Japanese Daily News
A daily Japanese news podcast designed for learners. Each episode covers a real news story with vocabulary breakdowns, grammar notes, and practice quizzes. Hosted by Maya.
エピソード
EP 242: 「マリオ」の宮本茂さんに文化勲章、ゲーム界で初
The creator of Mario receives one of Japan's highest honors. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 241: プロ野球日本シリーズ開幕、DeNA対ソフトバンク
Japan's biggest baseball series starts today. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 240: 松井秀喜さん、プロ野球・巨人の新しい監督に
Baseball legend Hideki Matsui is the new manager of the Giants. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 239: ハロウィーンの服を着たペンギンが散歩、松江
Halloween is coming, and some penguins in western Japan are dressing up for it. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 238: 体操世界選手権、日本が男子団体で金メダル
Japan's men's gymnastics team just won gold at the World Championships. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 237: JR東日本、スマホで払う「テッペイ」が始まる
A big railway company in Tokyo just started a new way to pay with your phone. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 236: 東京・大阪・名古屋で、観測史上最も遅い真夏日
Big cities in Japan just had their latest-ever thirty-degree day. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 235: 日本橋で「べったら市」、江戸時代から続く秋の市
A famous autumn pickle market drew big crowds in central Tokyo. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 234: 群馬で見つかった化石、新種のマッコウクジラの仲間
A fossil found in Gunma turned out to be a new kind of sperm whale. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 233: 福岡空港、操縦室に小さい動物 飛行機が欠航
A small animal sneaked into the cockpit of a plane in Fukuoka, and the flight was cancelled. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 232: アジアパラ競技大会が名古屋で開幕、日本で初開催
The Asian Para Games opened in Nagoya, the first time Japan has hosted them. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 231: 前橋のデパート「スズラン」で最後の物産展、行列に
A department store in Gunma is closing soon, and its last food fair is drawing long lines. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 230: 気象庁の緊急地震速報、「M9.9」は誤り 初の取り消し
Good evening, this is Japanese Daily News. A false earthquake alert surprised much of Japan this week. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 229: 大阪城天守閣、国の重要文化財に
One of Japan's most famous castle towers is getting a special national title. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 228: 新幹線の新型車両「S0系」、初の自動運転システム
Japan's bullet train company has revealed a brand-new train that can drive itself. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 227: 「うるう秒」、来年5月でなくなることに
The world has decided to stop adding the extra second called a leap second to our clocks. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 226: バーガーキングのアプリ、会員情報1118万件が漏えい
Burger King's app in Japan has leaked the data of millions of members. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 225: ドイツのデパートで日本のお米を試験販売
Japanese rice is being test-sold at a famous department store in Germany. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 224: 弘前大学、ロボットで国内初の「遠隔手術」
A university in northern Japan has carried out the country's first remote robot surgery. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 223: 日本モンキーセンター、建物が古くなり長い休みへ
A famous monkey zoo in central Japan is closing for a few years. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 222: 簗農相が辞表提出、高市政権で初の不祥事辞任
Japan's agriculture minister has resigned after less than a month in the job. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 221: 草津白根山の「湯釜」、8年ぶりに見学できるように
A famous green crater lake on a volcano in Gunma is open to visitors again. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 220: 栃木の工場で火事、30時間燃え続ける
Tonight: a fire at a plastics factory in Tochigi burned for about thirty hours. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 217: 天皇皇后両陛下、青森で国スポの卓球とねぶたを見学
The Emperor and Empress visit the far north of Japan for a big sports festival. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 216: 金融庁、プルデンシャル生命に業務停止命令
Tonight: two big life insurance companies are told to stop selling new policies. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 215: 「目黒のさんま祭」、不漁で去年のサンマを提供
A favorite autumn fish festival in Tokyo has a problem this year. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 214: ブックオフ、最大643万件の会員情報が漏えいか
Tonight: a used bookstore chain says data on millions of members may have leaked. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 213: インフルエンザ、今シーズン初めて「注意報」レベルに
This morning: flu season has started early in Japan, and cases are rising fast. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 212: エルニーニョ現象、観測史上最強に
