The amount spent by foreign visitors to Japan last year reached about 5.3 trillion yen, a 9.9% increase compared to 2019, setting a new record high.

The trio girl unit iScream, chosen from an audition with 10,000 applicants and belonging to LDH, released a dance performance video of their song "Heart of Gold," a track from their 2nd album 'Selfie' released on January 17th.

Uniqlo has filed a lawsuit against three companies, including the operator of the Chinese fashion e-commerce site SHEIN, in the Tokyo District Court for selling counterfeit shoulder bags.

The Tokyo District Prosecutor's Office has decided not to prosecute the man known as 'Rengoku Koroaki,' a YouTuber specializing in citizen's arrests, who was arrested last year for unlawfully detaining another man.

Mitsuko Tottori, a former cabin attendant, will be promoted to the next president of Japan Airlines, becoming the first woman to hold the position of highest-ranking executive in the company.

Idol College's Rinka Ueno made a striking appearance in the "Yanmaga G League! 'Muchi Gra' Edition" feature of "Yanmaga Web," which was released on the 16th. She showcased her exceptional style in various outfits, including school uniforms and bikinis.

In Noda Village, Iwate Prefecture, the 'Namomi,' wearing demon masks, go from house to house, raising their voices in a New Year's tradition. The event is held to pray for the healthy growth of children and the safety of households.

JR Central has opened up to the press the construction site of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen, which is slated to begin operations after 2027, showcasing a gigantic tunnel boring machine in use.

McDonald's Japan is set to introduce a revamped version of its popular "Café Latte" and "Caramel Latte" after nearly three years. The renewed beverages will be available from January 24 (Wednesday) at McDonald's outlets across the country. What's new about the updated "Café Latte" and "Caramel Latte"?

A press conference held on January 16th in Tokyo to announce the grand prize winners of "Miss FLASH 2024," a competition organized by the weekly photo magazine FLASH (Kobunsha).

Join Huis Ten Bosch in Sasebo City, Nagasaki Prefecture on March 15th, where they are set to open 'Mission Deep-Sea,' a new ride attraction equipped with state-of-the-art technology.

Shohei Ohtani, the star baseball player, has been named as the ambassador for Konami Digital Entertainment's baseball games.

Starbucks Coffee Japan is set to warm hearts this winter with the introduction of a special café mocha inspired by the Valentine's season.

A teaser for the documentary film "Volunteering for Fools," which follows the punk band The Swanky's, has been released on YouTube.

The president and an executive of a talent agency have been arrested on suspicion of allowing a male 'idol' of touch the body of a female fan.

In preparation for the issuance of new banknotes this July, ATM manufacturers in Japan are ramping up production so that Automated Teller Machines will be able to handle both old and new notes.

The outdoor event "TOKYO ISLAND 2024" will be held from October 12th to 14th at the Mori-zukuri Area of Umi no Mori (Sea Forest) Park in Tokyo. "TOKYO ISLAND" is an event where participants can enjoy music, camping, BBQ, fireworks, and workshops in the heart of Tokyo.

NTT Docomo has developed the world's first technology to digitize taste using ultra-high-speed 6G communication, enabling the sharing of taste experiences.

Aoyama Trading has announced the comedic duo Chidori as their new image characters. They will join the likes of Kanna Hashimoto and INI, who have been serving as image characters, appearing in store visuals, on the company's website, and in commercials.

Model and former AKB48 member Haruna Kojima updated her Instagram stories on the 14th, revealing that she attended the "Best of Bruno Mars Live at Tokyo Dome" concert, which kicked off on the 11th by the globally renowned artist Bruno Mars.

Japan Airlines (JAL) has unveiled its new aircraft for international flights, updated for the first time in 20 years.

Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA) is getting ready to tighten the screws on Sompo Japan by issuing a business improvement order within this month following the insurance fraud scandal involving false claims by used car dealer Big Motor.

Toho Cinemas, Japan's sixth largest film entertainment company, showed a 4.7% increase in net profit from March to November 2023, on the back of "Godzilla Minus One," which exceeded 5.3 billion yen in domestic box office revenue, and the distribution of anime "Jujutsu Kaisen".

For seven years, a photographer known as biggate4444 (@biggate43) has been capturing the charming sight of sparrows and sharing them on social media. During this cold season, many of these birds puff up into adorable round shapes to keep warm, a phenomenon fondly referred to as "fukura suzume" (inflated sparrows).

Tokyo's Minato Ward has decided to distribute 50,000 yen worth of gift certificates per child to support families with children affected by rising prices.