A lone daikon radish has been attracting attention from locals after it was recently discovered growing by the foot of a busy pedestrian overpass in the heart of the metropolis of Osaka in western Japan. (Kyodo)

Japan and China have basically agreed to resume business travel between the two countries as early as mid-November, a government source said Friday, in a step to revive Asia's two key, interdependent economies hit by the coronavirus pandemic. (Kyodo)

Victims of sexual violence in Japan contacted support centers for help on more than 23,000 occasions between April and September, up 15.5 percent from a year earlier, partly due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, a Cabinet minister said Friday. (Kyodo)

Special signboards with the names of the Kabuki actors starring in yearend performances at Kyoto's Minamiza Theater are being created at a temple in the western Japanese city. (NHK)

The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra performed Thursday in southwestern Japan as part of its first tour outside Austria in over six months due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. (Kyodo)

Japanese midfielder Masaya Okugawa struck his maiden UEFA Champions League goal Tuesday for Red Bull Salzburg in their 6-2 loss to title holders Bayern Munich. (Kyodo)

Katsuyuki Mori, a former member of superstar pop idol group SMAP, won the national championship Tuesday in auto race, a Japanese version of motorcycle speedway which allows gambling on races. (Kyodo)

Experiments on mice that were taken to the International Space Station have shown an internal protein has the potential to help slow the aging process, according to a joint study by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Tohoku University. (Kyodo)

Camping in Japan has gained newfound appeal amid the coronavirus pandemic as an outdoor activity that a wide range of generations can enjoy while maintaining social distancing. (Kyodo)

Halloween celebrations in Tokyo's Shibuya district and elsewhere in Japan were subdued Saturday night with smaller crowds than in past years, as local authorities called for people to stay home and watch online events to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. (Kyodo)

The capacity of novel coronavirus testing in Tokyo will be increased to about 65,000 per day by early December, Gov. Yuriko Koike said Friday. (Kyodo)

Hawaii Gov. David Ige said Tuesday travelers from Japan will be exempted from the U.S. state's mandatory 14-day quarantine, starting Nov. 6, if they test negative for the novel coronavirus at designated hospitals within 72 hours prior to arrival. (Kyodo)

The Japan International Cooperation Agency said Wednesday it will launch an organization next month to provide comprehensive support for foreign workers in Japan to improve their working and living environments. (Kyodo)

Nature lovers on Tuesday morning took in the brilliant red foliage reflected in Tsutanuma pond, a famed spot to view fall colors in the northeastern Japan prefecture of Aomori, under restricted conditions to prevent crowds amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Kyodo)

The complete renovation of Kansai International Airport in western Japan will be delayed by more than a year but the facility is still on track to expand its annual passenger capacity by over 30 percent to around 44 million a year in time for the 2025 Osaka Exposition, the airport operator said Monday. (Kyodo)

A Japanese YouTuber and two men were referred to prosecutors on Monday for allegedly placing a mattress on the sidewalk in front of the busy Shibuya scramble crossing in central Tokyo as part of a prank video, investigative sources said. (Kyodo)

Top-favorite Contrail became Japanese racing's third undefeated triple crown winner Sunday, following in the footsteps of his sire, Deep Impact, by capturing the 81st running of the Kikka-sho, the last of the season's classic races. (Kyodo)

A ceremony was held on Saturday to mark the completion of the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, which will host swimming competitions in next year's Olympic and Paralympic Games. (NHK)

Japan Airlines Co. began offering discounted coronavirus tests to travelers Friday after teaming up with a medical institution in Tokyo, in a bid to ease concerns about infections and encourage customers to travel amid the pandemic. (Kyodo)

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. is considering sharply scaling back its staff and budget for developing the first domestically manufactured passenger jet, effectively freezing the operation amid a slump in demand caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic, sources close to the matter said Thursday. (Kyodo)

East Japan Railway Co. said Wednesday it will bring forward last train departure times on 17 lines in the Tokyo metropolitan area by up to some 40 minutes from next spring, as late-night passengers continue to decline amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Kyodo)

The Japanese government's "Go To Travel" subsidy campaign covered 25.18 million domestic overnight stays for about two months since its launch through the end of September, the tourist ministry's preliminary figures showed Tuesday. (Kyodo)

Under normal circumstances at this time of year, hundreds of companies would bring to life the Makuhari Messe venue in the city of Chiba with cutting-edge products from robots to cars and AI to internet-connected devices, for the annual event known as CEATEC (Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies). (Japan Times)

Former Empress Michiko turned 86 on Tuesday, marking her birthday amid the coronavirus pandemic that has caused her to spend the majority of her time quietly at her residence in Tokyo. (Kyodo)

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Monday affirmed defense and economic cooperation between their countries, as China's growing influence continues to make its neighbors jittery. (Kyodo)