Events in the year 2024 in Japan.
Incumbents
Governors
Arts and entertainment
Events
January
- January 1 âÂÂ
- Six wards in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including Naka-ku, Minami-ku, Higashi-ku, Nishi-ku, and Kita-ku, are disestablished and replaced by two new wards, namely Hamana-ku and ChÃ
«Ã
Â-ku.
- A 7.5 magnitude earthquake strikes Ishikawa Prefecture, killing 241 people.
- January 2 â 2024 Haneda Airport runway collision: A Japan Airlines Airbus A350-900 collides with a Japan Coast Guard DHC-8 aircraft and bursts into flames at Tokyo's Haneda Airport. The Coast guard plane was going to deliver aid to those affected by the earthquake in Ishikawa Prefecture the day before. All 379 occupants aboard the Japan Airlines flight are evacuated, while five of the six occupants aboard the Coast Guard aircraft are killed.
- January 3 â Three men are stabbed on a train at Akihabara Station, Tokyo. A woman is arrested by police.
- January 19 âÂÂ
- Japan becomes the fifth country to successfully land on the surface of the moon with the SLIM lunar lander mission.
- 2023âÂÂ2024 Japanese slush fund scandal: Several Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers are indicted in a scandal involving misuse of campaign funds, including incumbent lawmakers Yasutada Ã
Âno and Yaichi Tanigawa, both of whom resign from the party following their indictments. The Seiwa Seisaku KenkyÃ
«kai, KÃ
Âchikai, and Shisuikai factions of the Liberal Democratic Party all announce their intention to dissolve as a result of the scandal.
- January 23 â Two railway workers are injured after being electrocuted while trying to fix a massive power outage that shuts down the Shinkansen system in a section operated by JR East between Omiya Station in Saitama and Ueno Station in Tokyo. A train is also damaged during the outage.
- January 24 â Ukrainian-born Karolina Shiino is announced as the winner of the 2024 Miss Nippon Grand Prix beauty pageant. She is the first naturalised Japanese citizen to win the pageant. Her win sparks debates over "Japaneseness" and the shifting demographics of Japan.
- January 25 â Kyoto Animation arson attack: A court sentences Shinji Aoba to death for a 2019 arson attack on a Kyoto Animation studio in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, which killed 36 people.
- January 26 â 1974 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries bombing: Police announce they have arrested who they believe to be Satoshi Kirishima, a member of East Asia Anti-Japan Armed Front who has been a fugitive from justice for 50 years for his role in a series of bombings of companies.
- January 29 â The man believed to be Satoshi Kirishima dies. DNA comparison with relatives further confirms his identity as Kirishima.
February
- February 5 â Ukrainian-born Karolina Shiino relinquishes her crown as winner of the 2024 Miss Nippon Grand Prix beauty pageant after news emerges of her having an affair with a married man.
- February 27 â Sony announces it will cut 900 jobs across its global workforce and proposes the closure of London Studio as part of the restructuring.
March
- March 4 – The Nikkei 225 reaches 40,000 points for the first time.
- March 11 – Two New Zealand skiers are killed and another is injured following an avalanche on Mount Yotei in Hokkaido.
- March 12 â A court in Fukuoka overturns the death sentence of Yakuza Kudo-kai leader Satoru Nomura imposed for a 1998 murder and sentences him to life in prison.
- March 13 âÂÂ
- KAIROS-1, designed by Space One as Japan's first privately manufactured rocket, explodes seconds after its maiden launch from Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture.
- The Fuji-Q Highland amusement park announces the removal of the famed high-speed roller coaster Do-Dodonpa, which had been closed since August 2021 following numerous incidents resulting in injuries within a year.
- The Tokyo District Court orders the government to return the remains of Aum Shinrikyo leader Shoko Asahara, who was executed in 2018 for the Tokyo subway attack in 1995, to his family.
- March 14 âÂÂ
- In separate lawsuits, the Sapporo High Court and the Tokyo District Court rule that the non-recognition of same-sex marriage in Japan is unconstitutional.
- The Tokyo District Court convicts former State Minister of Justice Mito Kakizawa of vote-buying worth 2.8 million yen ($19,000) during mayoral elections in the KÃ
ÂtÃ
 ward of Tokyo in April 2023 and sentences him to a two-year suspended sentence.
- The Tokyo District Court convicts former Member of the House of Councillors and YouTuber GaaSyy of online harassment and sentences him to a three-year suspended sentence.
