The following is an overview of the year

2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

Incumbents

Emperor The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

Akihito Akihito (born 23 December 1933) is a member of the Imperial House of Japan who reigned as the 125th emperor of Japan from 1989 until 2019 Japanese imperial transition, his abdication in 2019. The era of his rule was named the Heisei era, Hei ...

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

Shinzō Abe Shinzo Abe (21 September 1954 – 8 July 2022) was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party ( LDP) from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020. He was the longest-serving pri ...

Governors

Aichi Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,461,111 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the ...

Hideaki Omura Hideaki (ひであき) is a masculine Japanese given name. Written forms Hideaki can be written using different kanji characters and can mean: *秀秋, "excellent", "autumn" *英秋, "outstanding", "autumn" *秀明, "excellent", "bright" *� ...

*Akita Prefecture:

Norihisa Satake is a Japanese politician. A former two-term mayor of Akita City in Akita Prefecture, first elected in 2001. He was the Governor of Akita Prefecture for four terms between 2009 and 2025. He is the 21st head of the North Satake branch of the Sa ...

Aomori Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku region. The prefecture's capital, largest city, and namesake is the city of Aomori (city), Aomori. Aomori is the northernmost prefecture on Japan's main island, Honshu, and is border ...

Shingo Mimura is a Japanese politician who served as Governor of Aomori Prefecture for five terms, from June 29, 2003 to June 28, 2023. He previously served as a member of House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodi ...

*Chiba Prefecture:

Kensaku Morita is a retired Japanese politician, actor and singer. He was elected as the Governor of Chiba Prefecture in March 2009 to April 2021『』からリンクする知事選挙「開票結果」（Excelファイル）千葉県選挙管理委員会に� ...

*Ehime Prefecture:

Tokihiro Nakamura is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Ehime Prefecture, located in the Shikoku region of Japan. He succeeded Moriyuki Kato in the 2010 Ehime gubernatorial election. Nakamura has previously served as the mayor of Matsuyama, the larg ...

*Fukui Prefecture:

Issei Nishikawa is a Japanese politician and a former governor of Fukui Prefecture in Japan. He was elected first in 2003. A native of Asahi, Fukui and graduate of Kyoto University with the B.L. degree in 1968, he joined the Ministry of Home Affairs An inte ...

*Fukuoka Prefecture: Hiroshi Ogawa *Fukushima Prefecture:

Masao Uchibori is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. He previously served as the vice-governor of his predecessor Yūhei Satō is a former governor of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. He was first elected in Nove ...

*Gifu Prefecture:

Hajime Furuta is a former governor of Gifu Prefecture in Japan. He held the office for five terms between 2005 and 2025. A native of Gifu City, he was chosen as the final torchbearer for the National Sports Festival when it was held in Gifu City while he was ...

*Gunma Prefecture:

Masaaki Osawa Masaaki (written: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , or ) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese politician *, Japanese poet *, Japanese baseball player *, Japanese singer-songwriter * ...

* Hiroshima Prefecture:

Hidehiko Yuzaki is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. Early life and education Yuzaki was born October 4, 1965, in Saeki-ku, Hiroshima. He received his B.L. degree from the University of Tokyo in 1990 and his M. ...

Hokkaido is the list of islands of Japan by area, second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own list of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō fr ...

Harumi Takahashi is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party and currently a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). She served as governor of the prefecture of Hokkaido is the list of islands of Japan by ar ...

*Hyogo Prefecture:

Toshizō Ido is a Japanese politician and the 48th - 52nd governor of Hyōgo Prefecture in Japan. He became the Governor of Hyōgo Profecture in 2001, a position he held for 5 terms over 20 years. He is a native of Tatsuno, Hyōgo and graduate of the Uni ...

Ibaraki Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Ibaraki Prefecture has a population of 2,828,086 (1 July 2023) and has a geographic area of . Ibaraki Prefecture borders Fukushima Prefecture to the north, ...

: Kazuhiko Ōigawa *

Ishikawa Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu island. Ishikawa Prefecture has a population of 1,096,721 (1 January 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,186 Square kilometre, km2 (1,616 sq mi). Ishikawa Pr ...

Masanori Tanimoto is a Japanese politician who was the governor of Ishikawa Prefecture between 1994 and 2022, serving seven terms in total. Early life and political career Tanimoto was born in April 16, 1945. He graduated from Kyoto University Faculty of Law in ...

*Iwate Prefecture:

Takuya Tasso is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Iwate Prefecture. He is a native of Morioka and graduate of the University of Tokyo. Biography Tasso joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1988, receiving a master's degree in internati ...

*Kagawa Prefecture:

Keizō Hamada is a former Japanese politician and finance bureaucrat and a former governor of Kagawa Prefecture in the Shikoku is the smallest of the List of islands of Japan#Main islands, four main islands of Japan. It is long and between at its wide ...

*Kagoshima Prefecture:

Satoshi Mitazono is a Japanese politician and journalist who is the former governor of Kagoshima Prefecture. He defeated the incumbent Yūichirō Itō at an election held on 10 July 2016. Early life and education Mitazono was born in Ibusuki, Kagoshima in 1958. ...

Kanagawa Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Kanagawa Prefecture is the List of Japanese prefectures by population, second-most populous prefecture of Japan at 9,221,129 (1 April 2022) and third-dens ...

Yuji Kuroiwa Yuji or Yu Ji may refer to: * Yūji, a common masculine Japanese given name * Yu Ji (painter), a Qing dynasty painter and calligrapher * Consort Yu (Xiang Yu's wife) (虞姬; Yuji), the concubine of Xiang Yu, subject of the play ''Farewell My Con ...

*Kochi Prefecture:

Masanao Ozaki is a Japanese politician who has been serving as a member of the House of Representatives since 2021. Career He graduated from University of Tokyo with the Bachelor of Economics degree in 1991 and a former bureaucrat of the Ministry of the T ...

Kumamoto Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Kumamoto Prefecture has a population of 1,748,134 () and has a geographic area of . Kumamoto Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the north, Ōita Prefecture t ...

