Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it will jointly develop a rover to be sent to the moon in 2029, amid fierce global competition to explore Earth’s natural satellite. (Japan Times)

The number of Japanese athletes at next year's Tokyo Olympics is expected to exceed 500 and could conceivably be one of the largest contingents in Olympic history, an informed source said Sunday. (Kyodo)

The only dedicated coal-carrying railroad still running in Japan will cease operations at the end of this month, ending its 94-year mission to support the country’s industrial development. (Japan Times)

When foreigners picture Japan, they often resort to traditional imagery; geisha girls, samurai, and Buddhist temples surrounded by trees. (newsonjapan.com)

Japan on Monday marked the eighth anniversary of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan that left more than 15,000 people dead and triggered the world’s worst nuclear disaster since the 1986 Chernobyl crisis. (Japan Times)

Two men were seriously injured early Monday at a members-only gambling venue in the city of Osaka’s Minami entertainment district, police said. (Japan Times)

Kane Tanaka, a 116-year-old Japanese woman in the southwestern city of Fukuoka, has been recognized as the world's oldest living person, Guinness World Records said Saturday. (Kyodo)

March 11th marks the eighth anniversary of the major earthquake that hit northeastern Japan and the ensuing nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. (NHK)

The Justice Ministry plans to require foreign workers entering the country using the new work visas to submit medical certificates, informed sources said. (Japan Times)

Police in Machida, Tokyo, said Sunday they have arrested a 43-year-old woman on suspicion of murder after she drugged her 61-year-old boyfriend and then stabbed him. (Japan Today)

The Japan Coast Guard says at least 80 people have been injured after a jetfoil ferry hit an object in the Sea of Japan. (NHK)

The governor and mayor of Osaka tendered their resignations Friday to seek election in each other's current position with the aim of reorganizing the major city into a metropolitan government system similar to Tokyo's. (Japan Today)

Since the 2008 global financial crisis, expansionary monetary policy has been the order of the day in most of the major advanced economies. (Japan Times)

Japanese Highway Service Areas or Rest Stops are quite amazing and in this episode we’ll look at one of them that has a food challenge! Tomobe SA in Ibaraki Prefecture has a restaurant that has taken the highest mountain in the area and turned it into a dish. (ONLY in JAPAN)

A huge dead sperm whale has been found on a beach in eastern Japan. (NHK)

Heavy machinery maker IHI Corp. said Friday it has found 211 cases in which airplane engines were improperly inspected over the past two years, including by uncertified workers. (Japan Times)

The world's number one female tennis player Naomi Osaka has a new honor to add to her list of accomplishments, with the release on Friday of her own Barbie doll. (NHK)

A passenger vehicle driven by actress Yu Aoi crashed into a taxi in Shibuya Ward earlier this week, police revealed on Thursday, reports Fuji News Network (tokyoreporter.com)

Even hikers who have no intention of reaching the summit of Mount Fuji will be asked to make a donation of ¥1,000 for stepping foot on the country’s highest mountain from this summer, local prefectures said Thursday. (Japan Times)

In Tokyo, the party can keep going all night, with bars, pubs, and clubs that stay open until the morning light. However, if you’ve got something else you’d like to do before sunrise, like, say, go home and get some sleep, you’ll want to keep the time of your last train in mind while you’re out partying. (Japan Today)

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga denied a media report Thursday that the government is considering introducing a minimum wage for specific industrial sectors that would apply to workers nationwide, regardless of where they live. (Japan Times)

Kumamon, the popular Japanese black bear-like mascot, will soon change its official Chinese name used in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan to better represent and promote Kumamoto, the southwestern prefecture said Thursday. (Kyodo)

Following the arrest of a 69-year-old man for allegedly murdering a woman at his residence with stimulant drugs last year, police have revealed that the amount of drugs found in her system far exceeded the lethal amount, reports NHK (tokyoreporter.com)

Former Nissan Motor chairman Carlos Ghosn walked out of detention wearing work clothes, a cap and a surgical mask after he was released on bail on Wednesday. (NHK)

A 19-year-old man has been arrested in Nagoya for threatening to kill two police officers after he entered a “koban” (police box) with a knife and a PET bottle filled with kerosene. (Japan Today)