- March 16 â The Hokuriku Shinkansen railway extension from Kanazawa to Tsuruga, Fukui is completed.
- March 20 âÂÂ
- The South Korean-flagged tanker Keoyoung Sun capsizes off the coast of Yamaguchi Prefecture during stormy weather. Nine crew members are found dead, while one person remains missing. Two people are rescued.
- Aiko, Princess Toshi (only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako) graduates from Gakushuin University.
- March 26 â The Kishida Cabinet allows the sale and export of fighter aircraft to other countries.
- March 29 â North Korean state media cites foreign minister Choe Son Hui as saying that North Korea rejects any talks with Japan on any issue, including Japanese abductees, after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he was willing to meet in person with leader Kim Jong Un.
- March 30 â Kobayashi red yeast rice scandal: Authorities raid a facility of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Company in Osaka after five deaths from kidney failure are linked to consumption of its health supplements containing the red mold benikoji.
April
- April 1 âÂÂ
- A magnitude 6.0 earthquake strikes Iwate Prefecture, injuring two people.
- The Imperial House of Japan opens an account on Instagram for the first time.
- Aiko, Princess Toshi joins the Japanese Red Cross Society as a full-time contract employee.
- April 2 â The governor of Shizuoka Prefecture, Heita Kawakatsu, announces his resignation following uproar over comments he made the previous day comparing civil servants with other professions.
- April 3 â A magnitude 7.4 earthquake strikes off the coast of Taiwan, prompting tsunami warnings for Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. A 30-cm tsunami is observed at Yonaguni Island and Miyako Island while a 20-cm tsunami reaches Ishigaki Island.
- April 15 â Nearly 60,000 residents of Naha are ordered evacuated due to risks of landslides caused by heavy rains.
- April 17 â A magnitude 6.6 earthquake strikes along the Bungo Channel between Shikoku and Kyushu, injuring 12 people.
- April 20 â Two SH-60K helicopters of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces crash into the Pacific Ocean following a possible collision during a training exercise near Torishima Island, killing eight people.
- April 23 â A spring imperial garden party is held at Akasaka Estate, during which Aiko, Princess Toshi makes her debut.
- April 25 â Hiroyuki Miyazawa resigns as a member of the House of Representatives after reports emerge of him having an extra-marital affair.
- April 28 â By-elections are held for three seats in the House of Representatives (Tokyo 15th, Shimane 1st and Nagasaki 3rd districts), which are all won by the Constitutional Democratic Party.
May
- May 14 â Three people are killed and two others are injured in an accident involving seven vehicles along the Metropolitan Expressway in Toda, Saitama Prefecture.
- May 17 âÂÂ
- The National Diet approves a bill seeking to allow joint child custody for divorced couples.
- Three members of the , including a candidate of the House of Representatives by-election on April 28 are arrested on suspicion of disrupting other candidates' campaign rallies.
- May 23 â Four people, including three children are found dead in suspicious circumstances following a house fire in Shinagawa, Tokyo.
- May 24 â A probation officer is killed in Otsu, in what is suspected to be the first of its kind by their charge in Japan since 1964.
- May 26 â 2024 Shizuoka Prefecture gubernatorial election: Former Hamamatsu mayor and opposition-backed candidate Yasutomo Suzuki is elected governor.
- May 30 â A member of the Japan Self-Defense Forces is killed by an exploding grenade during a training accident at the Kitafuji training ground in Yamanashi Prefecture.
June
July
- 2 July â Kobayashi red yeast rice scandal: 76 more deaths and at least 500 hospitalizations in Japan are linked to use of red yeast rice supplements distributed by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, causing kidney disease and other severe conditions.
- 3 July âÂÂ
- The Supreme Court of Japan rules that a defunct eugenics law that led to the forced sterilization of 24,500 people from 1948 to 1996 is unconstitutional. The court also invalidates a 20-year statute of limitations for complaints relating to the law.
- New 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 yen banknote design is issued by the Bank of Japan.
- 7 July â 2024 Tokyo gubernatorial election: Incumbent Yuriko Koike is reelected as Governor of Tokyo.
- 8 July â Japan and the Philippines sign a defense pact which allows the deployment of Japanese forces to the Philippines for military exercises.
- 12 July â Three people are killed in a landslide in Matsuyama.
- 16 July â A man sets himself on fire at the city hall of Takahama, Aichi Prefecture, injuring himself and three city employees.
