Tokyo's Keisen Jogakuen has announced that it will stop recruiting undergraduate and graduate students from 2024 onwards. (NOJ / TV Asahi)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has begun urging cyclists to wear helmets before a helmet-wearing mandate goes into effect nationwide on April 1. (Japan Today)

Cherry blossoms were in full bloom on Wednesday in central Tokyo, matching 2013, 2020 and 2021 to become the second-earliest day in the year for the seasonal phenomena to occur since records began, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. (Kyodo)

The Japan Meteorological Agency has raised the volcanic alert for Mount Asama from Level 1 to 2, warning people to refrain from approaching its crater. (NHK)

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida began a surprise visit to Ukraine early Tuesday, hours after Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in neighboring Russia for a three-day visit. (euronews)

Fashion model Jessica Michibata and a male friend have been arrested at a hotel in Tokyo on suspicion of possessing the synthetic drug MDMA, police said. (Japan Today)

Japan’s marquee international festivals are heralding a return to form with lineups featuring some of the world’s biggest stars. (iq-mag.net)

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday announced a new plan to promote an open and free Indo-Pacific, promising billions of dollars in investment to help economies across the region in everything from industry to disaster prevention. (Reuters)

It sounds completely crazy, but in Japan it is actually legal to kidnap children. (60 Minutes Australia)

People in Tokyo are remembering the victims of the deadly sarin gas attack on the city's subway system nearly three decades ago. (NHK)

The Yoshino cherry trees in Tokyo are likely to reach their peak soon with the Japan Meteorological Agency expected to report the flowers are in full bloom as early as Monday afternoon. (TV Asahi News / NOJ)

Tokyo residents are being told to prepare for X Day. That’s the day when a potential massive earthquake could strike the city. (SBS)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in Tokyo for a trip aimed at strengthening economic ties with Japan. Scholz has been meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The pair have been discussing ways to strengthen economic security and reduce dependence on Chinese raw materials. (DW News)

People are enjoying cherry blossom viewing parties at Ueno Park for the first time in four years. (TV Asahi News / NOJ)

The Bank of Japan's paper loss on Japanese government bond holdings grew more than 10 times at the end of last year from three months earlier as rises in long-term rates undercut the value of the assets. (Nikkei)

The Japanese government has set a target of having 400,000 foreign students studying in the country by 2033, hoping to encourage them to work in the country after they graduate. (Nikkei)

Retired Japanese wheelchair tennis star Kunieda Shingo has received the People's Honor Award. (NHK)

Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has laid out his vision to reverse Japan's plummeting birth rate, a key pillar of which is boosting parental leave benefits. (NHK)

A day in the life of a Japanese Kinako Roasted Soybean Powder Maker in Tokyo Japan. (Paolo fromTOKYO)

10 places to visit around Mount Fuji to inspire you for your future trip to Japan. ( japan-guide.com)

Train riders from Tokyo to Osaka are set to see fares go up as railways spend on accessibility improvements and try to offset a drop in travel. (Nikkei)

Tourists have been flocking to the Heckeln coffee shop in Tokyo to see its owner Shizuo Mori dislodge caramel sauce puddings from their tins. (South China Morning Post)

Japan and South Korea announced relaxed trade controls and a return of frequent reciprocal visits on Thursday, as President Yoon Suk Yeol visits Tokyo on a trip intended to rebuild ties between the regional neighbors. (manilatimes.net)

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol enjoyed dinner at two restaurants after their summit and news conference Thursday, deepening their relationship in a more informal setting. (Nikkei)

Japan has advanced to the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic tournament with a 9-3 win over Italy. (NHK)