Police in Tokyo say a suspect in a serial murder case told them he gave some of the victims liquor or tranquilizers before attacking them. (NHK)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dined with Ivanka Trump in Tokyo ahead of a visit to Japan by her father, US President Donald Trump, from Sunday. (NHK)

In preparation for U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Japan from Sunday, the Metropolitan Police Department will be on full alert primarily in central Tokyo, deploying about 18,000 officers --- the highest level in 20 years for the protection of a prominent person. (the-japan-news.com)

US President Donald Trump's eldest daughter and presidential advisor Ivanka Trump has called for promoting women's participation in the economy in her speech in Tokyo. (NHK)

Japan is discovering that even the tightest labor market in a generation is no quick spur for higher wages. (Japan Times)

Ivanka Trump, the U.S. president's daughter and senior advisor, arrived in Japan on Thursday for a three-day stay ahead of a visit by her father. (Kyodo)

Air Do, a regional carrier based in Sapporo, said Tuesday that it has decided to cancel a total of 34 flights on two routes in November due to a lack of pilots. (Japan Times)

A man who kept the dismembered bodies of 9 people in his apartment near Tokyo has reportedly told police that 4 of them were girls in their late teens. (NHK)

Chiba Prefectural Police have arrested a boss of an organized crime group over two shootings in Matsudo City in June, reports TV Asahi (tokyoreporter.com)

China's top ride-sharing company, Didi Chuxing, will launch an app-based service in Tokyo next April, partnering with a Japanese taxi company. (NHK)

Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko have welcomed Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in Tokyo. (NHK)

Police in Bangkok on Sunday arrested a Japanese woman for allegedly attempting to smuggle 10 otters to Japan, reports Fuji News Network (tokyoreporter.com)

Investigative sources with the Hyogo Prefectural Police have revealed that the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi organized crime group likely vacated its headquarters in Awaji City on Monday, a move that comes after the issuing of a complaint by citizens, reports TBS News (tokyoreporter.com)

Tokyo police are on increased alert as young people and foreign nationals in Halloween costumes descend on the city's busy Shibuya district. (NHK)

A man arrested in connection with a missing 23-year-old woman is reportedly telling police that he had dismembered the bodies of 9 people in the bathroom of his apartment. (NHK)

The Kobe Municipal Government earlier this year evicted a woman from a municipally run apartment after it received numerous complaints regarding the dozens of cats she kept inside, reports TBS News (tokyoreporter.com)

The leaders of Japan and the Philippines say they will work closely together to address North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. (NHK)

Seiji Maehara, the leader of the opposition Democratic Party, resigned on Monday to take responsibility for the disarray following a failed merger with the fledgling force led by Tokyo Gov Yuriko Koike ahead of the Oct 22 lower house election. (Japan Today)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a male employee at a family restaurant chain who is suspected of stealing the underwear of his female colleagues, reports Nippon News Network (tokyoreporter.com)

A man in custody following the discovery of parts of nine corpses in his apartment in Zama City has told police that he disposed of portions of the bodies in the trash, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Oct. 31). (tokyoreporter.com)

As morning frosts fall on the vast marshlands of Oze National Park, north of Tokyo, final preparations are under way for the quiet winter season. (NHK)

Typhoon Saola was downgraded to an extratropical low-pressure system off northeastern Japan at midnight on Sunday (3 p.m. GMT) after moving off the country's Pacific coast. (NHK)

UNESCO has decided to add historic records of visits by Korean envoys to Japan between the 17th and 19th centuries to its Memory of the World Register. (NHK)

Japan will roll out its No. 1 golfer and a singer known for his viral hit song "PPAP" to entertain President Donald Trump during his upcoming visit, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hoping to keep the mood upbeat during the U.S. leader's official visit. (Kyodo)

Cold wind from the north buffeted many locations across the country, with the first kogarashi wintry blasts of the season observed in central Tokyo and the Kinki region. (the-japan-news.com)