The Japanese government has approved, in place of the prefectural government, ground improvement work as part of a project to relocate a US Marine base in Okinawa Prefecture. (NHK)

Friday marks the peak of the New Year travel rush, as people head to their hometowns or vacation spots to celebrate the end-of-year and New Year holidays. Congestion is expected in the air, on railways, and on highways.

In September 2023, Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology nominated Tohoku University as a candidate to be a 'University for International Research Excellence' (UIRE). This program is supported by Japan's 10 trillion yen (US$68.7 billion) University Fund (UF). (East Asia Forum)

Japan's space agency says it will make a second attempt to launch the country's new flagship H3 rocket on February 15. (NHK)

A driver of a Lamborghini that was engulfed in flames on Thursday while driving in Kokura Minami Ward, Kitakyushu City, has escaped injury.

The Tokyo stock market finished trading on Friday at its highest year-end level in 34 years.

A rocket fueled by cow dung and urine is preparing for launch in Taiki, Hokkaido, a town with a bovine population 5 times greater than humans, known as the "Town Close to Space."

1xBet, an esteemed online casino, boasts a rich history dating back to 2007 when it was established. (newsonjapan.com)

A visit to Kippei in Nara (Japan) to have Sushi and Sake. (Aden Films)

ABEMA Announces "Japan Anime Trend Awards 2023" (Abema)

Embark on an exciting gaming journey with Bons Casino, an online gaming platform that caters specifically to the discerning Indian punter. (newsonjapan.com)

Human bones have been discovered in a car buried under the landslide that engulfed a road in Nara Prefecture on Dec 23, possibly the remains of a man who has been missing since that day.

The government on Wednesday rejected a plan to open a casino resort in Nagasaki Prefecture, southwestern Japan, amid doubts about the feasibility of its funding. (Kyodo)

JAPAN’S nuclear power regulator on Wednesday (Dec 27) lifted an operational ban imposed on Tokyo Electric Power Company’s (Tepco) Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant two years ago, allowing it to work towards gaining local permission to restart. (Business Times)

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) has begun sea trials of its helicopter carrier JS Kaga (DDH 184) after undergoing major modifications of the vessel to operate the F-35B fighter jets, the JMSDF announced on December 25. (navalnews.com)

Automation is coming for almost everything we do. By 2030, generative artificial intelligence will replace 2.4 million jobs in the U.S. alone, one forecast predicts. For those who remain employed, AI could impact 40% of their working hours. (Nikkei)

A Japanese court has ordered the central and Tokyo Metropolitan governments to pay damages over the wrongful arrests and detention of three people suspected of involvement in what they considered to be illegal exports. (NHK)

The labor union of budget airline Jetstar Japan continues its strike over unpaid wages, threatening to spill into the New Year holiday season as negotiations with the company break down.

In an effort to alleviate ongoing congestion at Kyoto Station, JR West has unveiled plans to install new ticket gates and passageways, scheduled for completion by 2031.

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced a 12-year contract with Japanese pitcher Yamamoto Yoshinobu on Wednesday. (NHK)

A 27-year-old woman who turned herself in to police has been arrested on suspicion of abandoning the body of her newborn baby.

In today's video, we cover some of the best Nintendo Switch games that sadly have never been localised to be experienced in Western countries. (Lady Decade)

The sacred rope at Nachi Falls has a new lease on life, as priests at Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine in Wakayama brave icy conditions in preparation for the New Year.

A group of international researchers including Japanese professors says it found a huge cliff in deep waters near the epicenter of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. (NHK)

As crowds flock to their hometowns and holiday spots for the New Year, the Nozomi service on the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen line, running between Tokyo and Fukuoka, started operating entirely with reserved seating from December 28 until January 4.