Ikuo Kabashima is a Japanese politician and a former governor of Kumamoto Prefecture. Kabashima served as governor for 4 terms, between 2008 and 2024. Ikuo Kabashima received a bachelor's and master's degrees in Animal Science and Agricultural Economics from ...

Kyoto Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Kyoto Prefecture has a population of 2,561,358 () and has a geographic area of . Kyoto Prefecture borders Fukui Prefecture to the northeast, Shiga Prefecture ...

Keiji Yamada is a Japanese politician and former Governor of Kyoto Prefecture. A native of Hyōgo Prefecture and 1977 graduate of the University of Tokyo, he had worked at the Ministry of Home Affairs since 1977 and served as the vice governor of Kyoto Prefe ...

(until 16 April);

Takatoshi Nishiwaki is a Japanese politician and the current Governor of Kyoto Prefecture. Governor of Kyoto Nishiwaki won the 2018 Kyoto gubernatorial election, 2018 gubernatorial election, defeating his sole opponent Kazuhito Fukuyama, with 55.90% of the vote. ...

(starting 16 April) *Mie Prefecture:

Eikei Suzuki is a Japanese politician and the former governor of Mie Prefecture located in Kansai region of Japan.Miyagi Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Miyagi Prefecture has a population of 2,265,724 (1 August 2023) and has a geographic area of . Miyagi Prefecture borders Iwate Prefecture to the north, Akit ...

Yoshihiro Murai is a Japanese politician who has served as governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head o ...

*Miyazaki Prefecture:

Shunji Kōno (born September 8, 1964) is a Japanese politician and the governor of Miyazaki Prefecture in Japan. In 2014, he was re-elected for a second term as the Miyazaki governor.Nagano Prefecture is a Landlocked country, landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,007,682 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture ...

Shuichi Abe is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Nagano Prefecture, assuming office in 2010. In 2014, he was re-elected for another four-year term as the governor of the prefecture.Hōdō Nakamura is a Japanese politician and a former governor of Nagasaki Prefecture located in the Kyushu region of Japan. He was re-elected for another four-year term as governor in both 2014 and 2018. Nakamura ran for a fourth term in 2022, but lost the elec ...

*Nara Prefecture:

Shōgo Arai is a Japanese politician and a former governor of Nara Prefecture in Japan. Early life Arai was born in Yao Osaka in 1945. He is a graduate of the University of Tokyo, and joined the Ministry of Transport after graduation. He attended the Ma ...

Niigata Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture in the Chūbu region of Honshu of Japan. Niigata Prefecture has a population of 2,131,009 (1 July 2023) and is the List of Japanese prefectures by area, fifth-largest prefecture of Japan by geographic area ...

: ** until 27 April: Ryūichi Yoneyama ** 27 April-12 June:

Morio Takai Morio (written: , , , , , , , or ) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese singer-songwriter and actor *, Japanese anime director *, Japanese karateka *, Japanese actor *, pen-name of Sokichi Saitō, ...

** starting 12 June:

Hideyo Hanazumi is a Japanese politician serving as the Governor of Niigata Prefecture, following his election in June 2018. Prior to his election, Hanazumi served as a vice commandant in the Japan Coast Guard and as Vice Governor of Niigata. Governor of N ...

*Oita Prefecture:

Katsusada Hirose is a former governor of Ōita Prefecture in Japan, first elected in 2003. A native of Hita, Ōita and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he had worked at the Ministry of International Trade and Industry The was a Ministry (government depa ...

Okayama Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Okayama Prefecture has a population of 1,826,059 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 7,114 Square kilometre, km2 (2,746 sq mi). Okayama Prefecture ...

: Ryuta Ibaragi *

Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan. It consists of three main island groups—the Okinawa Islands, the Sakishima Islands, and the Daitō Islands—spread across a maritime zone approximately 1,000 kilometers east to west an ...

: ** until 9 August:

Takeshi Onaga (2 October 1950 – 8 August 2018) was a Japanese politician and the seventh Governor of Okinawa Prefecture from 2014 to 2018. Onaga served as a member of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly from 1992 to 1996 and four terms as mayor of Naha, the ...

** 9 August-12 August: Kiichiro Jahana ** 12 August-3 October:

Moritake Tomikawa Moritake may refer to: People Given name *, Japanese poet *, general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II *, vice-governor of Okinawa Prefecture Surname *, Miss Universe Japan in 1958 Places

* Moritake Station a railway station o ...

** starting 4 October:

Denny Tamaki is a Japanese politician who has served as the Governor of Okinawa Prefecture since 2018. Tamaki was a member of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly for Okinawa City from 2002 to 2005 and became the first Amerasian member of the Japanese Hous ...

Osaka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Osaka Prefecture has a population of 8,778,035 () and has a geographic area of . Osaka Prefecture borders Hyōgo Prefecture to the northwest, Kyoto Prefecture to the north, Nara ...

Ichirō Matsui is a Japanese businessman and politician who is the former mayor of Osaka, leader of the Osaka Restoration Association (ORA) and Nippon Ishin no Kai alongside Nobuyuki Baba. Early life Matsui attended public elementary and middle schools in Yao ...

Saga Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. Saga Prefecture has a population of roughly 780,000 and has a geographic area of . Saga Prefecture borders Fukuoka Prefecture to the northeast and Nagasaki Prefect ...

Yoshinori Yamaguchi is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Saga Prefecture located in the Kyushu region of Japan. Early life and education Yamaguchi was born on July 1, 1965, at the Iruma Air Base in Iruma, Saitama Prefecture. He is the youngest of ...

Saitama Prefecture is a Landlocked country, landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Saitama Prefecture has a population of 7,338,536 (January 1, 2020) and has a geographic area of 3,797 Square kilometre, km2 ( ...

Kiyoshi Ueda is a Japanese politician currently serving as a member of the House of Councillors for the Saitama at-large district after winning a by-election in 2019. He has signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, signaling his opposition to any and all tax i ...

Shiga Prefecture is a landlocked prefecture of Japan in the Kansai region of Honshu. Shiga Prefecture has a population of 1,398,972 as of 1 February 2025 and has a geographic area of . Shiga Prefecture borders Fukui Prefecture to the north, Gifu Prefecture to th ...

