Tokyo Haneda Airports Users: Ideas Later.

Tokyo's Haneda airport tops 90 million users for 1st time in 2025

Article source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260129/p2g/00m/0bu/016000c

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TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The number of travelers using Tokyo's Haneda airport for domestic and international flights surpassed 90 million for the first time in 2025, driven by a surge in inbound tourism, the transport ministry said Wednesday.

Japan's busiest airport saw about 91.43 million travelers last year, a 6.7 percent increase from the previous year, although domestic travelers have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, it also reached the maximum slot limit of around 490,000 takeoffs and landings.

About 67.10 million people flew on domestic flights, up 5.5 percent from a year earlier, while international travelers rose 10.1 percent to a record high of around 24.33 million.

Passenger numbers on routes to and from China declined, while those to and from Hong Kong and Taiwan surged.

As it will no longer be possible to increase the number of takeoffs and landings at Haneda, the growing burden from inbound tourism will likely fall on Narita airport near Tokyo, a transport ministry official said.

Narita airport in Chiba Prefecture is undergoing a project to enhance its capacity by extending an existing runway and building a new one, which is expected to increase the number of takeoffs and landings from 340,000 to 500,000.

JAL sales in April-Dec. Ideas Later.

JAL sales in April-Dec. at record 1.51 tril. yen on firm inbound tourism

Article source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260203/p2g/00m/0bu/029000c

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TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan Airlines Co. said Tuesday its sales for the nine months through December rose 9.2 percent from the previous year to 1.51 trillion yen ($9.75 billion), a record high for the period since its relisting in 2012, buoyed by strong demand for inbound tourism.

Its net profit climbed 24.9 percent to 113.74 billion yen, as the major Japanese air carrier also got a boost from robust domestic travel demand.

Despite the tailwind, JAL took a cautious view on travel demand from China, one of its key markets.

"We are seeing the effects of declining demand from China... especially from group bookings," Chief Financial Officer Yuji Saito said at a press conference, saying that demand was down between 20 to 25 percent from a year earlier for the company.

China urged its citizens in November to avoid traveling to Japan amid growing tensions between the two countries, since controversial remarks about a Taiwan contingency by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

"We will also be affected for the upcoming Chinese New Year," Saito said, adding that the company needs to gauge demand trends. "We hope the appetite for travel (to Japan) will return."

For the nine months ending in December, revenues from its international flight operations grew by 9.1 percent, while revenues from its domestic flight operations increased by 7.3 percent.

Passengers of international flights in the same period increased 8.2 percent to around 6 million and those of domestic flights rose 7.4 percent to around 29 million.

JAL maintained its earnings forecast for the current business year through March, with net profits expected to grow 7.4 percent to 115 billion yen and sales forecast to increase 7.2 percent to 1.98 trillion yen.

It said the same day the Development Bank of Japan was considering acquiring a stake in Jetstar Japan Co., a budget carrier and JAL affiliate, with major shareholder Qantas Airways Ltd. selling all of its shares.

"We hope to enhance corporate value," Saito said, adding that JAL hopes to announce the new brand in October this year.

Japan Farm Exports: Ideas Later.

Japan's annual farm exports rise to new record 1.7 trillion yen

Article source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260203/p2g/00m/0bu/030000c

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TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese exports of agriculture, forestry and fishery products and foods rose to over 1.7 trillion yen ($10.9 billion) in 2025, renewing the record for the 13th straight year, amid expansions of worldwide popularity of washoku, or Japanese cuisine, the farm ministry said Tuesday.

Amid heightened health awareness, green tea exports doubled from the previous year, and exports of 20 major items, including beef and rice, reached record high, contributing to a 12.8 percent year-on-year increase, according to the ministry.

But the exports fell short of the government's target of 2 trillion yen in 2025, with continuous efforts to develop export markets deemed indispensable as the government aims for 5 trillion yen in exports in 2030.