- 17 July â Prime Minister Fumio Kishida formally apologizes to 130 victims of forced sterilization under the Eugenics Protection Law which was declared unconstitutional on July 3, and approves compensation measures for more than 25,000 affected victims and their relatives which are passed into law on 8 October.
- 19 July â Ryo Sakai resigns as Chief of Staff of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force following criticism over a series of scandals in the service. He is replaced in his position by Akira Saito.
- 23 July â The Japanese government imposes sanctions on illegal Israeli settlers in the West Bank for the first time in response to violence against Palestinians.
- July 26âÂÂAugust 11 â Japan at the 2024 Summer Olympics: The Japanese Olympic delegation wins 20 gold, 12 silver, and 13 bronze medals and places third out of 84 countries competing at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
- 27 July â The Sado mine is designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
- 28 July â Three people are reported killed in Yamagata and Akita Prefectures following days of flooding caused by heavy rains.
- 29 July â One person is reported dead and 147 others are sickened following an outbreak of Staphylococcus aureus linked to contaminated roasted unagi being sold at the Keikyu Department Store in Yokohama.
August
- 3 August â 2024 Japan heatwaves: The Japan Meteorological Agency issues excessive heat warnings for 37 of 47 prefectures amid heat waves that have killed at least 59 people from heat stroke since April. At least 123 people, many of whom were elderly, are subsequently reported to have died from heat illnesses in the Greater Tokyo Area alone in July.
- 5 August âÂÂ
- The Nikkei 225 stock market index falls by over 12%, suffering its worst two-day decline in history and its largest daily percent drop since Black Monday in October 1987.
- Kadokawa's official website and the video-sharing platform Niconico go back online after a two-month shutdown due to the ransomware attack on June 8. The result of an investigation released on the same day confirms that the attack leaked 254,241 user data.
- 6 August âÂÂ
- Whaling company Kyodo Senpaku announces the country's first fin whale kill in fifty years off the coast of Iwate Prefecture.
- The Nikkei 225 stock market index rises more than 10%, a day after declining by more than 12%.
- 7 August â The US and British ambassadors to Japan announce their intent to boycott ceremonies marking the 79th anniversary of the Atomic bombing of Nagasaki following a decision by mayor Shiro Suzuki not to invite Israeli ambassador Gilad Cohen due to concerns over protests against the war in Gaza.
- 8 August âÂÂ
- A magnitude 7.1 earthquake strikes off the coast of Miyazaki Prefecture, injuring at least five people and causing a 0.5 meter tsunami. The earthquake prompts the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue a 'Nankai Trough Earthquake Extra Information' advisory that a probability of a megathrust earthquake along the Nankai Trough was now "relatively higher" in the first advisory of its kind but clarifies that it was not imminent. The warning is lifted on 15 August with no major seismic activity recorded.
- Kobayashi red yeast rice scandal: The Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Company announces that it would discontinue the production of benikoji supplements.
- 14 August â Prime Minister Kishida withdraws his candidacy for re-election in the Liberal Democratic Party leadership election scheduled in September, which would also end his premiership.
- 15 August â Megumi Hirose resigns as a member of the House of Councillors from Iwate Prefecture following a scandal over alleged salary fraud involving a secretary with no duties.
- 16 August â Thousands of people are ordered to evacuate in northern Japan as Typhoon Ampil approaches the country.
- 20 August â Tomiko Itooka, a 116-year old resident of Ashiya, HyÃ
Âgo Prefecture, becomes the world's oldest known living person.
- 26 August â Japan announces the first incursion into its airspace of Chinese military aircraft after a Shaanxi Y-9 surveillance plane flies over the Danjo Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture for two minutes.
- 27 August â Three people are killed following a landslide in Gamagori, Aichi Prefecture amid extreme weather caused by Typhoon Shanshan.
- 28 August â Manabu Horii resigns as a member of the House of Representatives from Hokkaido following a scandal over his giving out condolence money to constituents for funerals he did not personally attend in violation of election laws.
- 29âÂÂ31 August â Hundreds of flights are cancelled and the Japan Meteorological Agency issues an alert in Kagoshima Prefecture as Typhoon Shanshan makes landfall over the area. At least six people are reported killed, with over 100 people injured.
September
- 5 September â Belarus announces the arrest in July of a Japanese national on suspicion of spying on vital installations along the border with Ukraine on behalf of Japanese intelligence services.
- 6 September - Prince Hisahito of Akishino, second in line to the Japanese throne (Emperor Naruhito's nephew), turns 18-years-old and come of age.