Taizō Mikazuki is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Shiga Prefecture, having been elected to the position in July 2014. He previously served in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Democratic Party ...

*Shiname Prefecture: Zenbe Mizoguchi *Shizuoka Prefecture: Heita Kawakatsu *Tochigi Prefecture: Tomikazu Fukuda *Tokushima Prefecture:

Kamon Iizumi is a Japanese politician and a former governor of Tokushima Prefecture. A native of Ikeda, Osaka and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he worked at the Ministry of Home Affairs An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called m ...

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

Yuriko Koike Yuriko Koike (小池百合子, Koike Yuriko; born 15 July 1952) is a Japanese politician who has served as the Governor of Tokyo since 2016. Previously, she was also served as a member of the House of Councillors from 1992 to 1993, a member o ...

*Tottori Prefecture:

Shinji Hirai is a Japanese politician, the governor of Tottori Prefecture in Japan, first elected in 2007. He graduated from the University of Tokyo with the B.L. degree in 1984 and joined the Ministry of Home Affairs An interior ministry or ministry of t ...

*Toyama Prefecture:

Takakazu Ishii is a Japanese politician and a former governor of Toyama Prefecture in Japan, first elected in 2004. A native of Toyama, Toyama and a graduate of the University of Tokyo, he worked in the Ministry of Home Affairs An interior ministry or minist ...

*Wakayama Prefecture:

Yoshinobu Nisaka is a former governor of Wakayama Prefecture in Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends fro ...

*Yamagata Prefecture:

Mieko Yoshimura is governor of Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. She was elected on January 25, 2009. She defeated the sitting governor of Yamagata Prefecture, Hiroshi Saitō in an upset. A native of Ōe, Yamagata, she worked at a help-wanted advertising company be ...

*Yamaguchi Prefecture: Tsugumasa Muraoka *Yamanashi Prefecture:

Hitoshi Gotō is a Japanese politician who served as the governor of Yamanashi Prefecture. He was formerly a Democratic Party member in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). He resigned from the Democratic Party and the Diet in Nov ...

Events

January

* 22 to 23 January : A heavy snowfall hits around

Tokyo Metropolitan Area The Greater Tokyo Area is the most populous metropolitan area in the world, consisting of the Kantō region of Japan (including Tokyo Metropolis and the prefectures of Chiba, Gunma, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Tochigi) as well as the pre ...

. According to the

Fire and Disaster Management Agency The (FDMA) is an external agency attached to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in Japan. Background The Fire and Disaster Management Agency was established through article 3 paragraph 2 of the 1948 National Government Organizat ...

of Japan in a confirmed report, 956 people were injured. * 23 January :

Mount Kusatsu-Shirane is a active volcano, stratovolcano in Kusatsu, Gunma, Japan. It is called Kusatsu Shirane to differentiate it from the Mount Nikkō-Shirane on the other side of Gunma Prefecture. The summit of Kusatsu-Shirane volcano, located immediately north ...

erupts. According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency of Japan in a confirmed report, 1 fatality results and 11 people are injured in

Gunma Prefecture is a landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Gunma Prefecture has a population of 1,937,626 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of . Gunma Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture and Fuk ...

. * 31 January : A fire burns an elderly support facility in

Higashi-ku, Sapporo is one of the 10 wards in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is directly translated as "east ward", and is neighboured to Kita-ku, Chūō-ku, Shiroishi-ku, Ebetsu, Tōbetsu. Overview According to the 2008 registry of residential addresses, 2 ...

. According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency of Japan in a confirmed report, 11 people died, with three injured.

February

* 5 to 8 February : A heavy snowfall hits the Sea of Japan. According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency of Japan in a confirmed report, 22 people died, with 320 injures.

March

* 1 to 12 March : According to the

Japan Meteorological Agency The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA; ''気象庁, Kishō-chō'') is a division of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism dedicated to the Scientific, scientific observation and research of natural phenomena. Headquartered ...

in a confirmed report, a volcano erupts in

Shinmoedake Shinmoedake () is a volcano in Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyūshū, Japan, and a part of the Mount Kirishima cluster of volcanoes. It is believed to have formed between 7,300 and 25,000 years ago. Eruptions from Shinmoedake have been recorded in 171 ...

Kyushu Island is the third-largest island of Japan's four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa and the other Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional ...

. * 12 March : According to the

Japanese Government The Government of Japan is the central government of Japan. It consists of legislative, executive and judiciary branches and functions under the framework established by the Constitution of Japan. Japan is a unitary state, containing forty- ...

, an official confirmed that the Japan Ministry of Finance rewrote 14 decision documents in accordance with the response about a cooperative school in

to the National Assembly in 2017. * 13 March : According to the Japan Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, an official report confirmed the Kumano cherry tree (''Kumanozakura'') as a new species Cherry tree (Sakura). The tree was discovered widely throughout the

Kii peninsula The is the largest peninsula on the island of Honshū in Japan and is located within the Kansai region. It is named after the ancient Kii Province. The peninsula has long been a sacred place in Buddhism, Shinto, and Shugendo, and many people wou ...

. The last new type of Sakura tree found in Japan was in 1915.

April

* 8 April : According to National Police Agency of Japan official confirmed report, a thirty-eight years old men arrested on suspicion of five local residents murdered, and suspects confessed in Hioki, Kagoshima Prefecture. * 9 April : A Richer Scale 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit in Oda, Shimane Prefecture, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency of Japan in a confirmed report, nine persons were injured. * 11 April : According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency of Japan in a confirmed report, a sudden landslide occurred on a mountain slope in

Yabakei The gorge of is a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty spanning the municipalities of Kusu and Nakatsu in Ōita Prefecture, Japan. Located within Yaba-Hita-Hikosan Quasi-National Park, it was selected as one of the 100 Landscapes of ...