By country and region, the United States was the top destination at 276.2 billion yen, up 13.7 percent, on the back of strong demand for green tea and seafood that are considered healthy food, despite higher tariffs imposed since April last year.

Hong Kong came in second at 222.8 billion yen followed by Taiwan at 181.2 billion yen, while China, which has reimposed suspension of Japanese seafood imports amid a diplomatic row, ranked fourth at 179.9 billion yen.

Exports to China rose for the first time in three years, up 7.0 percent, driven by notable increases of beer and timber logs.

By volume, rice exports rose 3.2 percent from the previous year to 46,573 tons. Those of packaged precooked rice soared 21.8 percent to 2,950 tons, due in part to consumption expansions at Japanese chain restaurants overseas.

The government aims to boost annual rice exports, including packaged rice and rice flour, to 353,000 tons in 2030.

"We need to expand our destinations to popular local restaurants" in addition to chain restaurants operated by Japanese firms, an official of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said.

Japan 2025 Industrial Output: Ideas Later.

Japan's 2025 industrial output rises 0.8%, 1st increase in 4 years

Article source:  https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260130/p2g/00m/0bu/011000c

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TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's industrial output in 2025 grew 0.8 percent from the previous year, marking a rise for the first time in four years, helped by increases in the production of electronic parts and devices, government data showed Friday.

The index of production at factories and mines in 2025 stood at 102.0 against the 2020 base of 100, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said in a preliminary report.

Auto production also helped lift annual output despite the impact of higher tariffs imposed by the United States.

"With a certain level of tariffs remaining, there is no doubt that profits have been affected," a ministry official said, adding the data shows "producers are enduring the situation."

Although uncertainty persists over U.S. tariffs and deteriorating Japan-China relations, firms are gauging the situation objectively, the official said.

The annual index of industrial shipments rose 0.4 percent to 100.3, while that of inventories fell 2.7 percent to 96.1.

In December alone, industrial output dropped a seasonally adjusted 0.1 percent from the previous month to 101.8, following a 2.7 percent drop in November.

The ministry maintained its basic assessment that production "fluctuates indecisively," while projecting a 9.3 percent jump in January and a 4.3 percent decline in February based on a poll of manufacturers.

Seven of the 15 industrial sectors covered in the survey saw output decreases, including production machinery, chemicals -- but not inorganic and organic chemicals and medicine -- and pulp, paper and paper products.

Seven other sectors logged increases, including general-purpose and business-oriented machinery, electrical machinery, information and communication electronics equipment and motor vehicles, while the iron, steel and non-ferrous metals sector remained flat.

The index of industrial shipments declined 1.7 percent to 98.9, while inventories rose 1.0 percent to 98.3 in the month.

Japan Private Rice Imports: Ideas Later.

Japan's private rice imports rise 96-fold to hit record high in 2025

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TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's private rice imports hit a record high of 96,779 tons in 2025, marking around a whopping 96-fold increase from the previous year as the price of domestically produced rice remains elevated, government data showed Thursday.

The surge from 1,008 tons in 2024 came despite the Japanese government implementing a tariff of 341 yen ($2.20) per kilogram on privately imported rice, with prices still comparatively cheaper than local alternatives.

According to the Finance Ministry's trade statistics, rice imports gradually rose from last January and peaked in July at 26,349 tons, before trending downward from August. The annual volume was the largest since comparable data became available in 2000.

The United States was the number one source, accounting for 75,638 tons, followed by Taiwan at 7,024 tons and Vietnam at 4,515 tons.

Japan currently imports some 770,000 tons of rice annually tariff-free under its minimum access commitment based on World Trade Organization rules.

Of that, up to 100,000 tons are destined for the private sector for staple food use. The private imports came on top of this tariff-free quota.

Japan Jobless Rate: Ideas Later.

Japan's jobless rate in 2025 stays at 2.5% as tight job market continue

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TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan's average unemployment rate in 2025 stood unchanged from the previous year at 2.5 percent, reflecting a tight labor market as the number of people with jobs increased, while more joined the workforce amid inflation.

