Japan in 2023: Key Events in the Year Ahead

This year marks the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and although there are few signs that the health crisis is abating, Japan started 2023 without any restrictions on activities. The battered administration of Prime Minister Kishida Fumio will face another test as voters go to the polls in local unified elections in April. Kishida will be looking to show his leadership skills domestically and internationally when Japan hosts the Group of Seven Hiroshima Summit in May in the prime minister’s hometown. In sports, Japanese fans will be cheering on national squads competing at the World Baseball Classic, FIFA Women’s World Cup, and Rugby World Cup. The following is a summary of the main events planned for 2023.

2023: Major Japanese and International Events

(Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo: The Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima. Courtesy Hiroshima prefectural government.)