Luggage fell out of a tour bus while it was driving along the Nagoya Expressway in Aichi Prefecture on Thursday. (Japan Today)

The number of people who committed suicide in the country in 2017 fell 757, or 3.5 percent, from the previous year to 21,140, down for the eighth consecutive year, a Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry report showed Friday. (the-japan-news.com)

A woman gave birth to a baby girl on a train at a station in Chiba Prefecture on Friday. The mother and child were taken to a hospital by ambulance, firefighters said. (Japan Times)

Two 19-year-old boys in Mie Prefecture have been arrested for causing an onsen to overflow after pouring shampoo into the natural hot spring last August. The suspects, who cannot be named because they are minors, were charged with forcible obstruction of business, Fuji TV reported Wednesday. (Japan Today)

The finances of college students are limited to various basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. Hence, the amount left for miscellaneous activities is very minimal. In turn, this leaves the student with little options regarding the manner in which they wish to spend the extra amount of money given the fact that they ought to save and still have fun. (newsonjapan.com)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Australian counterpart, Malcolm Turnbull, have agreed that denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is indispensable for safety in Asia. (NHK)

A new study shows the number of public elementary and junior high schools in Japan may fall to a third of its current total by 2050, due to a declining population. (NHK)

Shining night clouds were observed in skies over wide areas of western Japan after a rocket lifted off from southern Japan early on Thursday. (NHK)

The Environment Ministry said Wednesday that a highly pathogenic, H5N6-type avian influenza virus was detected in a dead northern goshawk found earlier this month at a park in Tokyo’s Ota Ward. (Japan Times)

Bath houses in Japan have been a part of the culture for hundreds of years and in Tokyo, there are 600 of them in neighborhood all around the city. (ONLY in JAPAN)

The common snarky comment about Japanese idol singers is that their musical talents aren’t nearly strong enough to justify their fanbases, but it is true that the most successful idols have a media presence that goes far beyond just singing and dancing. (rocketnews24.com)

Hakuho, one of three yokozuna competing in the ongoing New Year Grand Sumo Tournament, has withdrawn due to toe injuries, the Japan Sumo Association said Thursday. (Japan Times)

A seven-week trial of cab-sharing services in Tokyo will kick off next Monday, the first of its kind in Japan. (Nikkei)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested hip-hop artist Uzi over the alleged possession of marijuana earlier this week, reports the Mainichi Shimbun (tokyoreporter.com)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested two male Korean nationals who are suspected in dozens of burglaries in the capital dating back to late last year, reports the Sankei Shimbun (tokyoreporter.com)

Major Japanese mobile carrier NTT Docomo says its subscribers will be able to pay at stores using a QR code. (NHK)

Japan's Recruit Holdings says it will team up with Airbnb, the leading US tourist accommodation platform, to offer rental housing for travelers in Japan. (NHK)

Australian rugby legend George Smith was arrested by the Tokyo police on New Year’s Eve for allegedly assaulting a taxi driver after refusing to pay his fare, authorities said Wednesday. (Japan Times)

Japan is marking the 23rd anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake that hit the western port city of Kobe and the surrounding areas. (NHK)

A Japanese city has activated an emergency warning system to alert residents to avoid eating locally purchased blowfish, after a mix-up saw toxic parts of the delicacy go on sale. (Japan Today)

The government announced Tuesday an action plan focused on streamlining the process for residents to change their addresses with one-stop online access. (Japan Times)

Following the release of its first edition in 1955, publisher Iwanami Shoten's Kojien has become one of the most respected and widely used dictionaries in Japan. Since 1998, the tome has been on a 10-year update cycle, and so last week's release of Kojien's seventh edition was a big deal not just for linguists, but for Japanese society in general. (rocketnews24.com)

NHK is apologizing after issuing a false alert that said North Korea had probably launched a missile and warned people in Japan to take cover. (NHK)

Discount retailer Don Quijote Co. unveiled a renovated Ferris wheel Monday in Osaka’s Dotonbori shopping district. (Japan Times)

Twenty-two foreign trainees died in work-related incidents in the three years from fiscal 2014, government data showed Sunday, indicating people brought to Japan to work may face dangerous or exploitative conditions. (Japan Today)