A new terminal for low-cost carriers opened at Chubu Centrair International Airport near Nagoya on Friday, raising expectations of growth in the number of foreign visitors to the Chubu region. (Japan Times)

Toyota Motor has unveiled the first yacht under its Lexus luxury brand, with a 450 million yen ($4.17 million) price tag in Japan that aims it squarely at the super-rich. (Nikkei)

A large severe tropical storm is approaching Japan and expected to gain strength. It may affect wide areas across the country over the three-day weekend. (NHK)

A court awarded damages Wednesday to a woman in her 30s who broke up with her same-sex partner because of infidelity, recognizing their common-law partnership despite same-sex marriage not being legal in the country. (Japan Times)

E-commerce giant Amazon Japan has announced it will launch a locker delivery service called Amazon Hub at the major convenience store chain FamilyMart and train stations along the Odakyu line. (Japan Today)

A Japanese district court has found all three former executives of Tokyo Electric Power Company not guilty in the only criminal prosecution stemming from the 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima. (NHK)

An online streaming service designed for the more than 400,000 overseas visitors expected here over the next two months for the Rugby World Cup was launched this week by J SPORTS, one of the three broadcast rights holders in Japan. (Japan Times)

A growing number of foreign tourists coming to Japan has helped push up commercial land prices throughout the country. (NHK)

If you’ve studied the basics of computer programming, you’ll probably recognize the phrase “hello world.” It’s the textbook-recommended line of text learners type into their first program, then delight as it pops up on screen. (Japan Times)

The operator of a private-sector English proficiency test began accepting applications Wednesday for its tests that will serve as a component of Japan’s new standardized university entrance exam. (Japan Times)

Newly appointed Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Wednesday that Tokyo urgently demands Seoul eliminate “violations of international law” regarding wartime Korean labor issues, adding that it is a top priority for Japan in handling the bilateral relationship. (Japan Times)

The Japanese government is considering tighter restrictions on foreign investment in industries it sees as key to national security, such as nuclear power and chipmaking. (Nikkei)

Japan's government is expected to nominate former vice finance minister Masatsugu Asakawa to head the Asian Development Bank. (NHK)

Japan may be ready to host a "spectacular Rugby World Cup," but serious questions remained Tuesday as to what impact it will have on the nation, particularly with the Tokyo Olympics just a year away. (Kyodo)

The mother of Yua Funato was given an eight-year prison term by the Tokyo District Court on Tuesday for parental neglect that led to the death last year of her 5-year-old daughter. (Japan Times)

Toyota Motor Corp. rolled out a new model of the Corolla on Tuesday, making it the first fully redesigned sedan in about seven years. (Kyodo)

Princess Kako, the second daughter of Japan's Crown Prince and Princess Akishino, has paid a courtesy call on Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen. (NHK)

A 116-year-old Japanese woman has been celebrated on Respect for the Aged Day in Japan. (NHK)

In Major League Baseball, former Seattle Mariner player Ichiro Suzuki has made his first public farewell since his retirement at the team's home stadium. The Japanese baseball superstar expressed his gratitude to his fans in English. (NHK)

A Japanese government survey shows the number of people aged 65 or older, and their proportion to the overall population, have both marked record highs. (NHK)

Almost 70 percent of married women in Japan believe that same-sex marriage should be legalized in the country, a government survey of around 6,000 married women showed Friday. (Kyodo)

Police in Japan have arrested a 40-year-old man suspected of firing an air gun in an apparent road rage incident earlier this month. (NHK)

A survey shows that Japan's public spending on education as a percentage of GDP was the lowest among OECD countries. (NHK)

Two octopuses predicted Friday that Japan will not advance to the knockout stage of the Rugby World Cup, which opens next week. (Japan Times)

Efforts to restore electricity to parts of Chiba Prefecture near Tokyo that were left in the dark this week after a powerful typhoon continue. But for many people, it could be two weeks or more before power is fully restored. About 140,000 households are still without electricity. (NHK)