Netflix will raise the prices of its streaming plans in Japan by up to 13% on Friday, leveraging a subscriber base that has expanded sharply amid the pandemic to invest in its growing library of original content, Nikkei has learned. (Nikkei)

It is common to see non-Korean members in K-pop groups these days, but they were not really considered by the agencies that create such bands until recently. (Korea Times)

The use of masks for television personalities on camera is recently garnering debate among the public and entertainment industry in Japan after news anchors on a major broadcaster began wearing them during a program. (Kyodo)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested four persons for the illegal recruitment of female pedestrians to work at hostess clubs in the Roppongi entertainment district last year, reports TBS News (tokyoreporter.com)

Deep losses for the operator of Tokyo Disney Resort illustrate how Japan's leisure and entertainment companies are reeling from capacity limits and other restrictions tied to the coronavirus pandemic. (Nikkei)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 72-year-old woman who allegedly posed as the sister of enka singer Miyako Otsuki in swindling a female acquaintance, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun (tokyoreporter.com)

Japan’s prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, has declared a state of emergency in the greater Tokyo area after a record number of coronavirus cases were reported in the capital and across the country. (theguardian.com)

The Japanese pop group Arashi has suspended its activities as a group as of the turn of the year. (NHK)

Pop singer Ayumi Hamazaki has cancelled her New Year’s Eve performance after a performer in her group tested positive for the novel coronavirus, her agency said on Tuesday. (tokyoreporter.com)

Nao Fukushi, a member of idol group SKE48, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, and more than one dozen fellow members have been deemed to have been close contacts, the group revealed on Sunday. (tokyoreporter.com)

An 18-meter kinetic statue of Gundam, a famous anime robot, was revealed to the public at the Gundam Factory Yokohama complex southwest of Tokyo on Saturday. (Nikkei)

Actor Ren Ozawa on Tuesday took to Twitter to apologize after the emergence of a report outlining alleged domestic violence carried out by him toward his former girlfriend. (tokyoreporter.com)

Prominent Japanese comedian and actor Masao Komatsu, known for the comedy song 'Shirakedori Ondo,' died of liver cancer at a Tokyo hospital on Monday. He was 78. (Japan Times)

Sony Corp said Thursday it has agreed to buy U.S. anime streaming giant Crunchyroll, which has more than three million paying subscribers, in a deal worth $1.17 billion. (Japan Today)

The operator of an online-shopping site selling goods related to a Japanese pop group says it has been targeted by cyberattacks. (NHK)

"Demon Slayer" keeps booming, arousing expectations that what began as a manga series will create 200 billion yen ($1.92 billion) or more in economic effects in Japan. (Nikkei)

Miru Shiroma, a member of idol group NMB48, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, her agency revealed on Monday. (tokyoreporter.com)

Data from mobile phones show that considerably fewer people went to tourist spots outside Tokyo over the weekend, compared to the 3-day holiday that ended on November 23. (NHK)

Pandemic-induced school closures saw Japanese children discover the charm of the 50-year-old popular comic series Doraemon, which proved a smash hit this year, according to its publisher. (Japan Today)

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has caused many businesses to increasingly rely on the internet for survival. (tokyoreporter.com)

An analysis of big data has shown that crowds are returning to near pre-pandemic levels around major train stations outside Tokyo. (NHK)

NHK has announced the lineup of its annual New Year's Eve live music show. (NHK)

Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc started selling its next-generation PlayStation 5 video game consoles in Japan on Thursday with pre-orders received by retailers since September overwhelming supply. (Japan Today)

Officials in Japan are reporting more than 1,000 new coronavirus cases for the third consecutive day. (NHK)

Japan confirmed 1,024 new cases of the coronavirus on Thursday, with a daily count exceeding 1,000 for the first time since late August. (NHK)