Ayako Moriya, the third daughter of the late Prince Takamado and now a commoner, has given birth to a boy, her first child, the Imperial Household Agency said Sunday. (Japan Times)

Sources close to the investigation of Japanese actress Erika Sawajiri say she has admitted to using illegal drugs for some time. (NHK)

Yahoo Japan's parent company, Z Holdings, and major messaging app provider LINE have reached an agreement to merge. (NHK)

Japanese actress Erika Sawajiri was arrested Saturday on suspicion of possessing the synthetic drug MDMA at her home in Tokyo, police said. (Japan Today)

Japan is one of the few countries where a weaker currency is good for the stock market, but a closer look reveals the long-term consequences of this reliance at a time when companies need to invest abroad for growth. (Nikkei)

November is usually peak travel season in Hakone, one of the most popular resorts within easy reach of Tokyo. Visitors flock to the area in autumn to watch the leaves turn and enjoy a dip in the hot springs. (Nikkei)

As this year marks the fifth anniversary of the education ministry designating Hiroshima University as a “Type A Super Global University,” the university has taken major steps to achieve globalization. (Japan Times)

The organizers of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics on Friday said they are confident next year’s swimming races won’t be cancelled like the test run in August was, thanks to measures to keep E. coli bacteria at acceptable levels. (Japan Times)

A man who jumped out of a moving vehicle on the Shin-Tomei Expressway in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, on Thursday night, died after he was run over by following vehicles, police said. (Japan Today)

A popular tourist site on Mount Hakone was reopened Friday, ending a six-month closure caused by an increase in the volcanic alert level in the hot spring resort area, local authorities said. (Japan Times)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in told visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Friday it is difficult for Seoul to share military intelligence with Japan, while vowing to make continued efforts toward security cooperation among the three countries, according to the presidential Blue House. (Japan Times)

Japan's standardized university entrance exam will test only reading and listening skills for English in the 2020 academic year while placing more emphasis on listening than current exams, the government-backed exam setter said Friday. (Japan Today)

The suspect in a deadly arson attack on a Kyoto Animation Co studio in July was sent back Thursday to a Kyoto hospital from one in Osaka Prefecture after undergoing multiple skin grafts. (Japan Today)

Japan's economic professors frequently draw on a common saying as a metaphor to teach students about diminishing returns: The first beer of the night is incredibly satisfying, the second one not as much. (Nikkei)

Japan's Emperor Naruhito has performed the main rite of the Daijosai, or Great Thanksgiving Ceremony, an enthronement ritual performed once in an Emperor's reign. (NHK)

Convenience store operator FamilyMart Co said Thursday it will allow its franchise owners across Japan to shorten operating hours from March in a bid to address a severe labor shortage during late-night hours. (Japan Today)

Japan maintained its perfect record in Asia World Cup qualifying by beating Kyrgyzstan 2-0 while Iran lost a second straight match on Thursday. (Japan Today)

Japanese immigration authorities say 219 foreigners were staying in Japan as of the end of September after acquiring a new type of work visa for people with vocational skills. (NHK)

NHK has learned that a boy who was arrested for allegedly wounding a girl with a knife in northern Japan has suggested he was interested in killing someone. (NHK)

Japanese fashion group Fast Retailing Co Ltd, owner of clothing chain Uniqlo, on Wednesday said it has partnered two robotics startups to help improve efficiency in warehousing and distribution. (Japan Today)

Japan's space agency says its probe is on its way back to Earth after leaving the asteroid, Ryugu. (NHK)

Undeterred by a huge loss on U.S. office-sharing platform WeWork, SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son has set his sights on a new big plan: building a sweeping online ecosystem akin to China's Alibaba Group Holding. (Nikkei)

Yahoo Japan under Softbank Group and messaging app Line are negotiating toward a tie-up, according to sources close to the matter. (NHK)

An annual cherry blossom viewing party organized by the Japanese prime minister has come under scrutiny. (NHK)

Sumo has been around in various forms for over 2,000 years. (Japan Times)