In the latest sign that Japan’s patience with mass tourism is wearing thin, Shinjuku ward – home to the notorious Kabukicho nightlife district and the world’s busiest railway station – will prevent visitors from using private lodgings in residential areas and near schools and important cultural sites, Japanese media reported this week.

The measure, to be introduced through a local ordinance, could encourage other local authorities to follow suit. Shinjuku, with a regular population of more than 350,000, is home to 3,775 private lodgings – or minpaku – the largest number anywhere in Japan.

While tourism has boosted sectors of Japan’s economy and raised the country’s profile overseas, the surge in visitor numbers has created tensions with residents in popular destinations such as Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Reports said officials had been forced to act after receiving more than 1,300 complaints from residents in the 12 months to March. Many cited disruption caused by visitors who did not dispose of their rubbish properly, made too much noise and smoked in areas where it is banned. There have also been reports of trespassing.

Shinjuku ward believes the measure will affect as many as 2,000 lodgings in residential areas – almost half the total, according to the Mainichi Shimbun. The mayor, Shigeru Horiuchi, said the decision had been taken to “protect the dignity and living environment of our citizens”.

Distributional limits on social media content have sparked a fresh diplomatic rift, with the Trump administration expressing “serious concerns” over Downing Street’s proposal to mandate higher algorithmic visibility for traditional public service broadcasters on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and X.

Issued through the U.S. Embassy in London, Washington warned that artificially promoting established outlets such as the BBC and ITV risks “facilitating censorship” and penalizing independent online journalists. American officials argued that giving governments the power to influence feed algorithms creates a dangerous precedent that authoritarian regimes could exploit to suppress political dissent and restrict protected digital expression.

The British government defended its position, stating that the proposal—outlined in its media green paper—aims to combat widespread online misinformation and help traditional UK media institutions navigate severe revenue disruptions caused by big tech. However, the U.S. intervention underlines Washington’s willingness to aggressively defend American technology firms and independent content creators. Content creators and social media platforms have echoed the Trump administration’s warnings, expressing fears that state-mandated algorithmic prioritization effectively stifles digital speech and marginalizes alternative viewpoints under the guise of content regulation.

Canada is set to officially implement retaliatory tariffs ranging from 15% to 50% on Canadian $27.6 billion worth of American imports, dramatically escalating an ongoing trade war with its largest economic partner.

Taking effect early Tuesday, these counter-measures target vital U.S. sectors including steel, dairy, home appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, and electronics. Ottawa’s decisive action comes in direct response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to slap a blanket 50% tariff on Canadian goods—a move that applied to an equivalent $27.6 billion in trade. Canadian authorities clarified that the new retaliatory duties will strictly apply to goods entering the country after the midnight deadline, excluding any U.S. products already in transit.

The trade conflict has increasingly spilled over into broader diplomatic hostilities between the two neighboring nations, fueling sharp exchanges between President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Prime Minister Carney recently urged Washington to take negotiations seriously, while resisting American demands that seek to weaken Quebec’s historic French-language protections, which U.S. negotiators view as trade barriers. Tensions have been further heightened by symbolic provocations from the White House, including President Trump signing an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America”—a move flatly rejected by Canadians—and U.S. Vice President JD Vance publicly mocking Carney’s tough posture in negotiations. With both leaders refusing to back down, cross-border relations have descended into one of their most strained periods in recent memory.