A political cacophony persists as lawmakers clash over who has the final say in peeling back countermeasures meant to blunt the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. (Japan Times)

The five Olympic rings are back in Tokyo Bay. (Japan Today)

The number of seriously ill patients with COVID-19 across Japan hit 472 on Monday. That's a new record high, and the health minister says it's another sign the situation is growing more serious. (NHK)

Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide and the Tokyo governor agreed to ask seniors and people with underlying health issues to refrain from using the central government's "Go To Travel" domestic tourism campaign when traveling to and from the capital. (NHK)

The Tokyo metropolitan government on Wednesday reported 500 new cases of the coronavirus, up 128 from Tuesday. The number is the result of 1,431 tests conducted on Nov 29. (Japan Today)

The World Trade Organization says South Korea broke international trade rules when it renewed a series of tariffs on Japanese stainless steel bars in 2017. (Bloomberg)

A survey by an aid group shows that some young people in Japan are giving up on higher education due to financial uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic. (NHK)

Data from mobile phones show that considerably fewer people went to tourist spots outside Tokyo over the weekend, compared to the 3-day holiday that ended on November 23. (NHK)

A dazzling 'fireball' has been seen lighting up the skies across large areas of western Japan. (don honky)

According to a data, in Japan suicide this October claimed more lives than the COVID-19 did in the year 2020. (WION)

An 18-meter life-size moving statue of Gundam based on the giant robot featured in the science fiction animation series was unveiled to the media Monday in Yokohama, prior to the opening next month of the Gundam Factory Yokohama complex. (Japan Times)

Japanese immigration authorities have temporarily enabled people who cannot return to their countries amid the coronavirus pandemic to work part-time in Japan. (NHK)

Princess Aiko, the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, turned 19 on Tuesday while attending online classes at her university as a first-year student amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. (Kyodo)

Subway operator Tokyo Metro says it will move forward the schedule for its last trains of the day by as much as 16 minutes. (NHK)

Here's a list of stylish travel destinations for those who seek them. (newsonjapan.com)

The head of the Tokyo Stock Exchange has stepped down to take responsibility for a recent trading halt. (NHK)

Universal Studios Japan is going ahead with its plans to open a US$580 million "Super Mario" attraction. Called the Super Nintendo World, it turns the virtual world of Mario into reality. (CNA)

Get away from it all in Itoshima, a hidden paradise tucked between the mountains and the seaside of Fukuoka Prefecture. Uncover why it's such a popular destination for people looking to live a more balanced life. (NHK WORLD-JAPAN)

Pandemic-induced school closures saw Japanese children discover the charm of the 50-year-old popular comic series Doraemon, which proved a smash hit this year, according to its publisher. (Japan Today)

Race-favorite Almond Eye captured a record ninth turf Grade 1 victory on Sunday in the 40th running of the Japan Cup, her final race before retirement. (Japan Times)

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned our lives upside down. Every country had come up with their own restrictions when the pandemic started and things haven’t gone back to normal just yet. (newsonjapan.com)

Veteran enka singer Shoji Koganezawa, 62, has been arrested for drunk driving, police in Tokyo said Sunday. (Japan Today)

Japan's Daisuke Takahashi may already be royalty in the eyes of many Japanese figure skating fans, but on Sunday he declared himself the man who would be king in his bid to emulate Japan's ageless soccer icon, Kazuyoshi "King Kazu" Miura. (Kyodo)

Japanese officials reported 2,066 new cases of the coronavirus on Sunday. (NHK)

Crown Prince Fumihito, the younger brother of Emperor Naruhito, has said he "approves" of his daughter Princess Mako marrying her university boyfriend Kei Komuro, but reiterated that Komuro's mother must solve a money dispute she is involved in first. (Kyodo)