The University of Tokyo and two other national universities were chosen as candidates to be designated as world-class research institutes eligible for substantial backing from a government fund, sources familiar with the matter said Tuesday. (Japan Times)

Metaverse and artificial intelligence services are featured in a 3-day exhibition in Tokyo starting Wednesday. (NHK)

This dancer is wearing robotic arms inspired by traditional Japanese puppetry. Researchers hope the wearable device could one day be used for search and rescue operations. ( Reuters)

"Himeji Castle" made of Lego blocks was unveiled for the first time on Monday.

One of Japan's largest exhibitions featuring the latest in drone technology has opened in Chiba City, near Tokyo. (NHK)

A 13-year-old boy drowned while trying to save his 11-year-old sister who had gotten into difficulty while swimming in a river in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, on Sunday. (Japan Today)

Discover the sumo spirit less than 30 minutes from central Tokyo! Shizuka journeys to Yokozuna Tonkatsu Dosukoi Tanaka, a restaurant with a sumo ring, for a dining experience like no other. (Japan by Food)

Rules for taxing high-rise homes in Japan are poised to change as early as next year in a way that could raise the inheritance tax burden on these popular investments, Nikkei has learned. (Nikkei)

The Japanese government says it will integrate guidelines on using generative AI. Now different recommendations are being used by various ministries and agencies. (NHK)

Japan announced a decision Tuesday to reinstate South Korea as a preferred nation with fast-track trade status starting July 21, virtually ending a four-year economic row that was further strained during their bitter historic disputes. (usnews.com)

The Japanese government's chief coronavirus adviser says a ninth wave of infections may have started in the country, and additional vaccinations and other measures are needed to curb the number of deaths. (NHK)

Japan stepped up efforts to bolster its chip industry on Monday, with a government-backed fund agreeing to buy semiconductor materials maker JSR Corp (4185.T) for about 909.3 billion yen ($6.4 billion). (Reuters)

One of Japan’s best-known kabuki actors has been arrested on suspicion of assisting in his mother’s suicide after both parents were found unconscious at his home last month. (The Guardian)

The ancient Japanese capital of Kyoto is offering premium seats priced at 400,000 yen each, or about 2,800 dollars, for the climax of the annual Gion Festival. (NHK)

The leaders of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan are seeking to hold a trilateral summit in Washington this summer. (Arirang News)

An iron sword from the fourth century, unearthed at an ancient burial mound in western Japan, was shown to the media for the first time, after preservationists finished cleaning one side of its blade. (NHK)

Thousands of volunteers from dozens of nations have joined Ukraine’s military since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, but only a handful are from Japan – a country that has adhered to the principle of national pacifism since the end of World War II. But Yuya Motomura, a 45-year-old mahjong parlour manager, is among the few heading to the front lines. (FRANCE 24 English)

The iconic, century-old Hibiya Open Air Concert Hall in Tokyo's Hibiya Park, commonly abbreviated as "Yaon" in Japanese, will be knocked down and rebuilt bigger and better after fiscal 2024. (Japan Today)

On the slopes of Mount Gassan, one of the three sacred peaks of the Dewa Sanzan in the heart of Yamagata Prefecture, colorful patches of snow are piquing the interest of Japan’s geoscientists. (Japan Times)

Dining at a unique restaurant in Japan where you can fish for your food! (DancingBacons)

Japan is famous for its tiny apartments. But what happens when you take one on the road? (Abroad in Japan)

Toys and figurines from vending machines, packaged in plastic capsules and known as gacha gacha in Japan, have become costlier in the country, with the average price up 15% from two years ago. (Nikkei)

Reuters reported on Sunday that Japan's military is testing Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service according to the Yomiuri newspaper that cited unnamed government sources. (interestingengineering.com)

Japan's ultra-wealthy population is forecast to shrink by 1.8 percent in the five years to 2027, the only member among the Group of Seven industrialized nations to see a decline in the period, a recent report by a British real estate consulting firm showed. (Japan Today)

Weather officials say rainy season in the Japanese southwestern region of Okinawa appears to have ended on Sunday. (NHK)