Emperor Naruhito expressed his hope for a bright future for children in his poem recited Thursday at the first New Year’s Poetry Reading Ceremony held since he ascended to the chrysanthemum throne last year. (Japan Times)

On a chilly evening last month, tens of thousands of people gathered at the Saitama Super Arena near Tokyo, one of Japan's biggest live music venues. People of all ages were thrilled to witness rock legends in action: Ireland's U2. (Nikkei)

Applications to become Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa's girlfriend have topped 20,000, streaming service AbemaTV said on Thursday, ahead of its documentary on his search for a "life partner" to take on his moon voyage. (Japan Today)

The report Thursday of Japan's first case of the new coronavirus that emerged in China last month has underscored issues with Tokyo's defenses against cross-border outbreaks as the region's busiest travel season of the year begins. (Nikkei)

Toyota Motor Co. is investing $394 million (Â¥43.3 billion) in Joby Aviation, one of a handful of companies working toward the seemingly implausible goal of making electric air taxis that shuttle people over gridlocked highways and city streets. (Japan Times)

A Tokyo-based Australian journalist and father was given a suspended prison term of six months by the Tokyo District Court on Wednesday for illegally trespassing into a building complex where his in-laws live in Tokyo’s Suginami Ward in October, in what the journalist said was an attempt to check on his children after a powerful typhoon. (Japan Times)

Japan's Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi will take childcare leave after the upcoming birth of his first baby. (NHK)

Scientists from Japan say they have succeeded in cultivating microbes that have the characteristics of eukaryotic cells. The finding may shed light on one of the major mysteries about the evolution of life. (NHK)

Wide areas along the Sea of Japan coast are experiencing a winter with record-low amounts of snow. (NHK)

Tokyo has no shortage of theme parks to entertain visitors and residents. Tokyo Disneyland is the biggest and most well known but on the other side of the city, a 39 minute train ride from Shinjuku is Sanrio Puroland – the Tokyo home to Hello Kitty and her universe of friends. (ONLY in JAPAN)

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako have accepted an invitation from Queen Elizabeth to make a state visit to Britain in early 2020, in what will be their first overseas visit since Naruhito acceded to the throne in May last year. (Japan Today)

A statue of a Japanese god of fortune has been recovered from the sea off the northeastern city of Kesennuma. It was swept away by the 2011 tsunami. (NHK)

The number of corporate bankruptcies in Japan increased in 2019 for the first time in 11 years, affected by a consumption tax hike, labor shortages and a series of natural disasters, a credit research agency said Tuesday. (Japan Today)

Microsoft Corp. stops providing free support for the Windows 7 operating system Tuesday, and warned that an estimated 13.9 million computers in Japan still using the system could become more vulnerable to viruses and hacking. (Japan Times)

The communications ministry on Tuesday authorized Japanese public broadcaster NHK to start simultaneous online streaming of its television programs from April. (Japan Today)

Kitakyushu welcomes its first Coming of Age Ceremony of the Reiwa Era in its typical outrageous fashion(s). (soranews24.com)

Shimane Prefectural Police are attempting to get a knife-wielding man who took a woman hostage at the office of a transport company in Izumo City on Tuesday to surrender, reports TV Asahi (Jan. 14). (tokyoreporter.com)

Spent mixed oxide fuel has been removed from a reactor at a nuclear power plant in western Japan in the first such operation in Japan, the plant operator said Tuesday. (Japan Today)

Young people in the Japanese city of Osaka have marked a rite of passage by climbing steps to the top of the country's tallest building. (NHK)

Japanese world number one badminton player Kento Momota has been injured in a vehicle crash near Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur. (NHK)

Nagasaki priest says over-tourism, vandalism and theft of amulets led to his controversial decision. (soranews24.com)

In the latest attention-grabbing stunt by Japanese entrepreneur and billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, his search for a girlfriend to join him on a voyage around the moon will be the subject of a new documentary program. (Japan Times)

At first glance, things seem to be getting better for Japanese women. (Japan Times)

Young men and women in northeastern Japan have talked about their hopes for rebuilding towns that were devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. (NHK)

Nikka Whisky Distilling's last aged products on the market will soon vanish from shelves as surging demand for Japanese whisky dries up casks across the nation. (Nikkei)