Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Wednesday he was able to "tee off to a good start" as he played his first round of golf in 2019. (Japan Today)

Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko have given their last New Year greetings to members of the public before his scheduled abdication in April. (NHK)

In Tokyo, members of the Imperial family and state dignitaries have presented their New Year's greetings to Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. (NHK)

A car plowed into pedestrians on a crowded street in Tokyo on New Year's Day. Police say eight people were injured and rushed to hospital. One is reportedly in a coma. (NHK)

A duck with a metal arrow protruding from its back has been seen twice over the last few days in a pond in Tokyo’s Suginami Ward. (Japan Today)

People in Japan have rung in the New Year with celebrations across the country. In Japan, 2019 is a special year, as Crown Prince Naruhito will ascend the throne in May. That will mark the start of a new era and the end of the current one, which is called "Heisei." (NHK)

Thousands stranded for hours during Japan’s peak holiday travel period. (soranews24.com)

A Tokyo court on Monday approved prosecutors' request to extend the detention of former Nissan Motor Co Chairman Carlos Ghosn until Jan. 11 due to the latest allegation of financial misconduct. (Japan Today)

If partying all night is your idea of fun, then one of the most exciting ways to welcome the new year in Japan is to join the massive countdown event held at the Shibuya Scramble Crossing in Tokyo. (soranews24.com)

Japan's roads, railways and airports are packed on Saturday as people return to their hometowns or head elsewhere for the holidays. (NHK)

The benchmark Nikkei average snapped a six-year winning streak Friday to end 2018 down more than 12 percent after being pressured by selling following a spike the previous day. (Japan Times)

Kanagawa Prefectural Police have arrested a 43-year-old man after more than 120 marijuana plants were found in a residence in Yokosuka City, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Dec. 27). (tokyoreporter.com)

Police were called out to deal with traffic congestion and noise disturbance in the early hours of Thursday after a huge crowd gathered to watch a popular entertainment TV program being filmed at an amusement park in Tokyo. (Japan Today)

Five-year prison terms were sought Wednesday for three former executives of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. for their alleged failure to prevent the Fukushima nuclear disaster triggered by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. (Japan Times)

A total of seven women have come forward to claim that they were sexually abused by famous photojournalist Ryuichi Hirokawa, a weekly tabloid reports in its latest issue. (tokyoreporter.com)

The Japanese government officially announced on Wednesday to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission, a move that drew criticism from a global community worried about depleted whale populations. (Nikkei)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested an intoxicated 36-year-old man over the alleged theft of a wallet from a woman in Toshima Ward on Tuesday, reports Fuji News Network (tokyoreporter.com)

A close aide to former Nissan Motor Chairman Carlos Ghosn has been released from detention. Greg Kelly posted bail of about 635,000 dollars. (NHK)

Japan Airlines Co. said Tuesday an internal probe has concluded that a female flight attendant who tested positive for alcohol last week consumed alcohol while on duty. (Kyodo)

Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei Average plummeted more than 1,000 points. The index finished below the key 20,000-mark for the first time since September 2017. (NHK)

Nearly 83,000 people visited the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo on Sunday to celebrate Emperor Akihito's 85th birthday. (NHK)

Sources say former Nissan Motor chairman Carlos Ghosn deceived the board of directors to obtain their approval for transferring the latent losses from his personal currency trading to the automaker. (NHK)

Two men have been arrested over the alleged cultivation of marijuana after nearly 400 plants were seized from residences in the metropolis, reports TV Asahi (tokyoreporter.com)

To prepare for the upcoming New Year’s countdown event, Shibuya Ward in Tokyo is asking convenience stores to refrain from selling alcoholic drinks in glass bottles from 9 p.m. on Dec 31 until 6 a.m. on Jan 1. (Japan Today)

Japanese prosecutors re-arrested Nissan Motor Co Ltd's ousted chairman Carlos Ghosn on Friday on fresh allegations of making Nissan shoulder 1.85 billion yen in personal investment losses, dashing chances he would be released on bail imminently. (Japan Today)