A group of people who say they were sexually abused by the founder and president of Japan's leading talent agency, Johnny & Associates, have sent a requests list to the agency that includes setting up a panel to pave the way for compensation. (NHK)

Hatsune Miku has always been 16 years old and worn long aqua ponytails. (wishtv.com)

A fire erupted from an electric bicycle's battery in Tokyo's Minato Ward on Thursday, causing momentary panic on the streets near Roppongi Hills.

Around 2.93 million foreigners were living in Japan as of the end of 2020, that's a record high propelled by a surge in technical trainees and overseas students.

Japanese immigration authorities say the number of foreign residents with "specified skilled worker" status has doubled from last year. (NHK)

Japan's economic output ran above full capacity in April-June for the first time in nearly four years, a government estimate showed, suggesting that conditions for ending its ultra-low interest rates could be falling into place. (kitco.com)

A cafe in Tokyo’s Harajuku district in Japan has introduced upright sleeping pods for customers needing to catch a few winks. Dubbed Giraffepod, the phone booth-sized pod allows users to nap while standing up, similar to giraffes. (South China Morning Post)

Kim Kardashian and North are sharing new snaps from their trip to Japan. (people.com)

The traditional practice of "drive hunting" for whales and dolphins in Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, which has been carried on for many years, began on Friday.

Japan is arming itself like it never has before. The Defense Ministry has now asked for a nearly 12 percent budget increase this year, to finance the acquisition of warships and long range cruise missiles. (DW News)

The number of carpenters in Japan has decreased to less than one-third compared to 40 years ago, with concerns that labor shortages will hamper growth in the construction industry.

A former inspector of the Chiba Prefectural Police has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for charges including assaulting multiple women, with prosecutors describing the crimes as "malicious acts."

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida staged a televised disaster drill on Friday based on a fictional earthquake in the Tokyo region, as his country marked the centennial of the real-life 1923 Great Kanto Quake that killed more than 100,000 people. (usnews.com)

All four major Japanese banks will raise rates on 10-year fixed rate home loans from September, it was announced on Thursday.

Japanese retailer Seven & i Holdings Co. is selling department store chain Sogo & Seibu Co. to a U.S. investment fund, even as the union representing the company’s retail workers went on strike ahead of the announcement Thursday. It’s the first major walkout the country has seen in decades. (peoplesworld.org)

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the culture of "public drinking" around Tokyo's Shibuya Station has been growing among locals and foreigners alike, forcing authorities to crack down on nuisance behaviour.

A former Hyogo police officer admitted in court that he had smoked marijuana about 150 times.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and three Cabinet ministers enjoyed sashimi fished off the coast of Fukushima at a lunch meeting on Wednesday, in an apparent effort to dispel safety concerns following the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant. (euronews.com)

Fast-food chain Domino's Pizza has announced the resumption of "Tsukimi Quattro" pizza, which uses eggs, next month after a two-year hiatus.

As summer kicks in and more skin is exposed, the trend of "kids' hair removal" is on the rise, particularly among elementary and junior high school students.

Japanese telecommunications operator KDDI Corp. and Elon Musk’s SpaceX recently announced an agreement that would provide satellite-to-cellular service in Japan. The service will use SpaceX’s Starlink satellites and KDDI’s national wireless spectrum. (teslarati.com)

Workers represented by a labor union at Japanese department store operator Sogo & Seibu Co. will stage a rare strike at the company's flagship store in Tokyo on Thursday, the union said Wednesday. (Xinhua)

A security camera has captured the moment a bag snatcher on a motorbike was brought down by locals in Tokyo's Ueno district.

The latest employment figures show that Japan's job market worsened in July as employers struggled with higher prices. (NHK)

Tokyu Railways has started a trial of a system that allows passengers to go through ticket gates with their credit cards. One aim is to make it easier for foreign tourists to pay for train fares. (NHK)