Japan's Meteorological Agency has released details of a new system to provide information on a possible huge quake along the Nankai Trough. (NHK)

Seiji Maehara, president of what was once the biggest opposition Democratic Party, announced Friday he will resign to take responsibility for his "lapse in judgment," which caused disarray among the opposition and helped Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition score a sweeping victory in Sunday's snap election. (Japan Times)

Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko have visited victims of torrential rains in northern Kyushu, western Japan, where more than 1,000 people are still living in temporary housing 3 months after the disaster struck. (NHK)

The health ministry will prohibit medical institutions from using before-and-after photos of patients in cosmetic-surgery advertisements, sources said Wednesday. (Japan Times)

A Japanese teenager is suing the government of Osaka, saying her public high school repeatedly forced her to dye her naturally-brown hair black or be banned from attending school, local media reported on Friday. (Japan Today)

Japan's Nikkei share average rose more than 1% to a fresh 21-year high on Friday, led by banking shares as U.S. yields remained high and by tech shares after their U.S. counterparts posted strong earnings. (Japan Today)

The number of reported bullying cases at Japanese schools hit a record high of more than 320,000 in the 2016 academic year due partly to efforts to detect early signs, the education ministry says. (Japan Today)

A pair of high-end persimmons harvested in central Japan fetched 540,000 yen at the season's first auction at a local wholesale market on Thursday. (Japan Today)

An executive at Japanese carmaker Subaru says its improper pre-shipment inspections may have continued for many years. (NHK)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have busted a specialty bar in the Ueno area of Taito Ward that allows customers to engage in sex for obscenity, reports TBS News. (tokyoreporter.com)

The approval rating of the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was 52 percent, according to a Yomiuri Shimbun survey conducted on Monday and Tuesday in response to Sunday's House of Representatives election results, up 11 percentage points from the previous survey on Oct. 7 and 8. (the-japan-news.com)

The government intends to impose a ¥1,000 "departure tax" on tourists and other travelers when they leave Japan to raise funds for tourism promotion, according to a draft plan. (the-japan-news.com)

Japanese police have finally nabbed a nimble "ninja" thief who dressed in black and scrambled over walls to commit scores of break-ins over an eight-year career -- and were astonished to find he was 74. (Japan Today)

Sensoji temple in Tokyo's Asakusa district is one of the top tourist sites in the country, drawing thousands of tourists to the area every year. (rocketnews24.com)

Weather officials say a tropical storm, Saola, formed over waters south of Japan on Tuesday afternoon. (NHK)

The head of Fast Retailing Co. on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of the Uniqlo chain selling its casual wear through the online retail giant Amazon.com. (Japan Times)

A wild boar, about one meter in length, entered a commercial facility in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture and went on a rampage on Monday night. Five people, including store employees and customers, sustained minor injuries after being bitten by the boar, Fuji TV reported. (Japan Today)

An industry group says the sales of Japanese animation, related services, and products topped 2 trillion yen, or about 17.6 billion dollars, for the first time in 2016. (NHK)

Power transmission trouble halted three JR Utsunomiya Line trains in Kuki, Saitama Prefecture, on Monday, stranding about 1,900 passengers for about two hours. (Japan Times)

Mount Fuji, Japan's highest peak, has been capped with snow for the first time this season. (NHK)

Typhoon Lan blazed through Tokyo on Monday morning after making landfall along the central Pacific coastline earlier in the day, leaving seven people dead as it pummeled Honshu with heavy rain and strong winds. (Japan Times)

Up to now, it has been a real hassle making advance reservations for Japan's bullet trains from overseas. JR East finally set up an online reservation system a while back, but that was only for trains heading north from Tokyo. (rocketnews24.com)

Fresh off a decisive election victory, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged Monday to tackle what he called Japan's two national crises: the military threat from North Korea and an aging and shrinking population. (Japan Today)

Two activists were arrested Sunday on suspicion of obstructing a dolphin show by diving into a pool during the performance at a zoological theme park in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, police said. (Japan Today)

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 on Monday posted the longest winning streak in its nearly 70-year history as markets cheered the weekend election victory of Japan's pro-business prime minister. (Japan Today)