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Some more images from Japan nr 4

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This is a lauxaniid fly of the genus Minettia (Frendelia). The dullish mesonotum with darkened wing base are quite characteistic. I will have to check what species are found in Japan. In Europe we have one widespread species (M. longipennis) and are few local ones. Adults apparenty were reared from birds' nests.

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This species is indeed likely to be M. longipennis.

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Hello,
There are more than a dozen described species of Minettia (Frendelia) that occur in the far eastern Palaearctic and northern Oriental region, and M. longipennis is not one of them! Minettia longipennis is Holarctic (if the Nearctic and Palaearctic taxa are actually the same), occurring about as far east as Mongolia. Also, M. longipennis doesn't have as extensive blackish coloration at the base of the wing (it can have a little though). Really there are no other characters visible in the photograph that give a hint to its species identity. Only one species was described from Japan (Minettia ryukyuensis Sasakawa), but this is definitely not that species.
Cheers,
Steve

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I have one other photo of a similar fly. This may or may not be the same species. Maybe this image shows a little bit more of the fly.

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Any new insight, whether this is M. longipennis or not?

M. longipennis is on the Japanese list. It seems to be distributed both in the Eastern and Western Palearctic regions. But not in the middle. Have these populations been split?