, Nakatsu, Oita Prefecture, where six person fatalities in the incident. * 19 April : According to a Japan Meteorological Agency confirmed report, Mount Iou erupted for the first time since 1768 in border between

Miyazaki Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Miyazaki Prefecture has a population of 1,028,215 as of 1 January 2025 and has a geographic area of 7,735 Square kilometre, km2 (2,986 sq mi). Miyazaki Prefectur ...

and

Kagoshima Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu and the Ryukyu Islands. Kagoshima Prefecture has a population of 1,527,019 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 9,187 Square kilometre, km2 (3,547 Square m ...

May

June

* 9 June - According to the Japan National Police Agency in a confirmed report, 22-year-old unemployed Ichiro Kojima was detained by police after stabbing 3 passengers, killing one, on a bullet train leading from

to Shin-Osaka, nearby

Odawara is a Cities of Japan, city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 188,482 and a population density of 1,700 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Odawara lies in the Ashigara Plains, in ...

. * 18 June -

2018 Osaka earthquake On 18 June 2018, around 7:58:35 a.m. Japan Standard Time, an earthquake measuring 5.6 Mw on the moment magnitude scale (preliminary 5.5 Mw) struck in northern Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The earthquake's epicenter was near Takatsuki, Osaka, Tak ...

, According to Japan Fire and Disaster Management Agency in a confirmed report, a 5.5 Richter scale earthquake killed four and injured 434 people in

Takatsuki 270px, Takatsuki City Hall is a city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 348,020 in 164,494 households and a population density of 3.300 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Takatsuki is ...

. * 26 June - According to Japan National Police Agency confirmed report, a man murdered the police officer in policebox, depriving the handgun and escaping, after a man killed to a security guard man near a nearby elementary school in

Toyama City is the capital city of Toyama Prefecture, Japan, located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in the Chūbu region on central Honshū, about north of the city of Nagoya and northwest of Tokyo. , the city had an estimated population of 415,844 in 176 ...

. A twenty-two years old detained, after critical condition by with attempted suicide. * 29 June - According to

confirmed report, a F2 level

tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with the surface of Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, although the ...

hit in around area of Maibara, Shiga Prefecture. According to local government official confirmed, many houses were collapsed and damaged, total eight person were wounded.

July

*28 June – 9 July:

2018 Japan floods In late June through mid-July 2018, successive Cloudburst, heavy downpours in southwestern Japan resulted in widespread, devastating floods and mudflows. The event is officially referred to as by the Japan Meteorological Agency. As of 20 ...

- Heavy floods was started in western areas of Japan, most in the Hiroshima Prefecture, which has been hit by torrential rain. As of 20 July, 225 people were killed, another 13 were declared missing and 1.5 million people were displaced. * 9 July – 26 August: The

2018 Northeast Asia heat wave Throughout much of July 2018, a record-breaking heat wave affected large areas of Northeast Asia including Japan, North Korea, South Korea and China. Many areas in Japan experienced temperatures in excess of , and Kumagaya recorded a maximum temp ...

kills least 116 people, due to heat-related causes, and at least 22,000 more suffer from heat strokes * 20 July:

Mamoru Hosoda is a Japanese film director and animator. He is known for the short films that made up '' Digimon: The Movie'' (2000), '' The Girl Who Leapt Through Time'' (2006) and '' Summer Wars'' (2009). He was nominated for an Academy Award in the category ...

's Japanese animated film Mirai is released in cinema * 26 July: A fire at under constructing technology centre fire in Tama City, Tokyo. According to Fire and Disaster Management Agency confirmed report, total five workers fatalities with 42 injured.

August

* 9 August: According to

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism The , abbreviated MLIT, is a ministry of the Japanese government.国土交通省設置法

official confirmed report, nine people lost their lives when a

Bell 412EP The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter of the Huey family manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212, with the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor. It is a twin-turbine helicopter that has been ...

helicopter crashed into forest site, Nakanojo, Gunma Prefecture.

September

*4 September:

Typhoon Jebi Typhoon Jebi, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Maymay, was the costliest typhoon in Japan's history in terms of insured losses. Jebi formed from a tropical disturbance south-southwest of Wake Island on August 26 and became the twenty-fi ...

. Storm surge in

Osaka Bay Osaka Bay (大阪湾 ''Ōsaka-wan'' ) is a bay in western Japan. As an eastern part of the Seto Inland Sea, it is separated from the Pacific Ocean by the Kii Channel and from the neighbor western part of the Inland Sea by the Akashi Strait. I ...

inundated

Kansai International Airport Kansai International Airport (), commonly known as Kankū (; ), is the primary international airport in the Keihanshin, Greater Osaka Area of Japan and the closest international airport to the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. It is located on ...

and pushed a tanker vessel into the

bridge A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...

that connects the artificial island to the mainland, damaging it. According to Japan Fire and Disaster Management Agency official report, strong wind and damage around

Kansai The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropoli ...

area resulted in thirteen fatalities and 912 people receiving injuries. *6 September:

2018 Hokkaido Eastern Iburi earthquake An earthquake measuring 6.6 on the moment magnitude scale struck Iburi Subprefecture in southern Hokkaido, Japan, on 6 September 2018 at 3:08 a.m. JST. The earthquake's epicenter was near Tomakomai and occurred at a depth of . The Japan ...

, A Richter scale 6.6 earthquake created a region-wide

power outage A power outage, also called a blackout, a power failure, a power blackout, a power loss, a power cut, or a power out is the complete loss of the electrical power network supply to an end user. There are many causes of power failures in an el ...

, because of damage to a

thermal power station A thermal power station, also known as a thermal power plant, is a type of power station in which the heat energy generated from various fuel sources (e.g., coal, natural gas, nuclear fuel, etc.) is converted to electrical energy. The heat ...

in the hard-hit town, Atsuma. According to a Japan Fire and Disaster Management Agency official report, 41 people were killed and 692 people were wounded. *16 September:

Namie Amuro Namie Amuro ( ; ; born September 20, 1977) is a retired Japanese singer. She rose to prominence as a Japanese idol, teen idol, and transitioned into a leading Pop music, pop artist due to her versatility across music styles and visual presentatio ...

, a famous pop singer, officially retired after 25 years in the entertainment industry. *20 September: Prime Minister

won the Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) leadership for a new 3-year term.

