2026 in Japan
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| See also: | Other events of 2026 History of Japan • Timeline • Years | ||||
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Events in the year 2026 in Japan.
Incumbents
[edit]Events
[edit]January
[edit]- January 1 – Hachijuni Bank and Nagano Bank merge to form Hachijuni Nagano Bank.[1]
- January 4 – A collision caused by tea leaves spilled from a moving truck involving 12 vehicles in Sano, Tochigi, leaves one person dead and three others injured.[2]
- January 5 – A 243 kg (536 lb) bluefin tuna is sold for a record ¥510 million (US$3.2 million) at the Toyosu Market in Tokyo.[3]
- January 6 –
- A magnitude 6.4 earthquake hits Tottori and Shimane Prefectures, injuring seven people.[4]
- China bans the export of dual-use items, with military applications, to Japan, citing contentious statements made by the Japanese government regarding tensions with Taiwan.[5]
- January 8 – A wildfire breaks out in the mountains of Ōtsuki and Uenohara, Yamanashi, burning at least 16 hectares (40 acres) of forest.[6]
- January 12 – Former mayor Akira Ogawa is re-elected as the mayor of Maebashi in a special election following her resignation in November 2025.[7]
- January 14 – The Nikkei 225 sets an all-time high closing at 54,341 points.[8]
- January 15 –
- Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan leader Yoshihiko Noda and Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito agree to form a new political party.[9]
- Japan and the Philippines sign an agreement allowing their defense forces to exchange logistical support.[10]
- January 16 –
- A power outage in Tokyo causes an eight-hour delay in train services, resulting in five people being hospitalized.[11]
- The mayor of Yokohama, Takeharu Yamanaka, issues a public apology after a city official accuses him of making disparaging remarks on staff.[12]
- January 17 – The 2026 Common Test for University Admissions is held across Japan.[13]
- January 20 – A sightseeing helicopter carrying three people, including two Taiwanese nationals, goes missing near Mount Aso.[14]
- January 21 –
- Tetsuya Yamagami is sentenced to life imprisonment for the assassination of Shinzo Abe in 2022.[15]
- The No. 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant is reactivated for the first time since 2011.[16]
- January 22 – Hirofumi Yoshimura resigned as governor of Osaka Prefecture.[17]
- January 23 – Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolves the House of Representatives at the start of the regular Diet session.[18]
Predicted and scheduled events
[edit]- January 25 – 2026 Fukui gubernatorial election is scheduled to be held.[19]
- February 8 –
- 2026 Japanese general election is scheduled to be held.[9]
- 2026 Yamaguchi gubernatorial election is scheduled to be held.[20]
- 2026 Nagasaki gubernatorial election is scheduled to be held.[21]
- 2026 Osaka Prefecture gubernatorial election is scheduled to be held.[17]
- 2026 Osaka mayoral election is scheduled to be held.[17]
- March 8 – 2026 Ishikawa gubernatorial election is scheduled to be held.[22]
- April 5 – 2026 Kyoto gubernatorial election is scheduled to be held.[23]
- May 31 – 2026 Niigata gubernatorial election is scheduled to be held.[24]
Ongoing
[edit]- China–Japan diplomatic crisis (since November 2025)
Elections
[edit]- 2026 Japanese general election
- 2026 Japanese local elections
- 2026 Osaka gubernatorial election
- 2026 Osaka mayoral election
Arts and entertainment
[edit]- 2026 in anime
- 2026 in Japanese music
- 2026 in Japanese television
- List of 2026 box office number-one films in Japan
- List of Japanese films of 2026
- 39th Tokyo International Film Festival
Sports
[edit]- Japan at the 2026 Winter Olympics (6 to 22 February 2026)
- September 19 – October 4 – The 2026 Asian Games will be held in Aichi Prefecture, including Nagoya.[25]
- TBA – The 2026 World Lacrosse Women's World Championship will be held in Tokyo.[26]
- March 29 – 2026 Japanese Grand Prix
- July 25-26 – 2026 Tokyo ePrix
- October 4 – 2026 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix
- 2026 F4 Japanese Championship
- 2026 Super Formula Championship
- 2026 Super Formula Lights
- 2026 Super GT Series
- 2026-27 in Japanese football
- 2026 J1 Centennial League
- 2026-27 J1 League
- 2026-27 J2 League
- 2026-27 J3 League
- 2026-27 Japan Football League
- 2026-27 Japanese Regional Leagues
- 2026 Japanese Super Cup
- 2026-27 Emperor's Cup
- 2026-27 J.League Cup
Deaths
[edit]January
[edit]- January 1 –
- Yatsushi Iwashita, education support activist (b. 1949)[27]
- Hiroshi Kume, television and radio presenter (b. 1944)
- January 2 – Toshio Fujii, politician (b. 1942).[28]
- January 5 – Aoi Fujino, gravure idol (b. 1998)[29]
- January 7 – Hiroya Ebina, politician (b. 1959)[30]
- January 8 – Hiroshi Nakamura, visual artist (b. 1932)[31]
- January 9 – Ai, Western chimpanzee, subject of cognition studies[32]
- January 10 – Ritsuko Nagao, politician (b. 1933)[33]
- January 11 –
- Takashi Ono, mathematician (b. 1928)[34]
- Kōtarō Kodama, politician (b. 1934)[35]
- January 21 – Daiwa Major, Thoroughbred racehorse (b. 2001)[36]
- January 22 – Hifumi Katō, shogi player (b. 1940)[37]
See also
[edit]Country overviews
[edit]Related timelines for current period
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ 「八十二長野銀行」きょう誕生、長野県内唯一の地銀に…預金残高は９・５兆円. Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). January 1, 2026. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
- ^ "Tea-leaf spill causes multi-vehicle crash in eastern Japan, kills 1". Kyodo News. Retrieved January 4, 2026.