- 17 September â Yoshihiro Hidaka, the president of Yamaha Motor Company, is injured after being stabbed, allegedly by his daughter, at their residence in Iwata, Shizuoka.
- 18 September â Seiichi Katsurada, the CEO of Shiretoko Pleasure Cruise, is arrested on charges related to the sinking of the company vessel Kazu I in 2022 which killed all 26 people on board.
- 19 September â The TÃ
Âhoku Shinkansen suffers a decoupling incident involving the Hayabusa and Komachi trains, causing a suspension of services along the entire line.
- 21âÂÂ23 September â Seven people are killed and six others are reported missing following floods and landslides caused by heavy rains in Ishikawa Prefecture.
- 21 September â The 2024 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup final is held in Osaka, with Japan losing 17âÂÂ41 to titleholders Fiji.
- 22 September â Japan loses 0âÂÂ1 to North Korea in the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup final in Bogotá, Colombia.
- 23 September âÂÂ
- 2024 Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan presidential election: Former prime minister Yoshihiko Noda is elected as leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, defeating three other candidates including former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano by 232 points to 180.
- Japanese fighter jets fire warning flares for the first time at a Russian military aircraft after it violated Japan's airspace.
- 25 September â The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force sends the warship JS Sazanami into the Taiwan Strait for the first time to reportedly "convey a message" to China.
- 26 September â Iwao Hakamada, the world's longest-serving death row inmate, who has waited his potential execution since 1968, is acquitted by a court in Shizuoka after a retrial for four murders.
- 27 September â 2024 Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) presidential election. Former defence minister Shigeru Ishiba defeats eight other candidates to become leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan.
- 30 September âÂÂ
- Incoming prime minister Shigeru Ishiba calls for a snap general election to be held on 27 October 2024.
- Motohiko SaitÃ
 resigns as governor of Hyogo Prefecture amid allegations of abuse of power.
October
- 1 October â Shigeru Ishiba is sworn in as the 102nd prime minister of Japan and the Ishiba Cabinet is formed.
- 2 October âÂÂ
- The Nintendo Museum, the first museum dedicated to the history of Nintendo opens in Uji, Kyoto.
- A bomb that was dropped during World War II explodes on a taxiway at Miyazaki Airport, cancelling more than 80 flights.
- 6 October â Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, the Archbishop of Tokyo, is named a cardinal by Pope Francis, with his elevation to the College of Cardinals scheduled on December 8.
- 9 October â Prime Minister Ishiba dissolves the House of Representatives.
- 11 October â Nihon Hidankyo, a group established by hibakusha, is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their campaign against nuclear weapons that has "contributed greatly to the establishment of the nuclear taboo".
- 17 October â A bird flu outbreak is reported at a farm in Atsuma, Hokkaido, prompting the culling of 19,000 poultry.
- 19 October â A man is arrested after throwing incendiary devices at the headquarters of the Liberal Democratic Party in Tokyo and ramming his vehicle into a fence outside the Prime Minister's Office.
- 27 October â 2024 Japanese general election: The LDP loses its parliamentary majority for the first time since 2009.
- 28 October â Olympus Corporation CEO Stefan Kaufmann resigns following allegations of him purchasing illegal drugs.
- 30 October â The Tokyo High Court rules that the non-recognition of same-sex marriage in Japan is unconstitutional and discriminatory.
November
December
Sports
Deaths
January
- January 3 â Kunihiko Muroi, politician (b. 1947)
- January 4:
- Kishin Shinoyama, photographer (b. 1940)
- Tomonobu Yokoyama, footballer (b. 1985)
- January 12:
- Jiro Hirano, news anchor (b. 1940)
- Haruo Takahashi, animator and manga creator (b. 1947)
- January 14:
- Yuichi Ogawa, politician (b. 1946)
- Makoto Taniguchi, diplomat and academic (b. 1930)
- January 16 â Esper ItÃ
Â, comedian (b. 1960)
- January 19 â Toru Kawashima, footballer (b. 1970)
- January 22:
- Takashi Ezure, screenwriter (b. 1941)
- Motohisa Ikeda, politician (b. 1940)
- January 27 â Susumu Taira, actor (b. 1934)
- January 28 â Satoshi Kirishima, terrorist (b. 1954)
- January 29 â Hinako Ashihara, manga author (b. 1974)
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
See also
Country overviews
Related timelines for current period
References
External links