Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), posing a substantial threat to human health and property and safety. Until now, there has been a lack of specific therapeutic options for treating JEV infections. In this review, we provide a comprehensive discussion of JEV’s characteristics, diagnostic methodologies, vaccine development efforts, and potential anti-JEV pharmaceuticals to provide insights that could be used to inform and enhance strategies for the prevention and control of Japanese encephalitis.