- ^ "Bluefin tuna sells for record $3.2 million at year-opening auction at Tokyo fish market". Associated Press. January 5, 2026. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
- ^ "Strong quakes rattle western Japan, no tsunami observed". Kyodo News. January 6, 2026. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
- ^ Power, John (January 7, 2026). "China bans export of dual-use items to Japan amid tensions over Taiwan". Al Jazeera. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
- ^ "[Chūkei eizō] Yamanashi sanrin kasai hi no fushimatsu nado kara moehirogatta ka" 【中継映像】山梨 山林火災 火の不始末などから燃え広がったか [[Live video] Yamanashi forest fire spread due to careless handling of fire]. NHK (in Japanese). January 8, 2026. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
- ^ "Hoteru mondai ni tomonau Maebashi shichō-sen, Ogawa-shi ga saisen hatasu…"hansei shite shikkari hatarake to takusa reta"" ホテル問題に伴う前橋市長選、小川氏が再選果たす…「反省してしっかり働けと託された」 [Mayor Ogawa re-elected in Maebashi mayoral election following hotel scandal... "I was told to reflect on my actions and work hard"]. Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). January 12, 2026. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
- ^ "Nikkei 225 sets all-time closing high above 54,000". NHK World-Japan. January 14, 2026. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ a b "Kokumin minshu ya Jimin no giin e sanka yobikake mo rikken to Kōmei ga shintō kessei de gōi" 国民民主や自民の議員へ参加呼びかけも 立憲と公明が新党結成で合意 [The Constitutional Democratic Party and Komeito have agreed to form a new party, with calls for participation from Democratic Party for the People and LDP lawmakers.]. The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). January 15, 2026. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ Talosig-Bartolome, Malou (January 15, 2026). "Philippines, Japan ink logistics pact to boost defense cooperation". BusinessMirror. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ "Train service in central Tokyo resumes after 8-hour stoppage". NHK. January 17, 2026. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ^ "Japanese mayor apologises after calling staff 'human scum'". BBC. January 18, 2026. Retrieved January 18, 2026.
- ^ "Daigaku nyūgaku kyōtsū tesuto shonichi "berusaiyunobara" tsukatta mondai mo" 大学入学共通テスト初日「ベルサイユのばら」使った問題も [The first day of the Common University Entrance Examination included a question using "The Rose of Versailles"]. NHK (in Japanese). January 17, 2026. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
- ^ "Tourist helicopter goes missing near volcano in Japan". BBC. January 21, 2026. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
- ^ "Life sentence for man who killed Japan's ex-PM Shinzo Abe". BBC. January 21, 2026. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
- ^ "Fukushima nuclear plant operator restarts reactor at another plant, reviving safety concerns". AP News. January 21, 2026. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
- ^ a b c "Denaoshi Ōsakafu chiji-sen ga kokuji, Yoshimura-shi-ra 3-ri ga rikkōho shuyō seitō wa miokuri" 出直し大阪府知事選が告示、吉村氏ら3人が立候補 主要政党は見送り [Re-election of Osaka gubernatorial election announced, Yoshimura and three others running; major parties refrain from running]. The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). January 22, 2026. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
- ^ "Japan's Takaichi dissolves parliament after only 3 months in office, setting up snap election". AP News. January 23, 2026. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
- ^ "Fukui kenchiji-sen, ken shichō-kai ga Yamada Ken'ichi-shi o suisen kensei kadai e no "sokusenryoku" to shite kitai" 福井県知事選、県市長会が山田賢一氏を推薦 県政課題への「即戦力」として期待 [Fukui Prefectural Mayors' Association recommends Kenichi Yamada for gubernatorial election, expecting him to be an "immediate asset" to tackle prefectural issues]. Fukui Shimbun (in Japanese). January 5, 2026. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
