Japanese tourism minister Akaba Kazuyoshi says the government intends, in principle, to extend its tourism subsidy program to the end of June. (NHK)

A former president of discount retailer Don Quijote Holdings Co., now known as Pan Pacific International Holdings Corp., was arrested Thursday by prosecutors for alleged involvement in insider trading in 2018. (Japan Times)

Former Japan midfielder Daisuke Matsui will join Vietnam's Sai Gon FC from Yokohama FC, the J-League first division club said Thursday. (Kyodo)

Japan will endeavor to make all new car sales eco-friendly by the mid-2030s as it joins a growing community of nations determined to slow the globe's carbon emissions, Nikkei has learned. (Nikkei)

Japan has hundreds of mushroom varieties, most edible and when I came here 20 years ago, I had never seen so many in the supermarket, it was mind boggling! What are they? How do you eat them? (ONLY in JAPAN)

In a bid to attract more overseas gamblers, the chief of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party panel said Thursday that winnings by nonresident foreigners at Japanese casino resorts will not be taxed. (Japan Times)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 32-year-old man over the alleged molestation of a girl, the same crime he was accused of last year, reports TV Asahi (tokyoreporter.com)

The organizers of the national high school rugby tournament said Thursday the annual event will begin as scheduled on Dec. 27 but without spectators in an effort to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. (Kyodo)

Tokyo prosecutors have asked former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to appear for voluntary questioning about the dinner parties his political group held for supporters, sources close to the matter said Thursday. (Japan Times)

Sakura Jingu Shrine provides foreigners the unique experience of having a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony. (NHK WORLD-JAPAN)

Akihabara is overrated. Join me and my friend in this slice of life around West Tokyo's Otaku center. (Enlightize in Japan)

Japan's government is considering extending its Go To Eat campaign, designed to help the restaurant industry amid the coronavirus outbreak. (NHK)

Officials in Japan's western prefecture of Osaka plan to call on all residents to refrain from leaving their homes for any non-essential reason until mid-December. This follows a surge in the number of coronavirus cases with severe symptoms. (NHK)

The Japanese government expressed regret Wednesday after a district assembly in Berlin adopted a resolution to allow a statue symbolizing Korean women who were procured for Japan's wartime military brothels to remain in place. (Kyodo)

Kiyomizu Temple in Japan's ancient capital of Kyoto has held a ceremony to mark the renovation of the wooden stage and the new roof of the main hall. (NHK)

The grand opening for the Mario Cafe and store at Universal Studios Japan, plus a look inside. (Attractions Magazine)

NTT Docomo Inc. plans to cut mobile phone fees across the board, sources familiar with the matter said, becoming the first of Japan's major carriers to do so following a government call for the industry to lower charges. (Kyodo)

ベラジョン カジノは、ゲーム業界で豊富な経験を持つ人々のグループによって運営されています。彼らは楽しさと歓迎の方法でゲームで革新的な製品を提供したいと考えています。 (newsonjapan.com)

Prosecutors sought a one-year prison term for Japanese actor Yusuke Iseya on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to cannabis possession in his trial at the Tokyo District Court, while his defense lawyers asked for a suspended sentence. (Kyodo)

Japanese astronaut Noguchi Soichi has enjoyed eating a canned mackerel dish in space. The product was developed by Japanese high school students. (NHK)

In Japan, more people have died of suicide in one month than from the Wuhan virus the entire year. (WION)

A bill to provide coronavirus vaccinations free of charge with the central government covering the cost was passed in the Diet, offering a key plan to stem the virus as Japan struggles with its worst-yet wave of infections. (Japan Times)

Japan aims to admit “large-scale” numbers of overseas visitors for the Tokyo Olympic Games without mandatory vaccinations or quarantines, provided tourists submit negative coronavirus test results and download smartphone tracking apps on arrival, the Nikkei business daily reported Wednesday. (Japan Times)

The unemployment rate in Japan hit a 3-year high in October. Officials say the coronavirus has driven the figure to 3.1 percent, the highest since May 2017. (NHK)

Japan’s capsule hotels have long been a convenient shelter for commuters and even an intriguing option for budget tourists. (South China Morning Post)