Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested four men, including a member of a criminal syndicate, over the alleged abduction of a male executive in Chuo Ward earlier this year, reports Kyodo News (Nov. 11). (tokyoreporter.com)

The coronavirus continues to spread across Japan with Tokyo reporting 317 new cases on Wednesday. This marks the first time since late August that the capital's daily tally has exceeded 300. (NHK)

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato Katsunobu says the government is on the highest alert following the recent nationwide surge in coronavirus infections and is taking steps to curb the spread. (NHK)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 27-year-old man who entered the residence of a high school girl with a stolen key and swiped her underwear, reports Fuji News Network (Nov. 11). (tokyoreporter.com)

Police have arrested a 28-year-old teacher over the alleged sexual abuse of a boy while the suspect lived overseas three years ago, reports TBS News (Nov. 11). (tokyoreporter.com)

Results of a private survey show that pubs and restaurants in Japan are going bankrupt at a record pace because of the coronavirus outbreak. (NHK)

Her career in the pool long behind her, retired swimmer Hanae Ito is looking to nurture future generations of female athletes in Japan by ensuring they know what she did not. (Kyodo)

Shodai suffered his first loss at the November Grand Sumo Tournament on Wednesday and appeared to further aggravate a left ankle injury, leaving his further participation in the 15-day meet in doubt. (Kyodo)

A 23-year-old woman in custody for allegedly burying the body of her newborn at a park in Minato Ward last year has been further accused of murder, police have revealed, reports the Mainichi Shimbun (Nov. 11). (tokyoreporter.com)

A 71-year-old former Hiratsuka City staff member is suspected of defacing dozens of vehicles, police have revealed, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun (Nov. 8). (tokyoreporter.com)

As coronavirus cases surge in a number of places in Japan, most notably Hokkaido in the far north and Tokyo, the government’s task force on the pandemic has warned that more needs to be done to head off a deeper crisis in the coming winter months. (scmp.com)

Japan's tobacco companies have long held on to an unwritten rule: never raise the cost of a pack of cigarettes more than a single coin. (Nikkei)

East Japan Railway Co. said Tuesday it will conduct autonomous test runs of its E7-series shinkansen bullet trains next fall, with the aim of operating such automated trains in the future amid a labor shortage. (Kyodo)

Kanagawa Prefectural Police have arrested a school vice principal for allegedly smearing his own bodily fluid on a girl inside a train, reports Jiji Press (Nov. 9). (tokyoreporter.com)

The number of suicides in Japan rose for a fourth straight month in October. (NHK)

Ozeki Asanoyama withdrew from the ongoing November Grand Sumo Tournament with a deltoid muscle injury to his right shoulder, the Japan Sumo Association said Tuesday. (Kyodo)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 29-year-old elementary school teacher for allegedly engaging in sex with a boy he met online, reports TBS News (Nov. 10). (tokyoreporter.com)

Organizers of the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday began taking online applications for refunds on tickets to the games, which have been postponed until next summer because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. (Kyodo)

Although U.S. President Donald Trump continues to stew over the election’s outcome, the Japanese government is already moving ahead with the conclusion shared by most world leaders: Democratic challenger Joe Biden will be the next leader of the United States. (Japan Times)

Gifu Prefectural Police have arrested a 22-year-old man for intentionally driving his vehicle into a river in Gifu City last week with his girlfriend inside, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun (Nov. 7). (tokyoreporter.com)

Hokkaido confirmed 200 new cases of the novel coronavirus Monday, prefectural government officials said, hitting the 200 threshold for the first time amid a worrying surge in cases in some areas of the country. (Japan Times)

The 33rd Tokyo International Film Festival came to a close Monday, with a screwball romantic comedy by Japanese director Akiko Ohku winning the sole award to be bestowed this year amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Kyodok)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 35-year-old man who is suspected of drugging and raping an intoxicated woman earlier this year, reports Fuji News Network (Nov. 9). (tokyoreporter.com)

A man and a woman jumped to their deaths from an 18-floor apartment building in Tokyo on Sunday night. (Japan Today)

SoftBank Group said Monday its first-half net profit soared 346.7%, sealing a strong recovery after a massive annual loss, as tech stocks rally and the firm sheds assets to shore up its finances. (Japan Times)