- ^ "Yamaguchi kenchiji-sen, mitsudomoe no kōzu hobo katamaru geki-sen no yosō kotoshi no senkyo o tenbō" 山口県知事選、三つどもえの構図ほぼ固まる 激選の予想 今年の選挙を展望 | 中国新聞デジタル [Yamaguchi Prefectural Gubernatorial Election: Three-Way Race Predicted, A Closer Look at This Year's Election]. Chugoku Shimbun (in Japanese). January 5, 2026. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
- ^ "Nagasaki kenchiji-sen no rikkōho yotei-sha no yukutoshikurutoshi… nigiwai tobikomi, chimeido appu ni yakki jinja de hachiawase mo" 長崎県知事選の立候補予定者のゆく年くる年…にぎわい飛び込み、知名度アップに躍起 神社で鉢合わせも - 長崎新聞 2026/01/05 [10:30] 公開 [Nagasaki gubernatorial election candidates jump into the crowds to boost their profile, even bumping into each other at a shrine]. Nagasaki Shimbun (in Japanese). January 5, 2026. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
- ^ "Ishikawa kenchiji senkyo, 2026-nen 2 tsuki 19-nichi kokuji 3 gatsu 8-nichi tōkaihyō" 石川県知事選挙、2026年2月19日告示・3月8日投開票 [Ishikawa Prefectural Gubernatorial Election: Announcement on February 19, 2026, Voting on March 8]. The Nikkei (in Japanese). December 18, 2025. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
- ^ "Kyōto no kotoshi no senkyo Ayabe shichō o kawagiri ni 6 shichō de shuchō-sen, 4 gatsu ni chiji-sen" 京都の今年の選挙 綾部市長を皮切りに6市町で首長選、4月に知事選：朝日新聞 [Kyoto Elections This Year: Mayoral elections in six cities and towns, starting with the Ayabe mayoral election, followed by the gubernatorial election in April]. The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). January 1, 2026. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
- ^ "(# Seikan-kai fairu) Nīgata chiji-sen wa 5-gatsu 31-nichi" （＃政官界ファイル）新潟知事選は５月３１日 [(#Politics-Bureau File) Niigata gubernatorial election on May 31st]. The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). January 23, 2026. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
- ^ "2026 Asian Games to be held in autumn to avoid summer heat in Japan". Xinhua. August 19, 2018. Archived from the original on October 23, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
- ^ Elliot McGowan (January 23, 2025). "Tokyo to host 2026 Women's Lacrosse Championship". Inside the Games.
- ^ 【訃報】岩下八司さんが死去 バングラデシュ支援NPOの代表 - 丹波新聞 (in Japanese). January 2, 2026. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
- ^ 藤井俊男さん死去 元民主党参院議員 [Former Democratic Party House of Councillors member Toshio Fujii passes away]. Hokkaido Shimbun (in Japanese). January 13, 2026. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
- ^ 元グラドル藤乃あおいさん死去 27歳 親族が発表 23年に希少がんを公表 闘病続けていた. Sponichi (in Japanese). January 9, 2026. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ^ 北海道・前釧路市長の蝦名大也さん（67）死去 議員秘書や北海道議などを経て4期16年釧路市長 防災インフラの整備に尽力 関係者からも悼む声 [Former Kushiro Mayor Daiya Ebina (67) passes away. He served as secretary to a member of the Hokkaido Prefectural Assembly and served as mayor for four terms (16 years). He contributed to the development of disaster prevention infrastructure. His family mourns him.]. TBS News (in Japanese). January 8, 2026. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
- ^ 画家・中村宏さん死去 砂川闘争描いた「ルポルタージュ絵画」. The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). January 8, 2026. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
- ^ "Genius Chimpanzee Ai Dies at Age 49, Primate Known for Enthusiastic Role in Research on Learning, Memory". The Japan News. January 11, 2026. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
- ^ 元全社協会長、長尾立子氏逝く 女性初の法務大臣 [Former president of the Japan Federation of Associations, Tatsuko Nagao, passes away; first female Minister of Justice]. Fukushi Shimbun (in Japanese). January 19, 2026. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
- ^ Takashi Ono, 1928–2026
- ^ 児玉更太郎さん（こだま・こうたろう＝元安芸高田市長. Chugoku Shimbun (in Japanese). January 11, 2026. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
- ^ G1・５勝の25歳ダイワメジャーが息を引き取る 種牡馬でも活躍「本当に立派」. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). Yahoo! News Japan. January 20, 2026. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "Former shogi master Hifumi Kato dies at 86". Japan Times. Jiji Press. January 22, 2026. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