The number of unemployed people averaged 1.76 million, the same level as in 2024, while the number of employed people rose by 470,000 to 68.28 million, hitting a record high for the second straight year, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said.

Despite the increase in the number of employed people, the jobless rate remained unchanged as the labor force expanded for the third consecutive year, growing 470,000 to 70.04 million, the highest figure since comparable data became available in 1953, as more women and elderly people joined the workforce.

The labor force includes people aged 15 or older who are employed, as well as those who are unemployed but willing and able to work.

Shinichiro Kobayashi, principal economist at Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting, said there are both positive and negative factors underlying the growth trend in the labor force.

While more people are motivated to work due to rising wages and better conditions such as flexible working hours, "Many people are facing the need to secure higher incomes as surging prices are making their lives harder," Kobayashi said.

Among those not in work, the number of people dismissed by their employers stood at 220,000, while those who left jobs voluntarily, typically in search of better opportunities, totaled 750,000. The number of people newly seeking jobs came to 480,000, all unchanged from 2024.

In December alone, the unemployment rate was unchanged from November at 2.6 percent, according to the ministry.

Separate data showed that the average job availability ratio in 2025 fell 0.03 point from a year earlier to 1.22, deteriorating for the second consecutive year, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said.

The figure means there were 122 jobs available for every 100 job seekers.

"More businesses are restraining hiring on the back of soaring material costs driven by inflation and labor-saving measures due to minimum wage increases," a labor ministry official said.

In December, the job availability ratio edged up 0.01 point from November to 1.19, according to the labor ministry.

By industry, new job openings rose 4.0 percent from a year earlier in the education sector and 1.6 percent in manufacturing.

In contrast, new job openings fell 10.5 percent in information and communications, and 7.0 percent in the hotel and restaurant sector.

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BOJ leaves benchmark unchanged: Ideas later.

BOJ leaves benchmark interest rate unchanged at policy meeting

Article source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260123/p2g/00m/0bu/020000c

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TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Bank of Japan kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at around 0.75 percent on Friday, as it assessed the impact of last month's rate increase on the economy amid a recent spike in government bond yields and a falling yen.

The decision came after the central bank raised its key rate to the highest level in 30 years at its December meeting, determining that there was a greater likelihood of achieving its two percent inflation target.

In its latest quarterly outlook report, released after the gathering, the BOJ raised its economic growth forecasts to account for the impact of a stimulus package compiled under the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a fiscal and monetary dove, who took office in October.

The central bank now expects the Japanese economy to grow by 0.9 percent in the current fiscal year ending in March and by 1.0 percent in the following year, up from the 0.7 percent expansion projected in October.

The BOJ broadly maintained its inflation projections, except for a 0.1 percentage-point upward revision to 1.9 percent for fiscal 2026.

The report said developments in overseas economies and prices are potential risks to the Japanese economy, while "exchange rate developments are, compared to the past, more likely to affect prices."

With BOJ chief Kazuo Ueda signaling readiness to continue raising rates if economic activity and prices move in line with expectations, market focus has shifted to the timing of the BOJ's next policy move.

Of the nine policymakers, hawkish member Hajime Takata proposed a rate hike to around 1 percent, citing upward risks to prices, though it was voted down.

In the report, the BOJ retained its view that the 2 percent inflation target will be achieved in the latter half of the three-year outlook period through fiscal 2027, a prerequisite for further hikes.

The latest policy meeting was held as financial markets have recently been rattled by surging Japanese government bond yields and the yen's sharp depreciation due largely to concerns over Japan's fiscal health in the wake of Takaichi's expansionary spending policy.

Japan's already strained public finances have come under increased scrutiny after both ruling and opposition parties proposed suspending the consumption tax on food as part of their campaign pledges ahead of a snap lower house election on Feb. 8.

Even after the monetary tightening last month, the Japanese currency has remained under selling pressure, adding to upward pressure on import costs and inflation in the resource-poor nation.