Five people were found dead in a minivan in Yuzawa, Niigata Prefecture, on Tuesday, in what police believe was a joint suicide. (Japan Today)

Japan's banking system remains broadly stable but financial institutions could face risks including from a possible increase in credit costs caused by a delay in the economic recovery, the Bank of Japan (BOJ) said in a report on Thursday. (Reuters)

It has come to light that Japanese labor authorities this year recognized the suicide of a Toyota Motor dealership salesperson as the result of harassment by his superior. (NHK)

The Japanese city of Odawara, in Kanagawa prefecture, was once home to one of the country’s largest ninja clans, the Fuma. (South China Morning Post)

The Play! Museum in the Japanese city of Tachikawa has built a playground made entirely of recycled plastic, using mainly bubble wrap. (South China Morning Post)

The Brave Blossoms have an opportunity to audition for a place in the Rugby Championship when they host Australia for just the second time on Saturday (theguardian.com)

Japanese companies are stampeding to show off decarbonization plans at a flagship annual tech trade show, in a sign of growing pressure on them to take global warming seriously. With the 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties, or COP26, coming up at the end of this month, the latest technologies are growing in appeal. (Nikkei)

Consumer affairs officials in Japan are calling on parents to exercise caution following the death of a 10-month-old baby who suffocated on a bite-sized piece of bread. (NHK)

Another intriguing and lucrative use case exploring the potential of deepfake technology: dicks, unblurred. (gizmodo.com)

Japan's Empress Emerita Michiko turned 87 years old on Wednesday. (NHK)

A volcano erupted blasting ash two miles into the sky on Wednedsay on Japan's main southern island of Kyushu (Guardian News)

Candidates in their 20s and 30s make up 9.4% and women less than 20% of those running in Japan's lower house election on Oct. 31, highlighting the country's continued struggles with incorporating new and more diverse viewpoints into its politics. (Nikkei)

Japan’s lack of a vaccination passport and limited testing capacity is threatening ambitions to reopen the economy at a crucial year-end period when restaurants earn up to a half of their annual revenue and travel agencies are at their busiest. (Reuters)

Police in Tokyo have arrested a 42-year-old unemployed man on suspicion of sexually molesting a 13-year-old junior high school girl for about 30 minutes in a library. (Japan Today)

Yahoo Japan says it has begun using AI to assess posts on online news articles from users and shut down the comment function in cases where there are defamatory, offensive, or irrelevant postings. (NHK)

This week we are in Encino, California touring a newly constructed Japanese inspired modern farmhouse with one of the most opulent primary bedroom suites we have ever toured on the channel! (Enes Yilmazer)

Daily new COVID-19 cases have plummeted in Japan and the mood is celebratory, despite a general bafflement over what, exactly, is behind the sharp drop. (Oct. 18) (Associated Press)

In a school gymnastic festival, boys and girls demonstrate their physical rigour through exercise and dance. (BFI)

Japan’s goal of reducing carbon emissions by 46 per cent by 2030 is based on the assumption it will restart 30 of its nuclear reactors, a top ruling party executive said. (jwnenergy.com)

North Korea launched a ballistic missile into the sea of the coast of Japan on Tuesday, the South Korean and Japanese militaries said. (itv.com)

There has been a contest of words in Japan as the country gears up for a general election. Political parties have gone on the offensive in a televised debate a day before campaigning officially kicks off. (CNA)

Toyota Motor says it will build its first battery plant in the United States to meet growing demand for hybrid and electric vehicles around the world. (NHK)

The Japanese government says 67 percent of the country's population have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. (NHK)

Performers balancing long bamboo poles arrayed with paper lanterns displayed their skills in front of Akita Station in northern Japan on Sunday. (NHK)

Masahiro Ito uses the term "Tesla of the Sea" when he talks about his Tokyo-based startup revolutionizing the economics of wind power. (Nikkei)