[May 2026] Current Affairs Quiz: A roundup of news questions that will be immediately useful for interviews and entrance exams

Akira Kawashima

He garnered widespread support for reasons such as being “approachable” and “likely to give precise directions,” thanks to his steady hosting skills and the affectionate jabs and attentiveness he shows toward fellow performers, as seen in his MC work on the morning variety show “Love it!”. He was selected for first place, overtaking Teruyoshi Uchimura, who had held the top spot for nine consecutive years through 2024.

Nagoya City

In the 2026 cherry blossom forecast, Nagoya in Honshu is expected to bloom the earliest on March 17. Tokyo and Gifu City are also forecast to bloom on March 17. Naha is in January and Sapporo is in April, showing significant regional variation within Japan.

316 seats

Riding a wave of popularity for Prime Minister Takaichi, the Liberal Democratic Party achieved a historic landslide victory, winning 316 seats in the House of Representatives—surpassing the 310-seat threshold that constitutes a two-thirds majority on its own. Holding two-thirds of the seats grants significant power, such as the ability to pass a bill again after it has been rejected by the House of Councillors and to initiate constitutional amendments. As a result, attention is now focused on the future course of the LDP and the Takaichi Cabinet.

Minamitorishima

Mud containing rare earth elements was extracted from the seafloor at a depth of about 6,000 meters within the exclusive economic zone around Minamitorishima. The extraction was carried out by the deep-sea scientific drilling vessel Chikyu, marking a major step toward domestic production of rare earths.

Sushizanmai

The correct answer is Sushizanmai. Its operating company, Kiyomura Co., Ltd., has repeatedly won the “first tuna” at high prices in the past and is widely known as a New Year’s first auction topic. In 2026, the first tuna fetched about 510 million yen, the highest price ever.

Donald Trump

It’s a coined term that plays on the former “Monroe Doctrine” and Mr. Trump’s first name, “Donald.” It is said to be a more radicalized version of the Monroe Doctrine, implying that the United States might even resort to the use of force if it judges something to have an impact on the country.

144 people

Due to the opposition realignment in January 2026, the Constitutional Democratic Party and Komeito merged to form the Centrist Reform Alliance. Of the 148 Constitutional Democratic Party members in the House of Representatives, a large majority—144 lawmakers—joined.