Japan's Kengo Suzuki became the first runner from East Asia to run a men's marathon in under two hours and five minutes, as he claimed the 76th and final Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon on Sunday. (Japan Times)

As job losses surge due to the pandemic, demand for food handouts has skyrocketed in Japan, prompting the government to release stockpiled rice to charities for the first time last May. Another expanded program started this month. (Japan Times)

The average sea level along Japan's coast in 2020 was the highest on record, rising more than 8 centimeters from the usual figure. (NHK)

In Japan, a state of emergency in some areas is ending on Sunday. The government imposed the measure in January to fight the coronavirus. (NHK)

Japan is likely to receive an increased supply of coronavirus vaccines in April when the government starts administering shots to older people, Taro Kono, minister in charge of vaccinations, said Sunday. (Japan Times)

Athletes participating in this year's Olympic Games in Tokyo can begin entering Japan after it lifts its emergency declaration order next month, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Friday. (Japan Today)

Fans show up for sold out U.S. premiere of anime film "Demon Slayer,” which broke records as highest grossing film in Japanese history. (Associated Press)

How to make Japanese food. Japanese Fried Shrimp (EBI-fry) (Kimono Mom)

Possibly the earliest motion picture footage of Japanese Maiko entertainers. (glamourdaze)

Authorities are investigating a vandalism and fire at a Buddhist temple in the Little Tokyo section of downtown Los Angeles. (Japan Today)

The father of three children who were found dead in southwestern Japan has sustained serious injuries after jumping from a hotel building. (NHK)

Japan’s Mizuho Bank stopped service at some of its automated teller machines (ATMs) on Sunday after the machines devoured customers’ cash cards and bank books. (Japan Times)

Police in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, have arrested a 65-year-old unemployed man on suspicion of fatally stabbing a 57-year-old woman with whom he was in a relationship. (Japan Today)

TOREIYU TSUBASA runs between Fukushima and Shinjo. (Kuga's Travel)

The government on Friday adopted a bill designed to prevent through law the abuse of GPS monitoring devices for stalking. (Japan Times)

Whenever Nami Hamaura feels lonely, all she has to do is talk to her singing companion: a robot named “Charlie”, who will respond with some calming music. (South China Morning Post)

A 42-year-old man was killed after he jumped from a platform and hit an oncoming train at Motomachi Station on the JR Kobe Line in Kobe on Friday. (Japan Today)

Toyota Motor Corp. said Friday it will put on sale in the spring its hydrogen-powered fuel cell system, which could be used by train and ship operators as well as power companies. (Japan Times)

A chip shortage is biting at Japan's big carmakers. (Reuters)

Japan will consider resuming its subsidy program aimed at promoting domestic tourism only in some parts of the country even if the current state of emergency over the novel coronavirus is completely lifted, tourism minister Kazuyoshi Akaba said Thursday. (Kyodo)

Japanese trading house Mitsubishi Corp. decided Thursday to withdraw from the Vinh Tan 3 coal-fired power plant project in Vietnam amid growing international concern about climate change, Nikkei has learned. (Nikkei)

Japan's minister in charge of coronavirus vaccination says vaccines for the elderly will likely be delivered to all municipalities in the country by the end of June. (NHK)

Kyoto's traditional townhouses (Machiya) are stunning to behold and amazing to stay in overnight. (Abroad in Japan)

Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan, a new historical documentary series on Netflix, is being billed as a “real-life Game of Thrones” but it’s much more than that. (denofgeek.com)

Since 1999, the Bank of Japan has done virtually everything imaginable to defeat deflation. It pumped untold trillions of dollars of liquidity into markets, cornered government bond trading, hoarded stocks and pushed interest rates negative. (forbes.com)