From a single photograph, AI can now generate a movie-like video in as little as four hours, raising urgent questions about what precautions society should take and how such content can be detected.

A vehicle believed to have been used in an attempted robbery at Haneda Airport has been found on a riverbed in Kanagawa Prefecture, with investigators suspecting that the perpetrators attempted to destroy evidence by spraying the car with a pink fire extinguisher.

A Thai girl who was 12 at the time arrived in Japan in June last year and was introduced by her mother to a massage parlor in Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward, where she was illegally made to work and provide sexual services, with Thai police officials indicating that six people, both Japanese and Thai, are suspected of being involved.

Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said agricultural, forestry and fishery products and food exports totaled 1.7005 trillion yen in 2025, up 12.8 percent from a year earlier, marking a record high for the 13th consecutive year

A dry weather advisory has been in effect in central Tokyo for 14 consecutive days, and as of February 2nd, no significant rainfall had fallen for a full month since January 2nd.

A sweets event celebrating anko, or sweet red bean paste, is drawing large crowds in Tokyo’s Nihonbashi district, reflecting a growing perception that traditional Japanese confections offer a more “guilt-free” indulgence than chocolate as visitors line up to enjoy an array of bean-based desserts.

Thirteen men and women who were detained by local authorities at a special fraud base in Cambodia and transferred to Japan last month have been re-arrested on suspicion of attempted fraud, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

As the spread of cocaine and other illegal drugs becomes increasingly serious among young people, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has released a new warning video urging caution.

Two Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members stationed at the Yao Garrison were dismissed from service after being found to have used cannabis, with the case coming to light after a colleague raised concerns and reported the matter to a superior.

Daihatsu unveiled a new light-type electric vehicle on Tuesday, marking the company’s first mass-produced EV, but rather than a passenger car, it has deliberately chosen a commercial vehicle used for transport and delivery, raising the question of whether “working vehicles” could hold the key to wider EV adoption.

Smartphones, computers, and game consoles that many people use every day could become more expensive in the near future, as the price of memory continues to surge.

A new Japan–US collaboration on next-generation semiconductors is set to get underway, as SAIMEMORY, a semiconductor memory startup established by SoftBank, has signed an agreement with US chipmaker Intel to jointly pursue the commercialization of next-generation memory, TV Tokyo has learned.

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of selling tusks from endangered elephants on an online auction site after falsely labeling them as “mammoth tusks” or “ivory-style” products.

Tokyo’s net in-migration, defined as the number of people moving in exceeding those moving out, declined for the first time in four years last year, even as population inflows into the capital have remained elevated since the COVID-19 pandemic.

ANA Holdings said it plans to expand its international flight operations by 30% by fiscal 2030 compared with current levels, with a particular focus on strengthening routes from Narita Airport after 2029, when runway extensions and new construction are scheduled to be completed.

The European Union has announced plans to introduce a new vehicle category, known as “M1E,” aimed at accelerating the spread of affordable electric vehicles, drawing inspiration from Japan’s kei car standards, with discussions set to begin soon with EU member states and the European Parliament to finalize the details.

A street piano is often described as a “street-corner stage” where anyone can become a star, and behind the casual performances lie stories of lives, memories and unexpected connections.

With eight days remaining until votes are cast in the House of Representatives election, concerns are mounting over future strains on Japan’s power supply, prompting renewed attention to how political parties position their energy policies, particularly on nuclear power.

The effective job-offers-to-applicants ratio fell for a second consecutive year in 2025, reflecting a broad-based slowdown in hiring amid rising costs and wage pressures.

As AI becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life, a new style of consumption is expected to spread rapidly following the earlier emphasis on cost performance and time performance, with growing attention now focused on what is known as “menpa.”

Even as they continue working, a growing number of people in non-regular employment are unable to escape poverty, widening inequality across Japan and raising questions over whether politics has truly confronted the problem head-on.

The arrest of the head of Japan’s largest sex industry scout group just five days after a public warrant was issued has cast fresh light on the shadowy business of so-called “sex industry scouts,” a system believed to have generated more than 44 billion yen and allegedly involved ties to organized crime.

When people hear the phrase “exchanging contact details,” many still think, “Phone numbers are old-fashioned—LINE is the norm,” but even that assumption may now be outdated, as a surprising new survey suggests a major shift among Generation Z.

Foreign workers are now indispensable across Japan, from convenience stores and agriculture to nursing care, and with the House of Representatives election approaching, political parties are sharpening their positions on how the country should manage its rapidly growing foreign population.

Three major banks, including Mitsubishi UFJ Bank, announced that they will raise fixed mortgage rates applied from next month. The preferential rate for the standard 10-year fixed mortgage will be increased to 2.75% at Mitsubishi UFJ Bank and Mizuho Bank, while Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. will raise the rate to 2.85%.