Tonight: Japan's weather agency says El Nino has reached record strength. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 211: 奥日光で、この秋初めての霜と氷
This morning: the first frost and ice of the autumn in the mountains north of Tokyo. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 210: ビール大手4社に強制調査、価格カルテルの疑い
Tonight: Japan's four biggest beer makers are raided over suspected price-fixing. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 209: ノーベル化学賞、東京理科大の硤合憲三さんに
This morning: a Japanese scientist wins the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 208: 卓球・松島輝空が世界ランキング1位、日本男子46年ぶり
This evening: a historic first in table tennis. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 207: ズーラシアでオカピの赤ちゃんが誕生
This morning: a rare baby animal at a zoo in Yokohama. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 206: ノーベル生理学・医学賞、「光遺伝学」の米独3氏に
This evening: this year's Nobel Prize in medicine. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 205: 「皇居ラン」のマナー違反、千代田区が調査へ
This morning: running manners around the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 204: 阪神、球団史上初のセ・リーグ連覇
This evening: a historic baseball title for the Hanshin Tigers. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 203: 柔道世界選手権、古賀若菜が初の金メダル
This morning: a gold medal for Japan in judo. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 202: 佐川急便、宅配便の料金を平均13.8%値上げへ
Tonight: a big delivery company raises its prices. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 201: 村上宗隆、大リーグのポストシーズンで初ホームラン
This morning: a big home run in American baseball. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 200: スガキヤ、ドムドムハンバーガーを子会社に
Tonight: a famous ramen chain buys Japan's oldest hamburger chain. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 199: 上司を「さん」で呼ぶのがいい、4人に1人
This morning: a new survey on how people in Japan call their bosses, and how they feel about handwriting. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 198: マクドナルドの「ドナルド」が「ロナルド」に名前を変更
Tonight: McDonald's in Japan gives its famous clown a new name. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 197: ビールの税金が下がり、1本9円ほど安く
This morning: beer in Japan just got a little cheaper. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 196: 民間の平均給与、487万円で過去最高に
Tonight: average pay in Japan just hit a record high. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 195: 王子動物園のアジアゾウ「マック」が死ぬ、34歳
Some sad news from Kobe: a beloved elephant, who came to the city right after a great earthquake, has died. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 194: 東京都心、9月は全ての日で降水 観測史上初
Tokyo has just set a weather record — rain fell every single day of September, a first in one hundred fifty years of record-keeping. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 193: 両陛下がジブリパークで「ネコバス」に笑顔
Japan's Imperial Household Agency has released two delightful photos: the Emperor and Empress visiting Ghibli Park, and smiling from the window of the Cat Bus. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 192: 東京大学に初めての女性総長が誕生へ
Japan's most famous university has chosen its next leader — and for the first time in its long history, the job goes to a woman. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 191: 技能五輪国際大会、日本がメダル10個を獲得
Young workers from about seventy countries just competed in a big skills competition in Shanghai — a kind of Olympics for job skills — and Japan came home with ten medals. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 190: ビール系飲料の酒税が一本化へ
Starting next month, Japan's beer tax rules change in a big way — real beer gets cheaper, while cheaper beer-like drinks go up. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 189: 昭和記念公園で400万本のコスモスが見ごろ
In a big park in western Tokyo, four million cosmos flowers are in bloom right now, turning a whole hill bright yellow. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 188: アジア大会マラソン、山下一貴が金メダル
At the Asian Games in Nagoya, a Japanese runner won the men's marathon for the first time in eight years. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 187: 「都民の日」、東京の動物園や庭園が無料に
This coming Thursday is a special day in Tokyo — Citizens Day, when zoos, gardens, and museums all over the city open their doors for free. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 186: 11歳の栗原悠輝、eスポーツでアジア大会最年少の金メダル
At the Asian Games in Nagoya, an eleven-year-old boy has just made sports history. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 185: 秋の夜空に「中秋の名月」
Last night, people all over Japan looked up at the sky for a beautiful autumn tradition — the harvest moon. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 184: ドコモが携帯電話の料金プランを値上げへ
