The push to reduce overtime in Japan is starting to have wide-ranging effects on Japanese society, from shifting traffic patterns to boosting part-time work six months after a law was passed to improve the country's notoriously lacking work-life balance. (Nikkei)

Arashi, a popular Japanese boy band that will suspend their activities next year, said Sunday they will hold two concerts at the new National Stadium in May, adding to events that will set the mood for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. (Kyodo)

The mayor of Tokyo's Shibuya Ward has vowed to prevent trouble in his district during Halloween starting this weekend. (NHK)

Japanese idol Tomohisa Yamashita is to star in a chilling new thriller set in the Antarctic called "The Head". (Japan Times)

With the number of foreign tourists to Japan increasing by the year, authorities are warning visitors to steer clear of so-called rip-off bars. (Japan Times)

A Japanese comedy duo and their management company have apologized after the pair reportedly said during a live event that Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka, who just won the Pan Pacific Open at the weekend, "needed some bleach." (Japan Today)

Since its launch on Aug. 8, the Netflix series “The Naked Director” has become a certifiable hit. Its audience score on the Rotten Tomatoes ratings site is 97 percent, and on the series’ IMDB page, positive user reviews (“Truly amazing, realistic and captivating,” “You will find tears, laughter, passion”) far outnumber the negative. (Japan Times)

A new attraction at Tokyo Disney Resort is drawing big crowds that help sustain a major round of investments in the 36-year-old theme park site. (Nikkei)

Introducing Yoshiki is no quick and simple process. Yes, his biggest claim to fame is as front man for legendary rock band X Japan, but he’s also got a successful solo music career, and also an occasional fashion model, kimono designer, weather announcer, and royal elbow-rubbing, scarf-slapping polo fan. (Japan Today)

Bowing and at times teary, the president of Japanese entertainment powerhouse Yoshimoto Kogyo Co said Monday he wants to withdraw punishment of two popular comedians over their paid appearance at a party for a group of swindlers and apologized to them for mishandling the aftermath. (Japan Today)

The tragedy that struck Kyoto Animation has sent shock waves across the world, as the Japanese studio's works are highly regarded both at home and abroad. (Nikkei)

A top Japanese comedian, suspended by his talent agency for conducting an “underground business” operation, has decided to retire from the entertainment industry, sources close to the matter said Friday. (Japan Times)

The highly-anticipated new film by Makoto Shinkai, director of the 2016 smash-hit animation "Kimi no Na wa" (your name), is set to open in theaters across Japan on July 19. (Japan Today)

A fire in a renowned entertainment district of Japan's ancient capital, Kyoto, has been contained. It burned five buildings in the area, but no one was injured. (NHK)

Johnny Kitagawa, the 87-year-old president of influential talent agency Johnny & Associates, was hospitalized after suffering a stroke last month, the agency said on Monday, reports Fuji News Network (July 1). (tokyoreporter.com)

A Japanese man convicted of assault and theft was arrested Sunday in Yokosuka, near Tokyo, four days after he escaped attempts to take him into custody. (Japan Today)

Although the visual kei style of Japanese rock group X Japan is often dark and violent, fans know all too well how sweet and endearing its members really are. From the occasionally befuddled charm of drummer Yoshiki to the Christmas pancakes of singer Toshi, these guys don’t seem to have a bad bone in their body. (Japan Today)

These days the list of things to be outraged about is pretty long. Some things are worth addressing, like racism, sexism, and anti-Semitism, but sometimes the things that people get riled up about, particularly when it comes to celebrities in Japan, are major head-scratchers. (Japan Today)

Junnosuke Taguchi, a former member of Japanese boy band KAT-TUN, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of possessing marijuana, the Narcotics Control Department said. (Japan Times)

Sony Corp. will tackle game addiction, its chief executive said Wednesday as the World Health Organization prepares to formally recognize it as a disorder. (Japan Times)

Tokyo's busy Shibuya district has decided to ban drinking alcohol on some streets during the Halloween season, officials said Monday. (Japan Today)

Stuart "Woody" Wood, original guitarist and co-writer of many of the hits for the 1970s supergroup the Bay City Rollers, is bringing his new generation Bay City Rollers back to Japan this month. (Japan Today)

Japanese actor Ken Watanabe, 59, will star in a Japanese remake of the 1993 movie “The Fugitive,” playing the part of the doctor wrongly accused of murdering his wife. (Japan Today)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a pair of hostesses over the alleged theft of the wallet of a drunk pedestrian in the Ueno entertainment area of Taito Ward last year, reports TV Asahi (tokyoreporter.com)

For the third time, baseball star Ichiro Suzuki has turned down a prestigious Japanese government award handed to stars in sports, entertainment, and culture. (Japan Today)