The Japanese government has decided to go ahead with the nomination of a site of former gold mines on Sado Island, part of Niigata Prefecture, for UNESCO's World Heritage list, bowing to conservative lawmakers looking for a campaign issue and much to the chagrin of South Koreans who feel emotional wounds from World War II. (Nikkei)

Japanese wheelchair tennis player Kunieda Shingo has won his 11th Australian Open men's singles title. (NHK)

Japan's labor ministry says the number of foreign workers in the country hit a record high of more than 1.72 million at the end of October. (NHK)

A group of young people have rioted outside a police station in Japan's southwestern city of Okinawa. The riot was reportedly sparked by social media posts of an alleged assault by a police officer. (NHK)

Japanese police sources say a 19-year-old college student has admitted to using a smartphone to cheat on a recent standardized university entrance exam. (NHK)

For what appears to be the first time, the acceptance rate for women has exceeded that for men at Japanese medical schools. (Nikkei)

Naoko Muto feels it is just a matter of luck that the day care center she runs hasn’t had any COVID-19 cases despite the rapid spread of the omicron variant. (Japan Times)

The Fair Trade Commission will warn brokerage firms that underpricing initial public offerings on the stock exchange may violate the antimonopoly law, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday. (Japan Times)

Microsoft Corp. threw down the gauntlet last week with its biggest-ever acquisition, agreeing to purchase Activision Blizzard Inc. for a whopping $68.7 billion (Y7.8 trillion) in a deal that could preclude major shakeups in the lucrative video game industry. (Japan Times)

A theme park based around the work of legendary Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli will open on November 1st in Nagakute, Japan, the company’s official Twitter account has announced. (theverge.com)

A Japanese university entrance examinee reportedly sent images of test questions to university students who may have answered them during the exam. (NHK)

Tokyo Haneda Airport has welcomed the ‘Culture Gate to Japan’ project, formed of multiple artists and creators who have created works based on the various aspects of Japanese culture. (internationalairportreview.com)

Police in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, have arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of assaulting a 17-year-old boy who asked him to stop smoking on a train. (Japan Today)

The maker of Japan’s Umaibo corn puff is raising prices for the first time, in a shock for fans of the “miracle” snack beloved for decades for its crunch and Y10 ($0.09) price tag. (Japan Times)

Shirakawa-go(白川郷) lies in the mountain area in Gifu, and it's recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1995. (Kuga's Travel)

A Japanese high court Tuesday ordered 3.3 million yen (nearly $29,000) in damages to a female reporter in a high-profile rape case that sparked the #MeToo movement in the country. (laprensalatina.com)

The rapid rise in omicron cases has prompted moves to concentrate medical resources on severely ill patients, amid worries that the health care system will once again be put under dire strain. (Japan Times)

Japan is set to miss a target to give COVID-19 booster shots to almost 15 million people this month after the fast spread of the omicron variant threw initial rollout plans into disarray. (Japan Times)

As Japan continues to impose strict entry restrictions, foreigners who have prepared to work there are being left outside ever longer, patiently waiting without losing hope, though frustrations over Tokyo's border controls are growing. (Nikkei)

It’s not every day that you find a castle on stilts, let alone one on top of a rock on top of a mountain. (OshareJapan)

Rinko Amaki (Takada Kaho) is a successful 27-year-old woman who works at a busy wedding planning agency. (Viki Global TV)

Bugs have long been consumed in Japan, but now the market is growing. Company owners say this is down to the numerous nutritional and environmental benefits of this novel form of protein. (dw.com)

The program, Official Development Assistance (ODA), was implemented in December 1979 and has played a major role in China’s economic growth. (China Reports - The BL)

Japan's largest business lobby on Monday called on the government to lift the entry ban on nonresident foreigners aimed at keeping the Omicron variant of the coronavirus at bay and preventing its spread now that domestic infections are mostly being caused by the highly transmissible strain. (Kyodo)

A record 327 day-care centers have temporarily shut down in Japan as the coronavirus resurgence grips the country, the health ministry said Monday, causing a headache for working parents. (Kyodo)