Japanese News, Made Readable
A real NHK news story every day, rewritten at beginner level with an English translation. Free, no login.
Cooperation Between Paris's Champs-Élysées and Osaka's Midosuji
Kenzo Sakaguchi Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry: 'I'm Very Happy'
Introducing Japan's Eel Culture: Kabayaki Presented at the Vatican
America: The World's Largest Bridge for Animals
Enjoy a Sauna Inside a Bus in Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture
Kenzo Sakaguchi Awarded Nobel Prize in Chemistry
People Running Around the Imperial Palace: Some Have Poor Manners
Children Experience the Joy of Cars in Tomakomai City, Hokkaido
Be Cautious of High Waves from Typhoon No. 27; Snow Covers Mountains in Hokkaido
Kei Nishikori's Final Match
Dodgers' Pitcher Roki Sasaki Plans Children's Baseball Tournament in Iwate Prefecture
Tokyo Metro Experiments with In-Station Congestion Information
Kyoto Prefecture: The Season for Delicious 'Tanba Chestnuts' in Autumn
Event in Kyoto City to Appreciate Old Combs
Goto City in Nagasaki Prefecture Holds Traditional Event 'Imo Hamanda Kana'
Rain Again in the Kanto Region: Be Careful in Areas with Heavy Rainfall
17-Year-Old Shin Ohashi Sets World Record in Men's 200m Breaststroke
Kushiro City, Hokkaido: Kendama Play Event Held
US Federal Reserve Decides to Raise Interest Rates
Typhoon No. 25 Approaches Southern Seas Near Honshu, Weather Likely to Worsen
Typhoon No. 25 Likely to Approach the Pacific Side of Eastern Japan Around the 20th
Beware of Bears on Mount Takao in Tokyo
Kyushu Shinkansen Fully Operational 52 Days After Kumamoto Earthquake
Yamagata: Large Pot Transported for Japan's Biggest Imoni Festival
Kumamon Visits Nursery School in Hikawa Town, Kumamoto Prefecture
Competition to Determine the Heaviest Pumpkin in Japan
Shortage of Drivers: Using Trucks That Can Be Driven with a Regular License
Preparations for 'Shichi-Go-San' at Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine in Fukuoka Prefecture
Kyoto Aquarium Measures the Size of Giant Salamanders
Ohno Town in Gifu Prefecture Releases Autumn Fruit 'Persimmons' to Market
Tokyo: Activities to Support People Affected by Nepal's Landslide
Aichi: 'School Relay' with Torch Held Before Asian Games Begin
Fishing for Fugu Begins in Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture
Hikone Castle Nominated for UNESCO World Heritage Status
Rice Harvest Begins at Ise Grand Shrine's Rice Fields
Director of 'Star Wars' Opens Art Museum
Children in Otobe Town, Hokkaido Made 'Scarecrows'
September 1: Children Practice Evacuation from Tsunami
Hokkaido Hosts Competition to Roll Large Bundles of Hay
One Month After the Kumamoto Earthquake: The Need for Secure Housing
Rainy Weather Likely to Continue
Vegetable Prices: Tomatoes and Cucumbers Expensive in September
Yamanashi Prefecture's New Grapes: Busy Preparing for Market
Introducing the Beauty of Kamakura's Sea to Foreigners via Social Media
Children in Kochi City Teach Origami to Foreigners
Goldfish Scooping Competition Held in Yamatokoriyama City, Nara Prefecture
Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture: City Officials Visit to Hear About Damage from Heavy Rain
Prices of Goods Rose by 1.8% in July Compared to Last Year
Fish Supply at Yatsushiro Port in Kumamoto Prefecture Decreases by About 30%
High School Cooking Competition Using 'Hamamatsu' in Mie Prefecture
1.5 Million Sunflowers in Full Bloom in Nasu Town, Tochigi Prefecture
Composer Joe Hisaishi Sets Three Guinness World Records
GDP: Gross Domestic Product Slightly Increased
About 7,000 People Stranded at Narita Airport
Heavy Rainfall in Chiba Prefecture: Chiba City Receives Three Times the Average August Rainfall
Kumamoto Castle Damaged by Earthquake Reopens to the Public
