A Japanese karate official will quit after being accused of bullying a champion set to compete at the Tokyo Olympics, he has told a local newspaper. (yahoo.com)

Japan's western prefecture of Osaka has declared a medical "red alert," and reported a record 878 new cases of coronavirus infections on Wednesday. Osaka's daily cases have topped Tokyo's for more than a week. (NHK)

Japan’s western region of Osaka will hold the Olympic torch relay in a park without spectators instead of on public roads, as record coronavirus infections prompted its government to declare a medical emergency on Wednesday. (Reuters)

Martial arts performer Koshiro Minamoto’s hope to introduce Bugaku, or warrior dance, to foreign visitors during the Tokyo Olympics faded after Japan decided to ban overseas spectators to prevent Covid-19 spread. (South China Morning Post)

In this first episode we travel to Kanayama near Hidatakayama to explore the boulders that are created in unique formations, which makes for a climbing experience like no other. (EpicTV)

Pixar’s hit franchise serves as the inspiration for a new class of Tokyo Disney Resort accommodations. (soranews24.com)

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested an employee at a transportation company at Haneda Airport who is suspected of stealing breathing masks from women, reports TBS News (April 8). (tokyoreporter.com)

Osaka and two other prefectures in Japan are tightening coronavirus measures to curb a spike in new cases. (NHK)

The Japanese government on Tuesday rushed to gather information about the announcement by North Korea that it will skip this summer's Tokyo Olympics in order to protect its athletes from the novel coronavirus. (Japan Times)

Organizers of the Tokyo Olympic torch relay in Osaka Prefecture have called for holding the event in the capital city of Osaka at alternative sites amid a rise in the number of coronavirus cases. (NHK)

Prefectural government officials in Osaka, western Japan, reported 719 new cases of the coronavirus on Tuesday. That is the highest number ever recorded in the prefecture. (NHK)

Shin Okubo has many hidden spots for delicious food. ()

Osaka Prefecture says a record 666 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed on Saturday. (NHK)

High school and university students in Japan have started a weekly walkout from school to call for action to address climate change. (NHK)

Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has used his official Twitter account to call on the country's young people to observe anti-coronavirus measures. (NHK)

All Nippon Airways looks to sate the curiosity of those who wish to dine in the first-class cabin, debuting a service that raises revenue even while the planes remain grounded during the coronavirus pandemic. (Nikkei)

Foreign tourists in Japan spent 744.6 billion yen ($6.7 billion) in 2020, the lowest since the survey began in 2010, as the coronavirus pandemic has led to restrictions on entry into the country, a government estimate showed Wednesday. (Kyodo)

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics, postponed due to Covid-19, will finally open on July 23 – with the Paralympics following from August 24 – although the organising committee has decided there will be no foreign fans and volunteers. (South China Morning Post)

International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva said Tuesday that Japan's economic recovery will not be derailed by staging the Tokyo Games without overseas spectators, while hailing the country's "strong response" to mitigate the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic through timely stimulus packages. (Japan Times)

Japan ranked 120th among 156 countries in the gender gap rankings in 2021, remaining in last place among major advanced economies, a Swiss-based think tank said Wednesday. (Japan Today)

A surge of COVID-19 cases in Osaka raises fears that the eastern Japanese metropolis, having emerged from a state of emergency a month ago, is entering a fresh wave of infections that could become the worst yet, its governor said on Wednesday. (Japan Today)

Sumo wrestler Terunofuji is set to reclaim his title of ozeki, the second-highest rank in the traditional Japanese sport. (NHK)

Officials are considering tougher measures in the western prefecture of Osaka, which reported the most daily cases anywhere in the country on Tuesday. (NHK)

All Nippon Airways Co on Monday conducted Japan's first trial of the "CommonPass" app indicating a traveler's COVID-19 status at Tokyo's Haneda airport as part of efforts by the global travel industry to make cross-border travel easier and safer. (Japan Today)

TOKYO (TR) – A person apprehended for possessing or using an illegal drug in the capital may tell arresting officers that they got the contraband in question “from a foreigner.” (tokyoreporter.com)