The Japanese government is considering giving a new honorific title to female imperial family members who lose their royal status after marriage to enable them to engage in public duties, government sources said Monday. (Kyodo)

Japan will exclude Sapporo and Osaka from its domestic travel subsidy campaign for three weeks due to a recent resurgence in coronavirus cases in the two popular tourist destinations, senior government officials said Tuesday. (Kyodo)

Hokkaido and its capital are making preparations to suspend new bookings for Sapporo under the state-run Go To Travel subsidy program given the high number of coronavirus cases there, local government sources said Monday. (Japan Today)

Holding a large festival may not be a wise idea during the coronavirus pandemic. But organizers of one of Japan's traditional festivals are test-staging the event, with ample social distancing. (NHK)

The SoftBank Hawks built up a big early lead before easing their way to a second straight win in the Japan Series on Sunday, trouncing the Yomiuri Giants 13-2 with three home runs including a seventh-inning grand slam from Alfredo Despaigne. (Kyodo)

Chinese state media lashed out against Japan and Australia last week over their “confrontational” new defense pact and said the two countries would “pay a corresponding price” if it threatens China’s security. (TomoNews US)

Governors across Japan have called on the government to let them know as soon as possible about any changes to its programs designed to promote travel and dining. (NHK)

Health ministry data has shown the occupancy rate for hospital beds for seriously ill patients as of Wednesday last week rose in 17 of Japan’s 47 prefectures from a week before. (Japan Times)

Japanese Capsule Hotels are an experience everyone needs to have. (Only once). (Abroad in Japan)

Yasutoshi Nishimura — the nation’s COVID-19 point man — paused momentarily at one point during a recent news conference, seemingly debating internally how best to broach discussion of virus clusters among foreign residents, a subject that could be a lightning rod for criticism and claims of xenophobia if handled poorly. (Japan Times)

The Japanese economy has failed to improve its reduction of carbon emissions over the last quarter-century, Nikkei has learned. (Nikkei)

Infectious disease experts have weighed in on Saturday's decision by the government to review its Go To Travel tourism promotion campaign, criticizing the move as too late and likely to have little effect in preventing the further spread of COVID-19. (Japan Times)

The daily tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Japan has hit a record for the fourth day and a senior official says Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s government may reimpose limits on sports and other large events to curb the surge. (aljazeera.com)

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.8 hit off the coast of Japan's eastern prefecture of Ibaraki on Sunday night, but no tsunami warning was issued, according to the weather agency. (Kyodo)

Police in Tokyo said Sunday they have arrested a 20-year-old unemployed man on suspicion of killing a 24-year-old woman who was found stabbed to death in her Kyoto apartment last month. (Japan Today)

On this a three-day holiday weekend here in Japan, plenty of people have been venturing out and traveling, despite the risks of coronavirus infection. (NHK)

Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials say 314 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in the Japanese capital on Monday. (NHK)

Previously... My name is Sutan. I'm 19-month-old baby living in Tokyo. My mom suddenly said to go buy a bike. I've never ridden a bike before, so I wasn't too happy about it. Anyway, watch the video to see what happens. (Kimono Mom)

Officials in Japan reported a record 2,586 new cases of coronavirus on Saturday. (NHK)

The overseas outlets of U.S. retail giant Walmart have been burdened by a jinx, the severity of which seems inversely proportional to their distance from the American mainland. In other words, the further away, the weaker their earnings. (Nikkei)

Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has announced that he's partially halting government programs brought in to boost travel and dining out. (NHK)

Japan's health ministry says 705 working-age men in their 20's to 50's committed suicide in September. (NHK)

A man being sought over the murder of a 64-year-old homeless woman in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward last week turned himself in at a koban (police box) on Saturday morning. (Japan Today)

Japanese astronauts Koichi Wakata and Satoshi Furukawa are scheduled for long-term missions on the International Space Station, Japan's science minister Koichi Hagiuda revealed Friday. (Kyodo)

Japanese tattoo artist Horihiro Mitomo works entirely by hand, using traditional techniques and materials to create the elaborate, full-body tattoos known as horimono. He explains the special beauty of tebori (hand-poked) Japanese tattoos. (VICE News)