A growing number of people in the administration of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Japan's ruling party believe it will be necessary to extend the state of emergency for parts of the country continuing to see a high number of coronavirus cases, sources familiar with the matter said Tuesday. (Japan Times)

One afternoon at an elementary school on the outskirts of Cairo, first-grade Egyptian students were busy wiping their desks clean and sweeping the floor with brooms under the supervision of teaching staff. (Japan Times)

Japan is gearing up to produce AstraZeneca COVID shots as it grows desperate to secure enough vaccine for its population of 126 million amid global supply constraints, Nikkei has learned. (Nikkei)

For centuries, hemp was grown across Japan and used in cuisine, clothing and traditional rites. It suffered an image problem during the post-war years and has not fully recovered. (dw.com)

Local governments in Japan are rushing to prepare for the vaccination of residents against the novel coronavirus. (Japan Times)

Nissan Motor is set to make all of its new vehicles launched in key markets electrified by the early 2030s, the Japanese carmaker announced Wednesday, as it seeks to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 amid increasing pressure from investors and other stakeholders for a strong environmental focus. (Nikkei)

The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday recommended athletes and officials receive coronavirus vaccinations before traveling for the postponed Tokyo Games, emphasizing the need to protect the health and safety of people in Japan. (Kyodo)

The stone wall of a castle in Osaka that was built by feudal warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi has been revealed after being hidden underground for some 400 years. (Japan Times)

A 20-year-old man received juvenile sentences on Monday for raping and attempting to rape four teenage girls, in a case that has reignited debate over the age of criminal liability in Japan. (VICE News)

The Tokyo metropolitan government on Wednesday reported 973 new cases of the coronavirus, down 53 from Tuesday. (Japan Today)

Prosecutors have announced the non-prosecution of track and field star Sota Kawatsura over the alleged rape of a female acquaintance in Ota Ward last year, reports TBS News (tokyoreporter.com)

Tickets for COVID-19 vaccinations will be sent to people age 65 or older in Japan from mid-March, according to the health ministry's vaccination schedule. (Japan Times)

As of now there are lots of clinic and medical facilities here in Japan offering a coronavirus test. Some are very affordable and some are still expensive. (Malago Forum)

The major Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways says it will suspend services on 16 international routes from late March, as demand falls amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (NHK)

India has honoured former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe with Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award of the country. (WION)

Take a trip back in time and trace the paths of past travelers in the post towns and sacred spaces found in the majestic mountains of the Japanese countryside. (NHK)

Japan will hold a coronavirus vaccination simulation in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Wednesday, the minister in charge of vaccination efforts said. (Japan Times)

Japan will require researchers applying to grant programs to declare if they have received financial support from other countries in a bid to ensure transparency and protect intellectual property, officials said Monday. (Kyodo)

Lawmakers in Japan have begun debating proposals to toughen up COVID-19 regulations. That includes controversial revisions allowing authorities to levy fines against rulebreakers. (NHK)

A familiar Japanese idiom goes nakitsura ni hachi (a bee stinging a crying face). In other words adding insult to injury, or to make matters worse. (Japan Today)

The season's first ice floes have reached the Okhotsk Sea coast of Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido. (NHK)

A new -- and large -- kind of deep-sea fish found off central Japan has been named "yokozuna iwashi," in reference to the highest rank in sumo wrestling. (NHK)

Japan, never one to do anything by halves, announced an ambitions quest in 2016 to increase tourism by a mammoth 67% in the proceeding five years. (newsonjapan.com)

Currently, anyone in Japan is free to dress as their favorite characters. But it might not stay free for them to do so. (kotaku.com)

Toyota Motor is on track to produce about 8.25 million vehicles worldwide for the year ending in March, largely sticking to its previous forecast even though a global semiconductor shortage has disrupted the auto industry in recent weeks, Nikkei learned Monday. (Nikkei)