Japan Studio was a special place. While many other games publishers chased profits, Japan Studio had the privilege of being able to make creative decisions with the full backing of Sony. (The Canipa Effect)

TOKYO – Despite a fresh state of emergency over the coronavirus taking effect in Tokyo on Monday, pedestrian traffic in busy areas of the capital did not dramatically decrease from the week before. (Japan Times)

Japanese vending machines dispense everything from pizza to cigarettes and edible insects. Now there are even ones where you can buy Olympics souvenirs. (INQUIRER.net)

東京オリンピック2020が間もなく行われようとしています。世界中の何百万人ものスポーツファンが2週間の祭典に向け準備をしています。 (newsonjapan.com)

The Hiroshima High Court ruled Wednesday that 84 people in Hiroshima are eligible to receive state health care benefits even though they were exposed to radioactive "black rain" following the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing outside an area currently recognized by the government. (Japan Times)

China said Japan was ‘wrong and irresponsible’ to interfere in its internal affairs after Tokyo named Beijing’s increased military activity around Taiwan as its top national security concern in its annual defense review. (Reuters)

Japan's government is planning to cancel its request for liquor vendors to stop supplying bars and restaurants that continue to serve alcohol even under a coronavirus state of emergency or focused restrictions. (NHK)

In an annual Defense Ministry paper adopted on Tuesday by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's Cabinet, Japan's government expressed alarm about China and its growing military assertiveness in the region. (dw.com)

日本語 | Japan Vlog | Vlog15 ( Shojinito Vlogs)

Jill Biden, the first lady, will travel to Japan next week to attend the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, scheduled for July 23, her office said on Tuesday. (nytimes.com)

The International Olympics Committee president, Thomas Bach, mistakenly referred to Japanese people as 'Chinese' during a Tokyo 2020 press conference in Japan. (Guardian News)

DENVER – Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani on Tuesday became the first player in the 88-year history of the All-Star Game to start as both a hitter and pitcher. (Japan Times)

KyoAni proves they’re still one of the best with these breathtaking beautiful commercials. (soranews24.com)

This is a walking tour inside of Tokyo Station, the main railway terminal in Tokyo. It's the busiest station in Japan with over 4,000 trains passing through it every day. (Cory May)

Are you a frontline healthcare worker who has been a victim of violence at your workplace? (newsonjapan.com)

Four electricians from the United States and Britain who came to Japan to work on the Tokyo Olympics have been arrested on suspicion of using cocaine, police said Tuesday. (Japan Today)

Officials from the Japan Fair Trade Commission are investigating the actions of some of the country's biggest energy providers. (NHK)

A Frenchman in Japan who says his children were abducted by their Japanese mother began a hunger strike in Tokyo on Saturday, in a protest he hopes will bring international attention to his fight to be reunited with his family. (Japan Times)

A Tokyo hotel has apologized amid backlash over their decision to delineate elevators with signs indicating “Japanese only” and “foreigners only.” (nypost.com)

Police in Soka, Saitama Prefecture, have arrested a 26-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder after he strangled and stabbed his 26-year-old wife at their apartment on Saturday. (Japan Today)

Three monuments that symbolize the effort to recover after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan have been unveiled ahead of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. (NHK)

The government minister in charge of Japan's coronavirus response says he regrets causing owners of drinking establishments concern with a remark on infection-curbing measures. He said he would not be resigning. (NHK)

Solar power will overtake nuclear power as the cheapest source of energy for Japan in 2030 due to the latter's ballooning safety measure costs following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, a government estimate showed for the first time Monday. (Kyodo)

The state of emergency covering the southern Japanese prefecture of Okinawa has been extended again in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus. (NHK)

As Japan plows ahead with its COVID-19 inoculation program, more vaccine-hesitant employees are voicing concerns over workplace discrimination and maltreatment stemming from their refusal to get jabs. (Japan Times)