The English Language Proficiency Test, known as "Eiken," will be introducing of a new level for the first time in 31 years, with the aim of implementing it from 2025.

An NHK program with a 65-year history has been certified by Guinness World Records as the longest-running TV cooking show. (NHK)

A strong US dollar, thanks to recent jumps in American interest rates, has raised the spending power of Americans abroad. US tourists have been flocking to traditionally expensive countries like Japan, keen to take advantage of the weak Japanese yen. (South China Morning Post)

This is a Jurassic Park Hotel, in the middle of Japan. Pretty weird, right? Well, it's got nothing on this bizarre, candy, princess hotel. And I'm going to be staying at both of these weird places and more to prove this one point: I am not weird! (Mrs Eats)

Fast sideways drifting and truly Japanese tuning - this is Japanese Drift Master! The new trailer has arrived, so sit back and let's go to the place where drifting was born. (Japanese Drift Master)

Japan's real wages fell in August for the 17th straight month as inflation continued to outpace pay gains. (NHK)

Sources say the northern Japanese city of Sapporo has decided to give up its bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. They say instead, the city intends to aim to host the Games in 2034 or later. (NHK)

The mayor of Tokyo's busy Shibuya Ward has asked foreign tourists to avoid taking part in Halloween festivities in the streets near Shibuya station. Hasebe Ken said he wants to avoid overcrowding and other raucous activities, after last year's deadly Halloween crowd crush in South Korea. (NHK)

The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has begun its second round of the release of treated and diluted water from the crippled plant into the sea. (NHK)

MUMBAI -- Uniqlo's first store in Mumbai is opening Friday as the clothing brand, operated by Japan's Fast Retailing, expands its footprint in India. (Nikkei)

Geishas in Japan have an enigmatic charm about them. They are so revered that a teacher of the art was once declared a “living national treasure” in the country. (South China Morning Post)

A 48-year-old voice actor known for dubbing movies such as "RoboCop" was arrested for allegedly snatching a bag from an elderly woman in her 80s at Haneda Airport and injuring a man in his 60s who was chasing him.

A self-employed delivery driver for the Japanese unit of Amazon.com Inc. has been deemed eligible for workers' compensation after he was injured on the job, a labor union said Wednesday. (Kyodo)

Come 2024, Billy Joel will be in a Tokyo state of mind. The Piano Man has announced a new concert that’s scheduled for January 24 at the Tokyo Dome in the Japanese capital. (americansongwriter.com)

Autumn foliage is drawing visitors to Hokkaido's 2,291-meter Mount Asahidake in the Taisetsusan mountain range, the highest peak in Japan's northernmost prefecture. (NHK)

South Korean analysts and experts have taken note of Japan’s ambitious endeavors in the crypto and Web3 space, with some speculating that it might become a “crypto and Web3 El Dorado.” (ambcrypto.com)

Production of rice in Japan is expected to dip to 7.3 million tonnes in marketing year 2023-24, down from 7.48 million the previous year, as extremely high temperatures and little rain are expected to lower yield and quality, according to a Global Agricultural Information Network report from the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the US Department of Agriculture. (world-grain.com)

The iconic headquarters sign that symbolized Johnny & Associates is now being removed ahead of the company's name change scheduled for Oct 17.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has announced a plan aimed at diverting a significant portion of its massive savings towards sustainable investment vehicles. (fintech.global)

A man in his 50s has died after being stung while attempting to remove hornets in Tateyama City, Chiba Prefecture.

Mount Fuji sported its first snowcap of the season on Thursday, five days later than last year and three days later than an average year, a local weather agency said. (Japan Today)

Softacom CEO predicted that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) would be realized within the next decade. (coinspeaker.com)

After weathering decades of deflation and stagnant growth, Japan is seeing an investment boom that has made apartments in central Tokyo unaffordable for young Japanese professionals. (Japan Times)

In response to an increasing number of "standing prostitutes" around Okubo Park in Tokyo's Kabukicho district, 35 women have been arrested in a police crackdown.

Pressure has been mounting on Japan’s government to legalise same-sex unions after a court ruled earlier this year that a ban on them was unconstitutional. (BBC News)