Over recent years, the chewy rice cakes have killed and hospitalized hundreds of people in Japan, where it is eaten to celebrate the new year.

China blocked exports of a raft of goods with potential military applications to Japan, ramping up recent tensions between the Asian powers.

Lately a diplomatic spat with China has begun depressing the number of people coming to Japan from that country—but even this does not seem to have much deterred Japan’s leaders from their course. Three related trends have fuelled what anxious Japanese have come to call the “foreigner problem”.

As of the end of November, 235 bear attacks had killed 13 people across Japan this year, both the highest figures since records began in 2006, according to official data.

Japan’s lack of public trash cans often surprises visitors, but cultural norms and safety concerns explain why travelers carry their trash all day.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said on Monday the central bank will continue to raise interest rates if economic and price developments move in line with its forecasts.

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