Afghan police say gunmen who killed a prominent Japanese doctor on Wednesday may have had a strong intent to kill, as they fired automatic rifles several times at him. (NHK)

In a country where customer service is a point of pride, Amazon Japan is challenging the status quo by daring to leave packages at the door. (Nikkei)

Dentsu Inc said Thursday it has again received a warning from labor authorities over its illegal overtime practices. (Japan Today)

A senior member of a splinter group from Japan's largest crime syndicate has been arrested for allegedly shooting a member of the parent group in Kobe in August amid a gang feud, police said. (Japan Today)

Police in Saitama City have arrested a 51-year-old Iranian man on suspicion of killing his 50-year-old Iranian ex-wife in a park. (Japan Today)

The Japanese government approved 13.2 trillion yen ($121 billion) worth of public stimulus spending on Thursday, with the economy due for a total infusion of 26 trillion yen if private-sector and other outlays are factored in. (Nikkei)

The Niigata District Court on Wednesday sentenced a 25-year-old man to life in prison for the sexual assault and murder of a 7-year-old schoolgirl last year. (Japan Times)

Nissan Motor Co. is making its U.S. factory and office employees take two days off without pay amid slumping sales. (Japan Times)

As fireworks light up the winter night, scores of men, women and teenagers crying “washoi, washoi” haul the last of six towering, lantern-covered floats up a small hill and into the town center, the culminating moment of a Shinto festival that has evolved from a harvest thanksgiving into a once-a-year meeting between two local gods. (Japan Today)

An environmental think tank from Germany has revealed that Japan was the worst-hit country by extreme weather in 2018. (NHK)

A Japanese woman whose campaign against mandatory high heels in the workplace won broad public support has stepped up her fight against strict corporate dress codes -- including a de-facto ban on women wearing glasses. (Japan Today)

Soon the Japanese capital's trendsetting Shibuya district will boast a cafe staffed by humanoid robots that can recommend perfect desserts for customers. (Nikkei)

A welfare ministry panel said Tuesday that forcing children to sit extensively in the formal Japanese style known as seiza will be recognized as a morally unacceptable form of punishment under a new law that will enter into force next April. (Japan Today)

A Japanese retiree has been arrested after ringing a phone company 24,000 times to complain they had violated his contract, police and local media reported. (Japan Times)

Japanese students ranked at their lowest level ever in reading while remaining in the top band in science and mathematics in a triennial international survey on academic ability, the OECD said Tuesday. (Japan Times)

Sony Corp's PlayStation has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's best-selling home video game console, having sold 450.19 million units over 25 years, its game business unit said Tuesday. (Japan Today)

A 52-year-old in Hyogo Prefecture filed a claim on Tuesday over the constitutionality of a law that blocks those with children who are minors from changing their sex in the official family registry. (Japan Times)

An 80-year-old man was killed Sunday when the light car he was driving the wrong way along the Kanetsu Expressway in Gunma Prefecture collided with an oncoming car. (Japan Today)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the list of guests invited to an annual cherry blossom-viewing party in April was disposed of as scheduled and denied that it was related to a disclosure request by an opposition lawmaker. (NHK)

Actor Hirofumi Arai was sentenced to five years in prison on Monday after being convicted of sexual assault by the Tokyo District Court. (Japan Today)

The government said Monday it has agreed to buy an uninhabited island in Kagoshima Prefecture with an eye to letting the U.S. military use it for takeoff and landing practice. (Japan Times)

A group of university students is calling for the elimination of sexual harassment by recruiters and other company workers during their job-hunting activities. (Japan Times)

Kyoto is one of Japan's best-known tourist destinations and offers a number of choices for luxury accommodations. (Nikkei)

Japan will develop a manned moon rover as the country plays an important role in U.S. President Donald Trump's ambitious mission to return American astronauts to the lunar surface by 2024. (Nikkei)

Princess Aiko, the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, turned 18 on Sunday, enjoying her last year in high school as she prepares to move on for further studies at university starting next spring. (Kyodo)