Japan's biggest mobile carrier, Docomo, has announced it is raising its prices. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 183: 映画「ちいかわ」が今年の興行収入1位に
A movie about small, cute characters has become Japan's biggest hit of the year. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 182: 17歳の大橋信、競泳200m平泳ぎで世界新記録
At the Asian Games in Japan, a seventeen-year-old swimmer has just rewritten the world record book. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 181: よこはま動物園ズーラシア、来園者3000万人を達成
A big zoo in Yokohama has just welcomed its thirty-millionth visitor since it opened. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 180: 台風25号が関東南部などに記録的な大雨
Typhoon Number twenty-five brushed past Japan's Pacific coast during the holiday weekend, bringing record rain to the Tokyo area. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 179: 秋の全国交通安全運動が始まる
All across Japan, the autumn traffic safety campaign is underway — ten days of extra care on the roads as the days get shorter. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 178: バスケの新リーグ「Bプレミア」が開幕
Tonight in Tokyo, Japanese basketball opened a brand-new top league — exactly ten years after the old league's very first game. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 177: すみだ水族館でアオウミガメの赤ちゃん「星」と「空」を公開
At an aquarium in Tokyo, two baby green sea turtles have just gone on display — and their new names mean Star and Sky. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 176: 65歳以上の高齢者の割合、29.6%で過去最高に
New government data shows the elderly share of the population has hit a record high. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 175: 国内最高齢のアフリカゾウ「メアリー」が60歳に
At a zoo in Sendai, an African elephant named Mary has turned sixty — the oldest African elephant Japan has ever had. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 174: 日銀が政策金利を1.25%に引き上げ、31年ぶりの高水準
The Bank of Japan has raised its key interest rate to the highest level in thirty-one years. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 173: 埼玉・巾着田で500万本の彼岸花が見ごろに
Autumn is here, and at a famous park in Saitama, near Tokyo, five million bright red flowers are starting to bloom. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 172: トヨタ、内製ロボット40万台を工場に導入へ
Toyota has unveiled a huge plan: four hundred thousand AI robots working alongside people in its factories. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 171: 九州新幹線が52日ぶりに全線で運行再開
Some happy news from southern Japan: the Kyushu bullet train is finally running on its full line again, fifty-two days after a big earthquake stopped part of it. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 170: 高市首相が内閣改造、第2次改造内閣が発足
Yesterday, Prime Minister Takaichi reshuffled her cabinet, launching a new lineup focused on the economy. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 169: 11年ぶりの5連休「シルバーウィーク」が始まる
Starting tomorrow, Japan begins a rare five-day holiday called Silver Week — the first one in eleven years — and millions of people are getting ready to travel. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 168: 「東京ゲームショウ2026」が幕張メッセで開幕
The Tokyo Game Show, Japan's biggest video game event, opened today for its thirtieth-anniversary edition — the largest one ever. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 167: 太平洋クロマグロの漁獲枠、25%の拡大が決まる
Here is some good news for sushi lovers — countries around the Pacific have agreed to let fishermen catch more bluefin tuna, because the fish has made a great comeback. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 166: 102歳で富士山登頂、最高齢のギネス世界記録に認定
A one-hundred-two-year-old climber has been certified by Guinness World Records as the oldest man ever to reach the top of Mount Fuji. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 165: 山形の新しいお米「ゆきまんてん」、知事と小学生が稲刈り
In Yamagata, in northern Japan, the governor and a group of elementary school students harvested a brand-new variety of rice together. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 164: 100歳以上の高齢者、初めて10万人を超える
Japan's population aged one hundred or older has topped one hundred thousand for the first time ever. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 163: 大相撲の秋場所が東京・両国国技館で開幕
The autumn grand sumo tournament has just started in Tokyo, and every seat is sold out. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
EP 162: 沖縄県知事選、古謝玄太氏が初当選
Okinawa has elected a new governor — a forty-two-year-old newcomer who defeated the incumbent. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N4-N3.
EP 161: バレー男子日本代表がアジア選手権で優勝、ロス五輪へ
Japan's men's volleyball team has won the Asian Championship — and with it, a ticket to the Los Angeles Olympics. Learn Japanese with native audio, furigana, vocabulary and grammar. Level N5-N4.
