#hokkaido

2 topics

Aug 21, 2026

A Hokkaido Farm, Myanmar Workers, and Allegations of Abuse

Myanmar workers on Specified Skilled Worker visas fled a farming company in Kyogoku, Hokkaido and, with a labor union, are pursuing a criminal complaint over alleged violence and sexual harassment. Online, the anger widened from the accused into a condemnation of Japan's foreign-labor system.

A Rental Car at a Level Crossing Reignites Japan's Tourist Driving Debate

Society

Jul 17, 2026

A Rental Car at a Level Crossing Reignites Japan's Tourist Driving Debate

A rental car carrying five Chinese nationals collided with a train at a level crossing on JR's Furano Line in Hokkaido; local reporting said the five suffered minor injuries and none of the roughly 100 people aboard the train were hurt. On the same day, a Spanish tourist's post describing Japan's left-side driving as 'the reverse of ours' circulated, and the two stories merged into a single argument about who should be allowed behind the wheel.