October

November

* 19 November - According to Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Prosecutors Department official confirmed report,

Carlos Ghosn Carlos Ghosn (; ; ; , born 9 March 1954) is a businessman and former automotive executive. He was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Michelin, Michelin North America, chairman and CEO of Renault, chairman of AvtoVAZ, chairman and CEO of Nissan ...

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...

Nissan is a Japanese multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. The company sells its vehicles under the ''Nissan'' and ''Infiniti'' brands, and formerly the ''Datsun'' brand, with in-house ...

, was arrested by the prosecutor special authority for alleged false statement of the securities report that he declared the compensation inexorably. Ghosn president position and position of representative director of Nissan, succeeded at the Board of Directors on 22 November. * 23 November -

Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...

decide on the venue on

Expo 2025 is a World Expo organised and sanctioned by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), which is being held in Osaka, Japan. It took place for six months from 13 April to 13 October 2025. This is the second time that Osaka has hosted a Worl ...

the winner at BIE's 164th General Assembly. * 26 November - According to Japan National Police Agency confirmed report, six person were murdered, with a suspicion suicide onto Gokase River, in

Takachiho file:TakachihokyoWithManaiFalls.JPG, 270px, Manai Falls file:Mt.Sobo.jpg, 270px, Mount Sobo file:Yokagura.jpg, 270px, Yokagura is a List of towns in Japan, town in Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. , t ...

December

* 26 December - Japan announced that since the

International Whaling Commission The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is a specialised regional fishery management organisation, established under the terms of the 1946 International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) to "provide for the proper conservation ...

IWC failed its duty to promote

sustainable hunting Sustainable hunting is a conservation-based hunting approach that does not reduce the density of the game animal being hunted via the adherence to hunting limits. Sustainable hunting is a method of hunting that focuses on not degrading the environm ...

, which is one of its stated goals, Japan is withdrawing its membership and will resume commercial hunting in its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone from July 2019, but will cease whaling activities in the Antarctic Ocean. * 27 December - Japan executes two more prisoners, bringing 2018 executions to 15 taking annual total to highest since 2008.

The Nobel Prize

Tasuku Honjo is a Japanese physician-scientist and immunologist. He won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine and is best known for his identification of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). He is also known for his molecular identification of c ...

: 2018

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine () is awarded yearly by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute for outstanding discoveries in physiology or medicine. The Nobel Prize is not a single prize, but five separate prizes that, acco ...

winner.

Arts and entertainment

* 2018 in anime *

2018 in Japanese music The year 2018 in Japanese music. Number ones * Oricon number-one albums * Oricon number-one singles * Hot 100 number-one singles Awards * 60th Japan Record Awards * 2018 MTV Video Music Awards Japan Albums released January February March ...

2018 in Japanese television Events in 2018 in Japanese television. Events Ongoing New shows and returning series Ending Sports Special events and milestone episodes Deaths See also * 2018 in anime * 2018 in Japan * 2018 in Japanese music * List of Japanese ...

* List of 2018 box office number-one films in Japan *

List of Japanese films of 2018 A list of Japanese films that were first released in 2018. Highest-grossing films The following is a list of the top 10 highest-grossing Japanese films released at the Japanese box office in 2018. Film releases January – March April - ...

Sports

* October 7 –

2018 Formula One World Championship The 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship was the motor racing championship for Formula One cars and the 69th running of the Formula One World Championship. Formula One is recognised by the governing body of international motorsport, the ...

is held at 2018 Japanese Grand Prix * October 21 – 2018 MotoGP World Championship is held at

2018 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix The 2018 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix was the sixteenth round of the 2018 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, 2018 MotoGP season. It was held at the Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Tochigi, Motegi on 21 October 2018. Marc Márquez clinched his thir ...

2018 F4 Japanese Championship The 2018 F4 Japanese Championship season was the fourth season of the F4 Japanese Championship. It began on 7 April in Okayama and finished on 11 November on Twin Ring Motegi after seven double header rounds. Teams and drivers All teams and drive ...

2018 Japanese Formula 3 Championship The 2018 Japanese Formula 3 Championship was the 40th Japanese Formula 3 Championship season. Teams and drivers Race calendar Calendar for the 2018 season. All races are scheduled to be held in Japan. Race 9 at Okayama International Circuit w ...

2018 Super Formula Championship The 2018 Japanese Super Formula Championship was the forty-sixth season of premier Japanese open-wheel motor racing, and the sixth under the moniker of Super Formula. The season began on 22 April and is scheduled to end on 28 October at the same p ...

2018 Super GT Series The 2018 Autobacs Super GT Series was the twenty-sixth season of the Japan Automobile Federation Super GT Championship including the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC) era and the fourteenth season the series has competed under the ...

2018 in Japanese football The 2018 season was the 90th season of competitive association football in Japan. Promotion and relegation Teams relegated from J1 League * Ventforet Kofu * Albirex Niigata * Omiya Ardija Teams promoted to J1 League * Shonan Bellmare * V-Vare ...

2018 J1 League The 2018 J1 League, also known as the for sponsorship reasons, was the 26th season of J1 League, the top Japanese professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1992. This was fourth season of J1 League as renamed ...

2018 J2 League The 2018 Meiji Yasuda J2 League (2018 明治安田生命J2リーグ) season was the 47th season of the second-tier club football in Japan and the 20th season since the establishment of J2 League. Clubs The participating clubs are listed in the f ...

2018 J3 League The 2018 J3 League (referred to as the 2018 Meiji Yasuda J3 League (2018 明治安田生命J3リーグ) for sponsorship reasons) was the 5th season of J3 League under its current name. Clubs Tochigi SC, the 2017 J3 League runners-up, earned pr ...

2018 Japan Football League The was the fifth season of the nationwide fourth tier of Japanese football, and the 20th season since the establishment of Japan Football League. The season ran from 11 March to 18 November 2018. Clubs Sixteen clubs participated in this season ...

2018 Japanese Regional Leagues The 2018 Japanese Regional Leagues were a competition between parallel association football leagues ranking at the fifth and sixth tiers of the Japan Football League. Statistics of Japanese Regional Leagues for the 2018 season. Champions list ...

