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)

A man accused of attempted murder and arson in a 2021 attack on a Tokyo train while dressed in a Joker's costume admitted Monday to trying to kill a man he stabbed and starting a fire onboard, but his defense team denied the fire was intended to kill other passengers. (Kyodo)

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)

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)

Passengers evacuated a train in central Tokyo on Sunday after a man was spotted carrying a knife. Three people were injured in the rush to get off the train. (NHK)

An overview of the difference between Edo (Tokyo) and Kamigata (Kansai) kabuki, and a look at the meaning of some upcoming performances by some of the main actors from Kamigata: Kataoka Nizaemon, Nakamura Ganjirō IV and Nakamura Senjaku III. (Kabuki In-Depth)

East Japan Railway Co. said Saturday it was temporarily hit by a system failure, with its Mobile Suica app users left unable to charge electric money to their smartphones, while passengers also could not make credit card payments at stations. (Kyodo)

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako have returned from a seven-day visit to Indonesia. (NHK)

Japan's parliament on June 19, 2023, received a long-awaited report showing that around 25,000 people were sterilised under the country's now-defunct eugenics law. (South China Morning Post)

Buoyed by a wave of buying from overseas, including the stamp of approval from legendary investor Warren Buffett, Japan’s economic outlook is brightening, deflationary concerns are dissipating, and the stock market is on a climb that could take it above its all-time record highs. It only took 33 years. (foreignpolicy.com)

Oil has leaked from a state-of-the-art Italian ship docked at Yokosuka Base in Kanagawa Prefecture.

The operator of Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea says it will raise admission fees to the theme parks from October. For the first time ever, the price of a one-day ticket on peak days will exceed 10,000 yen, or about 70 dollars. (NHK)

Japan's health ministry says a woman in her 70s who died last year has been found to be the first case of an infectious disease caused by the Oz virus in the country, and also the first in the world. Hard ticks are believed to be carriers of the virus. (NHK)

Leaders from more than 60 countries are attending the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London. Japan's foreign ministry said its meeting could be held at the end of this year. It aims to renew Tokyo's commitment to rebuilding Ukraine, which is still at war with Russia. (CNA)

An unprecedented number of 18,709 individuals with dementia or suspected dementia was reported missing in Japan during the year 2022, according to the latest police data released on Thursday. (aa.com.tr)

The Japan Boxing Commission has revealed that boxer Kazuto Ioka's urine sample taken on Dec 31 showed traces of cannabis. (Japan Today)

Nintendo (OTCPK:NTDOF) stock has come a good 30% down from its all-time high of $16 in 2021, the year the Switch made record sales. (seekingalpha.com)

Today, we are taking Azusa Limited Express from Matsumoto(Nagano) to Shinjuku(Tokyo) in 2 hours and 40 mins. Just relax and enjoy the unique train travel. (travelgeek)

Netflix's new Japanese comedy-drama series Let's Get Divorced has received a ton of love from fans and is continuing to get favorable reviews from critics. (sportskeeda.com)

Japan has re-opened to overseas tourists, summer is here and the official climbing season for Mount Fuji is about to start, but authorities are urging caution when making an assault on Japan’s highest mountain.

Japan's education ministry plans to implement new guidelines allowing elementary, junior high and high schools limited use of generative artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT, to help formulate ideas to facilitate classroom discussions, among other uses, sources close to the matter said Thursday. (Kyodo)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is set to raise the admission fee in the capital for public bathhouses, known as "sento," starting on July 1, due to soaring costs. (NHK)

Come along with us down the rainbow as we journey through the captivating world of Japanese gay slang! What words should you avoid using when you come to Japan - and more importantly - which ones will help you seal the deal? (Tokyo BTM)

Japanese weather officials are warning of possible heavy rains and extreme heat in western and eastern parts of the country from July through September. (NHK)