Tokyo on Sunday opened its first major community hub for LGBTQ people this month, part of a pre-Olympics project that campaigners hope will tackle stigma and raise awareness of discrimination. (Japan Today)

We are starting here on Akita: ONLY in JAPAN Fireworks Festival (ONLY in JAPAN)

The number of suicides rose in Japan in August due to more women and school-aged children taking their own lives — offering a first glimpse into the consequences of the mental health strain brought about by COVID-19 around the globe. (Japan Times)

Japan's health ministry is conducting an online survey to find out how the coronavirus is affecting mental health. (NHK)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government says it confirmed 146 new cases of the coronavirus on Sunday. (NHK)

Tropical storm Chan-hom is moving away from Tokyo's remote southern islands. Meteorological officials say the worst of the rain is over, but call for continued caution against landslides. (NHK)

Japan will consider easing regulations on the sale of emergency contraceptive pills without a prescription, the health minister said Friday, taking a step toward allowing the kind of over-the-counter birth control that is already available in dozens of other countries. (Japan Times)

Pressures for public aid are mounting in the Japanese aviation market, with no rebound in sight for air travel, as full-service and budget airlines are preparing further cost-cutting measures that will hit their employees and routes. (Nikkei)

Japan's Justice Ministry is considering doing away with a requirement that people registering marriages or divorces must stamp documents with "hanko," or personal seals. (NHK)

Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has explained more about the government's decision last week to reject six candidates for the Science Council. (NHK)

A survey in Japan has found that many children's sleep patterns have been affected by the coronavirus outbreak. (NHK)

From the outside, Yuko Takeuchi seemed to have a golden life. She had won Japan’s top acting award three times and had recently given birth to her second child. A graceful beauty, she appeared in a box-office favorite last year and advertisements for a top ramen brand. (Japan Times)

As the fall semester kicked off, universities in Tokyo and the surrounding area, where daily new COVID-19 cases are still relatively high, have been slow in shifting to physical classes. (Japan Times)

The University of Tokyo is planning to issue its first bond, amid dwindling government grants and subsidies. (NHK)

近ごろの親は、学業上のプレッシャー、思春期の落ち込み、コンプレックス、メンタルヘルス、ボディイメージの問題など、さまざまなタイプの十代の問題に対処する必要があります。 (newsonjapan.com)

The Japanese government has decided to conduct a set of ceremonies on November 8 to proclaim Crown Prince Akishino as the heir to the throne. (NHK)

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Thursday that Japan will contribute more than $130 million to an international framework to ensure that developing countries have fair access to coronavirus vaccines. (Kyodo)

Is Japan Travel in October a good time? (ONLY in JAPAN)

Japanese retailers are seeing a rebound in business as the government tries to balance keeping coronavirus under control with stoking the economy. (Nikkei)

The Japanese government says it expects the country's crude steel output this year to be the lowest in about half a century, as the economy continues to feel the effects of the coronavirus. (NHK)

Arashi, a popular Japanese boy band who will suspend their activities next year, will stream a postponed concert on Nov. 3 online, their agency Jonny and Associates Inc. said Thursday. (Kyodo)

Three Japanese firms are teaming up to build fully electric tankers with no carbon footprint. (NHK)

Officials with low cost carrier Jetstar Japan are struggling to weather the turbulence of the coronavirus crisis. They say the situation is forcing them to temporarily halt flights on six domestic routes. (NHK)

Japan's Prince Hotels on Thursday opened the first location in a new chain offering the hospitality brand's lowest room rates. (Nikkei)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government says it confirmed 248 new cases of the coronavirus in the Japanese capital on Thursday. (NHK)