In this week’s news roundup, Japan considers allowing US nuclear-armed ships to make emergency port calls. A 30-year-old man is arrested after allegedly stealing – then returning – a ¥46 million Audemars Piguet watch. And Shigeru Ishiba becomes the first former prime minister to be reprimanded by the Liberal Democratic Party.

Also this week, Japan unveils draft guidelines urging parents to supervise children’s internet use and help them navigate the online world. Northern Irish writer David McElhinney wins a top UK travel writing award for Intrepid Japan. And Godzilla Minus Zero smashes North American box office records with the biggest opening ever for a live-action foreign-language film.

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Man Arrested After Stealing — Then Returning — ¥46 Million Audemars Piguet Watch in Tokyo

He tried it on, liked what he saw in the mirror, and then, apparently, forgot to take it off before leaving the shop. A 30-year-old man has been arrested in Nagoya over the alleged theft of a luxury Audemars Piguet watch worth ¥46 million (about $290,000) from a Tokyo store. 

The suspect, a man identifying himself as Amakon Markris Toshiya, 30, allegedly stole the watch from Kamekichi Nakano Honten, a shop in the famed Nakano Broadway complex, on October 29. According to investigative sources, the store received the watch back by courier three days later, accompanied by a handwritten apology.

Japan Considers Letting US Nuclear-Armed Ships Into Its Ports

For a country whose postwar identity has been shaped by the atomic bombings and its commitment to nuclear restraint, even discussing the possibility of hosting American nuclear weapons would once have been unthinkable. That, though, is a conversation now taking place in Tokyo, as the Takaichi administration considers whether to loosen one of Japan’s most firmly held postwar principles.

On Wednesday, a senior government official said the administration is considering allowing US nuclear-armed ships to make emergency port calls if Japan cannot otherwise be adequately defended. The proposal faces resistance within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and criticism from atomic bomb survivors. “They don’t understand the horrors of nuclear weapons,” said Nihon Hidankyo representative Terumi Tanaka.

Japan Sets Out New Guidelines for Children’s Internet Use

On Tuesday, a Japanese government panel unveiled draft guidelines recommending that guardians supervise children’s internet use according to their age and developmental stage. The guidelines emphasize communication, guidance and advice rather than strict restrictions. They encourage guardians to gradually increase children’s independence online while protecting them from harmful content and internet addiction. 

The draft outlines six developmental stages for children aged 0–18, promoting gradual online independence while ensuring safety. They prioritize face-to-face interaction for children under two, establish household internet rules for ages 10–12, and encourage social media awareness among older students. For ages 16–18, guardians should provide guidance when needed while fostering responsible decision-making.

Sanae Takaichi standing with Shigeru Ishiba (right) at an LDP Committee Presentation in December 2024 | Image: Wikimedia

Former PM Shigeru Ishiba Reprimanded in Unprecedented LDP Move

On Monday, former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and three other Lower House lawmakers were reprimanded by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) for abstaining on last week’s vote on a bill to cut the food consumption tax for two years from April. It’s the first time that a former party leader has been officially disciplined under LDP party rules. 

“The Upper House is about to begin its parliamentary deliberations, so it’s good to resolve this matter quickly, rather than dragging it out for one, two, or three weeks,” LDP Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki, who issued the punishments, told reporters on Monday night. The disciplinary action was announced ahead of the bill’s deliberations in the opposition-controlled Upper House.

Northern Irish Writer Wins UK Travel Writing Award for Japan Guidebook

Northern Irish freelance journalist, author and filmmaker David McElhinney won the Travel Guide Book of the Year award on Monday at the 2026 British Guild of Travel Writers (BGTW) Members’ Excellence Awards. The award recognized his book Intrepid Japan, which combines cultural insights with practical advice, offering readers a way to connect with Japan’s people, traditions and lesser-known regions.

“I didn’t want Intrepid Japan to be a run-of-the-mill guidebook; I wanted it to go beyond the clichés, to be an attempt at interpretation, and to serve as a love letter to the country that shaped the majority of my 20s. I hope that comes through in the pages of the book,” McElhinney told TW.

Godzilla’s Latest Rampage Breaks Box Office Records

The 39th installment in a franchise spanning more than 70 years, Godzilla Minus Zero earned $63 million worldwide on its opening weekend, including $31.6 million in the US and Canada. This set a record for the biggest opening ever for a live-action foreign-language film in North America, nearly three times that of its 2023 predecessor, Godzilla Minus One. 

Set in 1949, two years after Godzilla Minus One, the sequel follows the Shikishima family as Japan struggles to rebuild after World War II. Godzilla returns, facing a formidable new adversary in King Ghidorah, the three-headed monster. As the two kaiju clash, Japan faces another threat of catastrophic destruction, putting its fragile recovery at risk.

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Updated On November 13, 2026