An Inland Sea, mountain communities and industries looking outward: the Ehime edition.
An in-depth history and demographics lead, 15 original Ehime-focused reports, 12 news briefs and an Umetaro Azechi Art Choice, plus six selected reads from October 9.
Ehime: From Ancient Iyo to a Changing Society
From ancient Iyo and maritime trade to modern industry and population decline, Ehime’s past illuminates its demographic future.
Read the story →Sunday, October 11, 2026 · Bradley L. Bartz
Four Stories to Start With
Business · Science · Sports · Culture
Twelve More Stories Worth Reading
A tightly edited selection of significant, sourced developments beyond the main 15.
Read News Briefs →Business & Economy
Sunday, October 11, 2026
A New Korean Gateway to Ehime: Matsuyama–Cheongju Flights
A new connection with central South Korea raises questions about inbound tourism, air connectivity and local returns.
Can Ehime’s Manufacturers Find Their Next Customers Abroad?
Manufacturers seek customers in Vietnam and Indonesia amid workforce pressures at home.
Oil Volatility Tops Japan’s Corporate Risk List
Unpredictable crude costs threaten corporate budgets across manufacturing, shipping and heavy industry.
Science & Technology
Sunday, October 11, 2026
Ehime’s Teenage AI Builders
Ehime students work with mentors to turn ideas into practical AI prototypes.
Ehime’s Red List and the Changing Inland Sea
Species assessments illuminate conservation pressures on Ehime’s coasts and inland habitats.
Can AI Measure a Fish’s Heat Limit?
Medaka research suggests new tools for thermal-stress science, with applications still to be proven in aquaculture.
Communities
Sunday, October 11, 2026
Why Young People Leave Ehime—and What Could Bring Them Home
Jobs, housing and family ties shape the choices behind youth departures and possible returns.
Beyond the Factory Gate: Ehime’s Foreign Workers
Foreign workers train as community bridges in a manufacturing region increasingly reliant on international labor.
The Peninsula’s Escape Route: Ikata Evacuation Drills
Scheduled nuclear-emergency exercises test plans for evacuation on the narrow Sadamisaki Peninsula.
Sports
Sunday, October 11, 2026
Iyo Bank’s Tennis Pair Win Asian Games Gold
Yusuke Kusuhara and Shunsuke Nakagawa deliver a doubles title and spotlight corporate-backed sport.
High-School Baseball Crosses the Inland Sea
Teams from six prefectures come together in Ehime for games and regional exchange.
Beyond the Medals: Ehime’s Cultural and Sporting Honorees
A diverse awards roster recognizes performers and athletes nurtured by local institutions.
Culture
Sunday, October 11, 2026
Beyond the Canvas: Yanase and Manabe
An Ehime exhibition examines two artists who transformed painting and mass-media illustration.
Jimmy Onishi’s Hometown Comes to Matsuyama
The artist’s traveling exhibition explores belonging and the places that shape imagination.
Ehime’s Paper Economy: From Mizuhiki to New Markets
Papermaking, Iyo mizuhiki and Ōzu washi connect manufacturing heritage with creative markets.
Today’s Art Choice
The Mountain Man of Ehime: Umetaro Azechi
Born in present-day Uwajima, Umetaro Azechi made mountains and solitary figures the language of his modern woodblock prints.
Read the feature →The image is an original editorial illustration inspired by Azechi’s printmaking, not an authentic work by the artist.
Six More Reads from October 9
These reports reflect information available at original publication.
AirTrunk Expands Its Japan AI Data Center Investment
A $1 billion expansion in Inzai underscores AI’s demands on electricity, land and infrastructure.
Rapidus Faces the Commercial Test of Its 2nm Ambitions
Japan’s semiconductor revival will require customers as well as technical progress.
A Japanese Chemist’s Nobel-Winning Work Explores Molecular Handedness
Kenso Soai’s asymmetric autocatalysis raises fundamental questions about the origins of molecular chirality.
Japan Tests New Solutions for Transport Deserts
Regional mobility projects combine digital dispatch, shared rides and local planning.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto Makes a Playoff Statement
The Dodgers pitcher’s ten-strikeout outing highlights his postseason development.
The Tale of Genji Returns to the Museum
A Kyoto exhibition examines the enduring visual culture around Japan’s thousand-year-old novel.
Illustrations in the Ehime edition are original AI-generated editorial images inspired by Umetaro Azechi’s woodblock aesthetic; they are not documentary photographs or authentic Azechi prints. Carried-over reports retain their earlier images.
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