Amid the gloom and struggle that Osaka has gone through in recent years, a tourism boom has been an unexpected boon for Japan's gritty second city. (Japan Times)

The U.S. has for the first time told Japan it has a "strong interest" in starting talks over a potential free trade agreement between the two countries. (Nikkei)

The prefectural government of Hiroshima is asking the US military to clarify if some of its fighter jets conducted aerial training maneuvers that released flares above part of the prefecture, alarming local residents. (NHK)

Nearly 2,000 fire ants have been discovered in Kyoto in a shipping container that arrived from China, local authorities said Saturday. (Japan Times)

Japanese officials are expressing growing frustration with the Trump administration's economic policies, vowing to continue striking trade deals with other countries that undercut U.S. agricultural exports rather than seek a new trade agreement with the United States. (politico.eu)

Before Hisashi Kanbe in 2013 introduced BakeryScan, the world's first image recognition checkout system designed specifically for bread, it was the job of every bakery worker in Japan to memorize the assorted prices of each baked good - from baguettes back to bagels. (Japan Times)

A Japanese TV network apologized Monday for making viewers "feel unpleasant" over a comedy program that revived a 30-year-old stereotype character depicting a gay man. (Kyodo)

The government expanded the no-go zone around Mt Shinmoe in Kyushu on Sunday as volcanic activities intensified. (Japan Today)

A small aircraft landed in a river in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, on Sunday after reporting engine trouble and all four men on board escaped unhurt. (Japan Today)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has set the time for relocating the operations of the Tsukiji fish market to the nearby Toyosu waterfront area at September to October next year. (Japan Times)

Japan's Foreign Ministry has revealed that 2 Japanese men being held in China were formally arrested last month. (NHK)

Japan's Meteorological Agency says a volcano in the country's southwest has erupted again, following an eruption on Wednesday. (NHK)

Japan's adult video (AV) industry has faced multiple challenges over the past year. (tokyoreporter.com)

Thirteen children were taken to hospital Friday after hydrochloric acid spilled over during a science experiment class at an elementary school in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan, the local education board said. (Japan Today)

Many foreign companies cooperate with Japan on different issues. During this process, both sides usually communicate by e-mail or use different social networks. Nowadays, a lot of companies, entrepreneurs and private individuals have serious concerns about how to stay safe online and to ensure the security of data. (newsonjapan.com)

So imagine you're sitting in Starbucks, sipping hojicha roasted green tea Frappuccinos and making progress on your current project for that sweet, sweet telecommuting job you've landed. (Japan Today)

Gasoline prices in Japan have hit a 2-year high after oil producers cut their output. (NHK)

A fatal expressway collision in June in eastern Japan appears to have been caused by road rage, with a man arrested over the crash confessing to losing his temper and chasing the victims' car after an argument, investigative sources said Thursday. (Japan Today)

In a tweet posted on 9 October, McDonald's Japan announced that their coffee has undergone a revamp to give it "the richest taste and aroma in McHistory." (rocketnews24.com)

The discovery of a new species of clione sea slug, usually found in chilly polar waters, in central Japan's Toyama Bay may shed light on sea temperature changes, a local university said Thursday. (Kyodo)

A man in his 40s in Tokushima Prefecture has acquired the tick-borne disease known as severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, or SFTS, through contact with a dog, local government said Tuesday. (Japan Times)

A volcano in southwestern Japan is erupting for the first time in six years and spread ash in nearby cities and towns. (Japan Today)

Two U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers flew over the Korean Peninsula on Tuesday in a show-of-force exercise as tensions with a nuclear-armed North Korea continue to escalate. (washingtonexaminer.com)

Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan and Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary have visited an exhibition marking 150 years of diplomatic relations between the 2 countries. (NHK)

The Nikkei's rally comes despite a big scandal enveloping Japan's third-biggest steel maker, Kobe Steel. (theguardian.com)