Kawasaki City to Start Japanese Classes for Foreign Workers in 'Development Employment' Program
Awa Odori Festival Begins in Tokushima Prefecture
Takinoe Town, Hokkaido Competes in Tree Cutting Speed Contest
Fukushima Prefecture: 'Crying Sumo' Event Prays for Healthy Growth of Babies
Be Gentle with Children Who Have Had Frightening Earthquake Experiences
Continued Hot Weather in Kumamoto: Beware of Strong Winds
Sendai Tanabata Festival: Beautiful Decorations Abound
Summer High School Baseball: First Female Umpire at Koshien
Typhoon No. 13: Be Cautious of Rain and Wind in Okinawa and Other Areas
End of the Rainy Season Brings Intense Heat to Western Japan
Haneda Airport: 'Check in Your Luggage 30 Minutes Before Boarding'
Prime Minister Takaichi: 'Reduce Consumption Tax on Food to 1%'
People Sheltering in Cars Should Beware of 'Economy Class Syndrome'
Hot Days Likely to Continue
Protect Your Head During an Earthquake
Evacuation During Hot Seasons: Be Careful of Heatstroke
Grand Sumo: Anseikin Wins Third Championship
Archaeological Site in Nara Prefecture Designated as World Heritage Site
Continued Dangerous Heat and Sudden Heavy Rain Warnings
What Color Clothes Are Best for Hot Weather?
Japan National Soccer Team's Next Coach Decided to be Tsuyoshi Oiwa
Wind Chimes on Boats Around Matsue Castle for a Cool Experience
Horse Price-Setting Meeting Held in Shinhidaka, Hokkaido
Deer Gathered by Horn Sound in Nara Park
Some Areas Experienced Dangerous Heat; Stay Cautious at Night
World Cup Soccer Final: Spain vs. Argentina
Nichirei's System Begins to Operate Again
July 26th is 'Doyo no Ushi no Hi': Eel Prices Expected to Drop This Year
Summer High School Baseball: Sign Language to Be Used for the First Time at Koshien Opening Ceremony
Kabutomushi Sumo Tournament in Kochi City
Yamanashi Prefecture: 'All-You-Can-Eat Peaches' Event Begins
President Xi Jinping and President Putin met and spoke
"Yellow dust" has blown into the sky over Japan.
Today's Japanese news
Every morning we take one story from NHK News Web Easy and rebuild it as a graded reading exercise: short sentences, beginner grammar, full English translation, and the proper nouns explained.
Questions about the daily Japanese news
Is this real Japanese news?
Yes. Every morning we take one story published by NHK News Web Easy — NHK's simplified news service written for Japanese learners and schoolchildren — and rebuild it as a graded reading exercise: short sentences, beginner grammar, furigana on every kanji, a full English translation, and the proper nouns explained.
What level do I need to read it?
Beginner. The Japanese sits around JLPT N5–N4: short sentences, everyday vocabulary, furigana on every kanji. If you can read hiragana and katakana you can start today — the English translation is one tap away on every story.
How often is it updated?
Once a day, every morning Japan time. The freshest story sits at the top of this page, and the full archive stays online, so you can catch up on the days you missed.
Do I need an account?
No. Every daily news story is free to read on the web — no login, no paywall, no reading limit. The Shinobi app adds the graded story library, vocabulary tracking and progress, but the news stays free here.
Why read the news instead of a textbook?
Because the vocabulary repeats. Japanese news cycles through the same themes — weather, trains, prices, sport, festivals — so the words you meet today come back next week. Textbook chapters move on and never return; the news keeps circling back, and that repetition is what turns recognition into recall.
350+ stories, native audio, tap-to-translate — in the app
The free web library is a curated slice. The Shinobi app has 350+ unique graded stories, native audio for every page, tap-to-translate on every word, JMDict dictionary lookups, and SRS review.