The head of a school that teaches the art of picking up women and a former student have been arrested on suspicion of rape, the fourth such case to emerge since an investigation began earlier this year, reports the Sankei Shimbun (tokyoreporter.com)

Scandal-hit KYB Corp. on Friday disclosed the names of 70 government and municipal office buildings that used, or are suspected of having used, substandard earthquake shock absorbers in their construction. (Japan Times)

Around 70 Japanese lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties visited the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo during its annual autumn festival Thursday, a day after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering to the shrine. (Japan Times)

Investors who collectively placed approximately 100,000 failed share trades may seek compensation after a systems glitch at the Tokyo Stock Exchange last week left some 40 brokerages temporarily unable to place orders, sources said Thursday. (Japan Times)

Yokozuna Hakuho underwent successful endoscopic surgery on his right knee at a hospital in Tokyo on Thursday, sources close to his Miyagino stable said. (Japan Times)

Thursday marks a week since Tokyo's new wholesale food market opened at Toyosu. The new market was initially beset by traffic jams, but wholesalers and buyers are gradually learning how to get around. (NHK)

Tokyo's Shibuya Ward is asking people not to disturb others when celebrating Halloween. (NHK)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed Wednesday to step up their countries' cooperation in promoting stability in the Indo-Pacific region where China has been increasing its influence. (Kyodo)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a teenage boy who seriously injured a male acquaintance by striking him with a metal baseball bat in Kita Ward earlier this year, reports TV Asahi (tokyoreporter.com)

The landmark Tokyo Skytree tower, facilities for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games and more government offices are among the nearly 1,000 buildings using earthquake shock absorbers produced by KYB Corp, which admitted cheating quality inspection data for more than a decade, officials said Wednesday. (Japan Today)

Preferred Networks Inc., a Japanese venture specializing in artificial intelligence, unveiled on Tuesday a fully autonomous tidying-up robot for home use. (Kyodo)

Kanagawa Prefectural Police have arrested a popular male Keio University student over the alleged rape of an intoxicated woman in Yokohama last month, reports the Sankei Shimbun (tokyoreporter.com)

A raccoon spotted in a busy entertainment district has drawn huge attention from passing pedestrians in central Tokyo. (NHK)

Gunma Prefecture says its helicopter that crashed in August is suspected to have been flying in violation of civil aviation laws. (NHK)

A Tokyo court has begun questioning 3 former executives of Tokyo Electric Power Company about their involvement in the 2011 nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. (NHK)

An unmanned store using artificial intelligence instead of cashiers is set to open on a trial basis at a station in Tokyo. (NHK)

The government will announce an ambitious plan aimed at cutting disposable plastic waste by 25 percent over the next decade while promoting environmentally friendly bioplastics made from plants, sources said Saturday. (Japan Times)

The government will introduce an electronic system for tourist visa applications in April 2020 in an effort to help achieve its goal of 60 million foreign visitors a year by 2030, government sources said Sunday. (Japan Times)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a male doctor who has been accused of using a so-called “JK business” for an illicit encounter with a teenage girl earlier this year, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Oct. 11). (tokyoreporter.com)

In one of the most shocking scandals to hit Tokyo’s 149-year-old war-linked Yasukuni Shrine, the shrine’s top priest has been forced to resign after admitting his reported remarks harshly criticizing Emperor Akihito were genuine. (Japan Times)

The organizing committee of the 2020 Tokyo Games announced the routes for the Olympic individual time trial and Paralympic road race on Wednesday, finalizing the courses for all cycling events taking place in two years’ time. (Japan Times)

Following the discovery of several body parts belonging to a woman on beaches since late last month, Chiba Prefectural Police have announced that a foot was found floating at sea in the same general area on Monday, reports NHK. (tokyoreporter.com)

The operator of the Tokyo Stock Exchange says trading was partially disrupted due to system trouble on Tuesday but was expected to return to normal on Wednesday. (NHK)

An executive of Fukushima Television Broadcasting Co. has been accused of paying a teenage girl for sex earlier this year, reports Nikkan Sports. (tokyoreporter.com)

More tourists in Kyoto and Tokyo are sightseeing early in the morning, although many venues are not yet ready to handle the new trend. (Japan Times)