* 2018 Japanese Super Cup *

2018 Emperor's Cup The was the 2018 edition of the annual Japanese national football cup tournament, which began on 26 May 2018 and ended with the final on 9 December 2018 at the Saitama Stadium 2002. The final was held earlier than the usual date of 1 January due ...

2018 J.League Cup The 2018 J.League Cup (2018 Jリーグカップ), or officially the 2018 J.League YBC Levain Cup (2018 JリーグYBCルヴァンカップ), was the 43rd edition of the Japanese Association football, football league cup tournament and the 26th editi ...

Deaths

January

Masahiko Tsugawa Tokyo Intl Filmfest 2005

* January 1 – Katsuhikari Toshio, sumo wrestler (b. 1942) * January 4 –

Senichi Hoshino was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player and manager. In 2003, he led the Hanshin Tigers to their first Central League pennant in 18 years before retiring for health reasons. In 2007, he managed the Japanese national team for the 200 ...

, baseball player and manager (b. 1947) * January 5 – Mikio Fujioka, guitarist (b. 1981) * January 7 – Marley Carib, manga artist (b. 1947) * January 11 –

Sumiko Iwao was a Japanese psychologist, educator, editor and professor emeritus at Keio University in Tokyo. She served as the editor-in-chief of '' Japan Echo'', an English-language magazine and predecessor of Nippon.com, from 1997 until 2007, as well as a ...

, psychologist and educator (b. 1935) * January 14 –

Yosuke Natsuki was a Japanese actor. He had participated twice in the Dakar Rally as a racing driver. He did a lot of work for the Toho Company and made his debut in the film ''The H-Man''. He appeared in Akira Kurosawa's ''Yojimbo (film), Yojimbo'' in 1961. ...

, actor (b. 1936) * January 18 – Yasuo Tanaka, astrophysicist (b. 1931) * January 20 –

Miyako Sumiyoshi was a Japanese speed skater. She competed at the 2013 World Sprint Championships in Salt Lake City, where she placed thirteenth. She also placed thirteenth in the sprint combination at the 2014 World Sprint Championships in Nagano. She compe ...

, speed skater (b. 1987) * January 21 –

Tsukasa Hosaka was a former Japanese football player and manager. He played for Japan national team. Club career Hosaka was born in Kofu on March 3, 1937. After graduating from Meiji University, he joined Furukawa Electric in 1959. He won 1960, 1961 and 196 ...

, football player and manager (b. 1937) * January 26 **

Hiromu Nonaka was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party. Nonaka served as a local politician in Kyoto Prefecture from 1951 to 1978 and in the House of Representatives from 1983 to 2003, becoming one of its most prominent members in the 1990s. ...

, politician (b. 1925) **

Yukiaki Okabe was a Japanese freestyle swimmer. He was part of the Japanese teams that set a world record in 1963 and won an Olympic bronze medal in 1964 in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay. In 1964 he also finished fourth in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay and f ...

, freestyle swimmer (b. 1941) * January 27 – Tadashi Sawashima, film director (b. 1926) * January 31 ** Tadashi Sasaki, engineer (b. 1915) ** Itokin, musician (b. 1979)

February

* February 4 –

Takuya Iwasaki was a Japanese archaeologist. Biography He was an expert in the Neolithic and early period of the Middle East and has conducted much research at sites in countries like Syria and Iran. Iwasaki was a professor at the University of Tsukuba ...

, archaeologist (b. 1929) * February 5 –

Yoshihide Kozai Yoshihide Kozai (1 April 1928 – 5 February 2018) was a Japanese astronomer specialising in celestial mechanics. He is best known for discovering, simultaneously with Michael Lidov, the Kozai mechanism, for which he received the Imperial Prize ...

, astronomer (b. 1928) * February 10 **

Michiko Ishimure was a Japanese writer and activist. She won the 1973 Ramon Magsaysay Award, among the most prestigious awards in Asia, for publicizing writings about Minamata disease is a neurological disease caused by severe mercury poisoning. Signs and s ...

, novelist (b. 1927) **

Tamio Kawachi was a Japanese actor. Career Kawachi was a student at Kanto Gakuin University when Yujiro Ishihara, one of his neighbors in Zushi, Kanagawa, invited him to join the Nikkatsu studio. He made his debut in ''A Slope in the Sun'' (1958) playing Ish ...

, actor (b. 1938) *18 February –

Eido Tai Shimano was a Rinzai Zen Buddhist priest. He was the founding abbot of the New York Zendo Shobo-Ji in Manhattan and Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-Ji monastery in the Catskill mountains of New York; he was forced to resign from that position of 40 years af ...

, Buddhist monk (b. 1932) * February 20 **

Jiichiro Date was a Japanese freestyle wrestler. He won the world cup in 1973 and an Olympic gold medal in 1976 and placed third at the 1975 World Championships. References External links * 1952 births 2018 deaths Olympic wrestlers for Japan Wre ...

, freestyle wrestler (b. 1952). **

Tōta Kaneko , (September 23, 1919 – February 20, 2018) was a Japanese writer. Kaneko was born in Chichibu. He studied at the University of Tokyo and worked for the Bank of Japan. Kaneko died in Kumagaya on February 20, 2018, of Acute respiratory distress ...

, poet (b. 1919) * February 21 –

Ren Osugi , born was a Japanese actor. For his work in ''Cure'', '' Hana-bi'' and other films, Osugi was given the Best Supporting Actor award at the 1999 Yokohama Film Festival. He often worked alongside Takeshi Kitano and Susumu Terajima. In the DVD com ...

, actor (b. 1951)

March

* March 24 –

Hidetoshi Nagasawa was a Japanese sculptor and architect, who lived and worked in Italy from 1967 until his death in 2018. Nagasawa was born in Tonei, Manchuria. He graduated in architecture in Tokyo in 1963. In 1966 he embarked on a long bicycle trip across Asia ...

, sculptor and architect (b. 1940)

April

* April 5 –

Isao Takahata was a Japanese director, screenwriter and producer. A co-founder of Studio Ghibli, he earned international critical acclaim for his work as a director of Japanese animated feature films. Born in Ujiyamada, Mie Prefecture, Takahata joined Toei ...

