police for help.
In this edition of Japan Today Spotlight, we examine why stalking cases so often end in tragedy, what reforms are being proposed and what experts say women can do to stay safe.
▶ Watch the full video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9Dnv7M8KS_Y
Reach and audience
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Apple Podcasts (US)
4.7 / 5
15 ratings
Spotify
4.6 / 5
5 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 40 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
60
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
51
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