Michiyo Ishida

2 months ago | channelnewsasia.com | Michiyo Ishida |Kevin Lam

UDA, Japan: Uda community leader Yoshiji Misaki is doing a survey to gather data on abandoned homes in the rural city in Nara prefecture. Almost one in five houses in Uda are vacant homes, known as akiya. One such abandoned property which Misaki showed CNA is a house which has stood largely untouched for 25 years. A doctor once lived and ran a clinic in this home, but his family moved away after he died.

2 months ago | channelnewsasia.com | Michiyo Ishida

Japan is facing a housing problem: Vast numbers of abandoned homes due to depopulation. There are about nine million empty houses — also known as "akiya" — across the country, posing a hazard and potentially stifling development. By 2038, some experts predict the number of akiya across Japan will more than double to 23 million, or one in three houses. CNA's Michiyo Ishida heads to Japan's rural towns, which are on a mission to solve the issue.

2 months ago | channelnewsasia.com | Michiyo Ishida

The freshly announced US tariffs are likely to be a political blow to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who has expressed extreme regret and disappointment. With ratings for Mr Ishiba and his Cabinet already sliding, the government is taking immediate action to help cushion the impact. Mr Ishiba met US President Donald Trump face to face in February and stressed that Japan has been the US' largest foreign investor since 2019.

Mar 21, 2025 | channelnewsasia.com | Michiyo Ishida

The top diplomats of Japan, China and South Korea will hold talks in Tokyo on Mar 22, in the first such meeting in 16 months. Ahead of those talks, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as well as South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, paid a courtesy call on Japanese leader Shigeru Ishiba. The three Asian giants aim to forge closer relations - including economic ties - amid tariff threats from US President Donald Trump. CNA's Michiyo Ishida has more.

Mar 5, 2025 | channelnewsasia.com | Michiyo Ishida

TOKYO: Japan’s Prince Hisahito, the second in line to become emperor, is the imperial family's last hope for its long-term survival. Hisahito, who turned 18 last September, held his debut news conference on Monday (Mar 3), during which he pledged to fulfil his royal duties. “(I’m) mindful that I'm an adult member of the royal family. I intend to fulfil my duty seriously and carefully, while taking advice from those around me,” he told reporters at the Akasaka Estate residence in Tokyo.