, film director (b. 1935) * April 21 –

Nabi Tajima was a Japanese supercentenarianSachio Kinugasa Sachio Kinugasa ( 衣笠祥雄; January 18, 1947 – April 23, 2018) was a Japanese professional baseball third baseman for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of the Nippon Professional Baseball league from 1965 to 1987. He was nicknamed , meaning "Iron M ...

, baseball player (b. 1947) * April 27 –

Yukiji Asaoka was a Japanese singer and an actress from Chūō, Tokyo. She was the daughter of a famous Japanese painter of shin hanga style woodblock printing, prints, Shinsui Itō, and her second husband was actor Masahiko Tsugawa. Asaoka was in the Takara ...

, actress (b. 1935)

May

* May 16 –

Hideki Saijo was a Japanese singer, composer, actor, drummer, voice actor, and television and radio show host. Due to his numerous pioneering achievements throughout Asia in the 1970s and 1980s, he is considered an icon amongst Shōwa era idols. With on- ...

, singer and actor (b. 1955) * May 17 –

Yuriko Hoshi , born , was a Japanese actress. She appeared in more than 90 films beginning in 1959. Career Born in Tokyo but raised in Kobe, Hoshi made her film debut in 1958 at Toho. Hoshi died in Kyoto, Japan, at age 74. Selected filmography Film Tele ...

, actress (b. 1943) * May 21 –

Nobukazu Kuriki was a Japanese mountaineer and entrepreneur. Early life Kuriki was born in Imakane, Setana District, Hokkaido, Japan. He graduated from Hokkaido Hiyama Kita High School and Sapporo International University's Humanities and Sociology Department ...

, mountaineer (b. 1982)

June

* June 18 –

Go Kato Go, GO, G.O., or Go! may refer to: Arts and entertainment Games and sport * Go (game), a board game for two players * '' Travel Go'' (formerly ''Go – The International Travel Game''), a game based on world travel * Go, the starting position ...

, actor (b. 1938)

July

* July 2 –

Katsura Utamaru was a Japanese rakugo comedian best known for hosting the ''Shōten'' comedy show on Nippon TV. He is known as a master of the Japanese comic art of rakugo, in which a single performer or storyteller appears on stage and tells comedic stories to ...

, rakugo comedian (b. 1936) * July 6 **

Shoko Asahara , born , was a Japanese cult leader and terrorist who founded and led the doomsday cult known as Aum Shinrikyo. He was convicted of masterminding the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway, and was also involved in several other crimes. As ...

, doomsday cult leader (b. 1955). **

Seiichi Endo was an Aum Shinrikyo member who was executed for his participation in the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack and a number of other crimes. He produced the Sarin gas for the attack after leader Shoko Asahara told him to do so. Early life Endo was ...

, cult member and criminal (b. 1960). **

Yoshihiro Inoue was a former Aum Shinrikyo leader and terrorist who was executed in Japan in 2018. He was responsible for coordinating the Tokyo subway sarin attack in 1995. His holy name was Aananda and his stage in the cult was Master Shogo. Biography Inoue ...

, cult member and criminal (b. 1969). **

Kimishige Ishizaka was a Japanese immunologist who, with his wife Teruko Ishizaka, discovered the antibody class Immunoglobulin E (IgE) in 1966–1967. Their work was regarded as a major breakthrough in the understanding of allergy. He was awarded the 1973 Gaird ...

, immunologist (b. 1925). **

Tomomitsu Niimi was an Aum Shinrikyo member convicted for his participation in the Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway and a number of other crimes. He was Aum's "minister of internal affairs". Background Judge Yujiro Nakatani said that his Aum-related crim ...

, cult member and criminal (b. 1964). * July 19 –

Shinobu Hashimoto Shinobu Hashimoto (, ''Hashimoto Shinobu''; 18 April 1918 – 19 July 2018) was a Japanese screenwriter, director and producer. A frequent collaborator of Akira Kurosawa, he wrote the scripts for critically acclaimed films such as ''Rashomon'' an ...

, screenwriter (b. 1918) * July 21 –

Ryu Matsumoto was a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). Early life Matsumoto was a native of Fukuoka, Fukuoka and graduated from Chuo University. Political car ...

, politician (b. 1951).

August

* August 4 –

Masahiko Tsugawa , born Masahiko Katō (加藤雅彦 ''Katō Masahiko''; January 2, 1940 – August 4, 2018) was a Japanese actor and director. Career Tsugawa was born January 2, 1940, in Kyoto, Japan. After acting as a child, he made his major debut at 16 in t ...

, actor (b. 1940) * August 8 –

, politician (b. 1950) * August 10 –

Kin Sugai (28 February 1926 – 10 August 2018) was a Japanese actress. She won the award for best supporting actress at the 9th Hochi Film Award for '' The Funeral''. Sugai is famous for her role as Sen Nakamura in the jidaigeki drama Hissatsu series. S ...

, actress (b. 1926) * August 13 –

Unshō Ishizuka was a Japanese actor, voice actor, narrator and theatre director from Katsuyama, Fukui. He was affiliated with Aoni Production at the time of his death and was known for providing the voice of both the narrator and Professor Oak/Dr. Yukinari Oki ...

, voice actor (b. 1951) * August 15 –

Momoko Sakura , known professionally as (May 8, 1965 – August 15, 2018) was a Japanese people, Japanese mangaka, manga artist. She was best known as the creator of the long-running manga ''Chibi Maruko-chan''. Biography Sakura was born on May 8, 1965. She ...

, manga artist (b. 1965) * August 25 –

Miyoko Asō was a Japanese actress. She is best known for her role as the first voice of Fune Isono from 1969 to 2015 in the longest-running Japanese anime series '' Sazae-san'', which first aired in 1969. She was the voice of Dr. Pinako Rockbell in both '' ...

, voice actress (b. 1926) * August 27 – Aya Koyama, mixed martial artist (b. 1973)

September

* September 15 –

Kirin Kiki was a Japanese actress for Japanese cinema and television. Biography Kiki was born on January 15, 1943, in Kanda, Tokyo. Her father was a master of the ''biwa'' lute and a former police officer. Her mother owned a cafe in Jinbōchō, Tokyo an ...

