The Japanese government has set an additional criteria for foreign students hoping to receiving cash handouts of up to 200,000 yen ($1,900) for students in the country struggling financially amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, making only those in the top 30 percent of grades eligible. (Kyodo)

The head of the Tokyo High Public Prosecutor's Office, who has been the focus of intense scrutiny over his close relationship with the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, submitted his resignation Thursday following a report that he had participated in a game of mahjong while gambling with newspaper employees. (Japan Times)

U.S. authorities on Wednesday arrested a former U.S. Army Special Forces soldier and another man in Massachusetts wanted by Japan on charges that they enabled the escape of former Nissan Motor Co boss Carlos Ghosn out of the country. (Japan Times)

The five bodies have yet to be identified but police say the family occupying the house in Gojo is currently unaccounted for. Takayuki Teranishi, 32, an employee of a nearby welfare facility, his 33-year-old wife and their three sons, aged 2, 6 and 8, moved in last year. The bodies were discovered in the same room on the second floor after a neighbor reported smoke around 10:05 a.m. to the local fire department, officials at the department said. The incident comes as schools in many parts of Japan, including Nara, remain closed and some businesses implement telework in line with government efforts to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic in Japan. (Japan Today)

A Japanese team testing the flu drug Avigan as a treatment for the new coronavirus said Wednesday more time was needed to determine its effectiveness, while the government stood by a goal of approving the medication's use this month. (Nikkei)

The Japanese government plans to formally endorse plans to lift the state of emergency declared in three prefectures in western Japan, while maintaining the emergency in the Tokyo metropolitan area and Hokkaido. (NHK)

The number of foreign visitors to Japan plunged by 99.9 percent in April from a year ago due to the coronavirus pandemic. (NHK)

New rules requiring passengers to reserve space free of charge for their extra-large luggage on some shinkansen lines took effect Wednesday, in response to an increase in foreign tourists in recent years. (Japan Times)

The number of new coronavirus infections remains low in Tokyo with officials reporting just five new cases in the capital on Wednesday. This marks the fourth consecutive day the number of new cases has been 10 or fewer in the capital city of about 14 million. (NHK)

Up to 3.01 million jobs in Japan could be lost due to the new coronavirus pandemic in the year through next March, an impact more serious than the 2008-2009 global financial crisis, a research institute said Wednesday. (Kyodo)

Japan's annual summer high school baseball tournament has been canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak. (NHK)

Shinto shrines, where many in Japan pray for good health and safety, have largely shuttered during the coronavirus pandemic, but one Tokyo shrine has gone virtual for those seeking solace online. (Japan Times)

Dozens of small shallow-focus quakes hit Nagano Prefecture and its surrounding regions on Tuesday as the weather agency issued an emergency alert for possible strong temblors. (Japan Times)

The coronavirus pandemic has prompted authorities worldwide to introduce entry restrictions on border traffic. But regulations in Japan have sparked a particularly strong reaction from its international community, as it is the only Group of Seven member denying entry to long-term and permanent residents and has set no clear criteria for their return. (Japan Times)

The Cabinet approved Tuesday a program to provide up to ¥200,000 ($1,900) in a cash handout to each of around 430,000 university and other students in the nation struggling financially to pay for tuition or living costs amid the spread of the new coronavirus. (Japan Times)

Japan on Tuesday urged the World Health Organization to allow Taiwan to join its plenary sessions as an observer to discuss the global response to the new coronavirus pandemic. (Japan Today)

Legoland Japan Resort, a theme park in Nagoya, will partially reopen from Friday, after intermittent closures since late February due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its operator said Tuesday. (Japan Times)

Most Starbucks stores in Japan reopened Tuesday as the number of new coronavirus infections has fallen in recent weeks, with outlets in Tokyo, Osaka and some other urban areas still offering takeout services only. (Japan Today)

Tokyo reported just five new cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, the latest sign of progress in the battle against the outbreak as the city remains under a state of emergency. (NHK)

At around 4:30 a.m. on May 14, a woman took her life by jumping off a pedestrian bridge in Tokyo’s Adachi Ward. Upon impact with a truck driving beneath the bridge, the woman passed away immediately. However, the driver of the truck carried on for nearly 2 kilometers before noticing an unusual weight on the truck’s loading tray. (Japan Today)

The government and ruling coalition parties agreed Monday to shelve a plan to enact a law to extend the retirement age of prosecutors during the current Diet session, amid heated criticism from the Japanese public led by celebrities who have taken to Twitter to express their opposition. (Japan Today)

Adam Fulford is our guest today. He's been living in Japan for many years and has seen a lot, experienced a lot and will share his stories with us today. From NHK to projects in Tohoku, Japan's "Bubble Era" to the 21st century, get ready for some history! (ONLY in JAPAN)

Japan's Defense Ministry has launched its first space operations unit to protect Japanese satellites in outer space. (NHK)

The coronavirus pandemic continues to have a significant economic impact, with Japan's GDP plunging during the January-to-March quarter. (NHK)

Schools in many regions across the nation reopened Monday with staggered attendance, in preparation for a full-scale restart of classes, following the government’s lifting of the state of emergency in 39 of the nation’s 47 prefectures last Thursday. (Japan Times)