The departure of the first ferry from the Fukuoka prefecture, Japan, to Busan, South Korea, marked the resumption of Japan’s international maritime passenger transportation, suspended in 2020 as a preventive measure against Covid-19, local sources reported. (plenglish.com)

A Japanese Kabuki star who recently assumed a prestigious stage name said Friday he wants to preserve the traditional art while adopting a new approach, including by collaborating with artists from other genres around the world as he seeks to attract younger audiences. (citynews.ca)

9th Dan player Amahiko Sato's shogi match against Takuya Nagase, who is a four-time undefeated Oza (“Throne”) title holder, started with both players were wearing face masks. (Japan Today)

A two-year-old boy fell to his death from the 25th floor of an apartment building in Chiba city on Wednesday. (Japan Today)

The Roman architect Lucius is transported through time to modern-day Japan, where he learns about Japanese bathhouses and uses this to his gain back home. (Anime Explained)

Honda Motor says it is developing an AI self-driving system that uses cameras to help the vehicle better recognize its surroundings. This is the company's latest step toward putting autonomous driving technology into commercial use. (NHK)

North Korea fired at least 23 missiles on Wednesday. It is extremely rare for the country to launch more than 20 missiles in a single day. (NHK)

North Korea launched several ballistic missiles on Thursday morning. Officials from Japan's Defense Ministry say one may have been an intercontinental ballistic missile. They are trying to determine the latest details. (NHK)

North Korea fired multiple missiles on Thursday, including a possible failed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), prompting the United States and South Korea to extend air drills that have drawn Pyongyang's ire. (Reuters)

Hideaki Takizawa, a former member of J-pop idol duo Tackey & Tsubasa who starred in NHK's yearlong historical drama series in 2005, has resigned from Johnny & Associates Inc., one of Japan's most powerful talent agencies, an agency official said Tuesday. (Kyodo)

Japan on Tuesday announced that it will ask businesses and households to conserve energy "as much as possible" during the winter. (WION)

Fans of Studio Ghibli have yet another reason to travel to Japan. A new theme park dedicated to the popular animation company's productions is finally open in Aichi prefecture, less than an hour from Kyoto by train. (CNN)

Japan's national soccer team has announced its 26 players for the 2022 World Cup opening this month in Qatar. (NHK)

As a long-awaited step in a nation lacking marriage equality, Tokyo on Tuesday started awarding partnership certificates to same-sex couples who reside and work in the city. (WION)

A survey conducted by a private research firm indicates that the prices of more than 800 food and beverage items will go up in Japan in November. (NHK)

Japan's largest power utility is considering hiking regulated electricity rates for households. ()

There are several tea-producing regions in Japan, and Saitama Prefecture, which produces Sayama tea, is the economic northern limit of green tea production. (WAO RYU!ONLY in JAPAN)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has started cracking down on cyclists violating traffic laws due to a series of fatal accidents from reckless bicycling. (Japan Today)

Fuku-Chan and Daikichi are two rescue cats who were found in a park. Fuku-Chan is blind, but they love going on adventures with their parents. (Cuddle Buddies)

Japan is looking 6,000 meters under the sea for rare earths to counter China’s dominance of the critical minerals that are used in everything from smartphones to weapons, according to the Yomiuri newspaper. (mining.com)

The number of syphilis cases in Japan this year has exceeded 10,000 for the first time since comparable data became available in 1999. (NHK)

The Japanese government has decided to remain involved in the formerly Exxon-led Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project in Russia, Nikkei has learned, as it seeks a stable supply of energy despite international sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine. (Nikkei)

Rising sea temperatures are threatening Japanese fish species used to make sushi. Is Japanese seafood at risk due to climate change? (WION)

The familiar sight of the iconic vermilion Otorii gate at Itsukushima Shrine in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, has returned after three years of renovation nears completion. (The Nation)

Now Japan's border is open for foreign tourists and we are gradually getting back to our normal life so I decided to go and enjoy Halloween in Shibuya in my cosplay! (with me JAPAN)