In one of his last diary entries, Japanese teacher Yoshio Kudo lamented workdays that started early and could last until nearly midnight. Two months later, he suffered "karoshi" -- death from overwork. (AFP)

Inbound tourism to Japan has begun to recover since the easing of COVID-19 border controls but a shortage of staff has become an increasing problem for the airline industry, as many who left their jobs during the pandemic have not returned. (Japan Times)

Japan's government said Tuesday that three unidentified flying objects spotted over the nation's territory in three years from 2019 are "strongly suspected" to have been Chinese spy balloons. (Japan Today)

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged Wednesday to boost Japan's budget for child-rearing to 4 percent of the country's gross domestic product to tackle the falling birthrate, but he did not elaborate on how to secure the costs. (Kyodo)

A poll carried out by a public junior high school in Kochi City, western Japan, shows that only about 20 percent of third-year students want to take their masks off for their graduation ceremony next month. (NHK)

A team of Japanese and US researchers says releasing too much young fish into rivers disrupts their ecosystems and reduces river fish populations. (NHK)

This Tokyo Ekiben Guide shows what Shinkansen (Bullet Train) bento box to buy when at Tokyo Station for Japan travelers. (SAMURAI JUNJIRO Channel)

A Chinese woman triggered a stir across social media after revealing her purchase of a deserted island in Japan's Okinawa prefecture. (myind.net)

Heidi & Shelley experience what it's like to make and taste authentic matcha green tea from a 1st degree Chado instructor in Tokyo. (GaijinPot)

Japan's government named academic Kazuo Ueda as its pick to become next central bank governor, a surprise choice that could heighten the chance of an end to its unpopular yield control policy. (Reuters)

After more than two years under some of the world’s tightest border controls, Japan is once again open for business. Tourist spots are packed. Hotels are booked out well in advance. And it’s getting harder to get a seat at many of the country’s best restaurants. (nytimes.com)

Shoichiro Toyoda, who as a son of the company’s founder oversaw Toyota’s expansion into international markets has died. He was 97. (AP)

Visitors to Tokyo's Ueno Zoo are bidding farewell to Xiang Xiang the giant panda before she leaves for China in a week's time. (NHK)

I tried eating over 50 plates of sushi at Sushiro - Japan’s top conveyor sushi chain at their flagship Tokyo restaurant. (Abroad in Japan)

The Japanese government is drawing up a bill to create a new immigration category for "quasi-refugees" fleeing conflict, after the war in Ukraine highlighted shortfalls in its current framework. (Nikkei)

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida decided Monday to skip a planned speech in the afternoon after undergoing endoscopic surgery for nasal congestion late last week, a government official said. (Kyodo)

The just-published memoir of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is a treasure trove of diplomatic anecdotes. From a colorful car ride with former U.S. President Donald Trump to psychological chess with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the late leader offers unique insights into the world of diplomacy. (Nikkei)

Japanese weather officials have issued heavy snow warnings for suburban Tokyo and other prefectures. They are warning of more possible disruptions to road traffic and public transport. (NHK)

Japan's Cabinet formally adopted a policy on Friday that will allow for the operation of nuclear reactors beyond their current 60-year limit alongside the building of new units to replace aging ones as part of efforts to cut carbon emissions while ensuring adequate national energy supply. (Nikkei)

Japan has canceled an order for more than 140 million doses of Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine, Takeda revealed in an SEC filing. (endpts.com)

McDonald's Japan has signed an agreement with the government to use more domestic wood. The move is aimed at helping to realize a low-carbon society. (NHK)

The Japanese have had their own instances of unidentified flying objects and surveillance balloons sighted over the country in the past few years, Japan’s Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said Friday. (usni.org)

Food prices will continue to soar in Japan in the first four months this year, with prices on more than 10,000 items set to rise due to high material and logistic costs, according to a recent survey by a credit research company. (Kyodo)

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had sinus surgery at a Tokyo hospital on Saturday to treat chronic sinusitis that has caused him to have a stuffy nose since last year. (NHK)

Just as star players from overseas have improved the quality of Japanese domestic rugby, Japan's League One is hoping to do the same with its refereeing standards by importing top officials from other countries. (Kyodo)