, actress (b. 1943) * September 18 –

Norifumi Yamamoto was a Japanese mixed martial artist and kickboxer who competed in the bantamweight division of the UFC. He quickly gained popularity in the Shooto organization due to his aggressive, well-rounded style and controversial persona. He moved on to ...

, mixed martial artist (b. 1977)

October

* October 8 –

Wajima Hiroshi was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Nanao, Ishikawa. He was the sport's 54th ''yokozuna'' and is the first wrestler with a collegiate background to reach its highest rank. Entering professional sumo in January 1970, he won a total of ...

, sumo wrestler (b. 1948) * October 11 –

Yoshito Sengoku was a Japanese politician serving in the House of Representatives of Japan, House of Representatives in the Diet of Japan, Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Democratic Party of Japan. Overviews He was born in Tokushima, Tokushima ...

, politician (b. 1946) * October 17 –

Kōji Tsujitani was a Japanese actor, voice actor, narrator and director of audiography credited for voicing many anime and video game characters. He was formerly affiliated with Sigma Seven. He married Kumiko Watanabe in 2012. He died of a stroke on October 1 ...

, voice actor (b. 1962) * October 19 –

Takanobu Hozumi , better known as , was a Japanese actor from Ōhito, Shizuoka (now Izunokuni) attached to Mausu Promotion. He died of gallbladder cancer at the age of 87. Filmography Live-action Film * '' Baka ga Tank Deyattekuru'' (xxxx) (Officer Momota ...

, actor (b. 1931) * October 20 –

Jun Ashida (21 August 1930 – 20 October 2018) was a Japanese fashion designer. Born in Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, Chosen, he began studying under illustrator Jun'ichi Nakahara. After gaining experience as a consulting designer, Ashida created his first fashi ...

, fashion designer (b. 1930) * October 27 –

Kyoko Enami was a Japanese film and television actress. Career Enami was the daughter of the actress Kazuko Enami. She joined the Daiei Film studio in 1959 and made her screen debut in 1960 with ''Ashita kara otona da''. Her first starring role as Noboriry� ...

, actress (b. 1942)

November

* November 6 –

Tetsuo Gotō was a Japanese actor and voice actor from Gifu Prefecture. Gotō died on November 6, 2018, from esophageal cancer. Filmography Television animation *'' Master Keaton'' (1998) (Edward Langley (episode 6)) *'' Cyborg 009'' (2001) (Sukea) *'' Saik ...

, voice actor (b. 1950) * November 11 –

Hiroyuki Sonoda was a Japanese politician who served in the Diet of Japan, Diet (national legislature) as a member of the House of Representatives (Japan), House of Representatives for Kumamoto 4th district; following the 2017 general election when Kumamoto los ...

, politician (b. 1942) * November 27 –

Mahito Tsujimura was a Japanese actor and voice actor who was represented by 81 Produce. Tsujimura died on November 27, 2018. Filmography Television animation *'' Andersen Stories'' (1971) - Satyr, Hans *'' Paris no Isabelle'' (1979) - Leon *''Galaxy Express 9 ...

, voice actor (b. 1930) * November 28 –

Masahiko Katsuya was a Japanese columnist, photographer, and pundit. After failing the entrance exams for the University of Tokyo and the University of Tsukuba, Katsuya entered Waseda University in 1980. He started working for an editor of Bungeishunjū after gr ...

, columnist (b. 1960) * November 29 –

Harue Akagi was a Japanese actress. Filmography Films *'' Akō Rōshi: Ten no Maki, Chi no Maki'' (1956) *'' Magic Boy'' (1959) *''Bushido, Samurai Saga'' (1963) *'' Karafuto 1945 Summer Hyosetsu no Mon'' (1974) *''Nichiren'' (1979) *'' Pecoross' Mother and ...

, actress (b. 1924)

December

* December 28 –

Toshiko Fujita was a Japanese actress, singer and narrator. She was affiliated with Aoni Production at the time of her death. Biography At the age of eight, Fujita worked in radio and television as an actress, singer and comedian. She also sang theme son ...

, voice actress (b. 1950)

Elections

National

Prefectural

* March 11: Ishikawa gubernatorial * April 8:

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

gubernatorial * June 10: Niigata gubernatorial * September 30: Okinawa gubernatorial

Major municipal

AKB48 Senbatsu Sousenkyo

*The 53rd single 10th Sekai Senbatsu Sousenkyo was held on Nagoya Stadium, Aichi Prefecture, Japan on June 16, 2018 Final Senbatsu Results: **1. Jurina Matsui (Over-all center girl,

SKE48 SKE48 (S.K.E. Forty-eight) is a Japanese idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. SKE48 is named after the Sakae, Nagoya, Sakae district in Nagoya of Aichi Prefecture, where the group is based. The group performs at SKE48 Theater on 2F of Sunshi ...

-Team S) **2. Akari Suda (

) **3. Sakura Miyawaki (

HKT48 HKT48 (read "H.K.T. Forty-eight") is a Japanese idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. HKT48 is named after the Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Hakata-ku ward of Fukuoka, where Akimoto originally intended to base the group. The group currently performs at ...

) **4. Yuka Ogino (

NGT48 NGT48 (read "N.G.T. Forty-eight") is a Japanese girl group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. NGT48 is named after Niigata City of Niigata Prefecture, where the group is based. The group performs at the NGT48 Theater which is located in the fourth fl ...

) **5. Nana Okada (

AKB48 AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol musical girl group named after the Akihabara area in Tokyo, where the group's theater is located. AKB48 has sold more records than any other female musical act in Japanese history. AK ...

STU48 STU48 (Setouchi48) is a Japanese idol group and sister group of AKB48 named after the Setouchi Region. The group had a from 2019 to 2021. It is co-owned by the tourism board of Setouchi Region and is highly involved in their promotional efforts. ...

) **6. Yui Yokoyama (

) **7. Tomu Mutou (

)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2018 In Japan

Years of the 21st century in Japan

2010s in Japan