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Hakuho, one of three yokozuna competing in the ongoing New Year Grand Sumo Tournament, has withdrawn due to toe injuries, the Japan Sumo Association said Thursday.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

Former Japanese baseball star Hideki Matsui has become the youngest inductee into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. (NHK)

Police and consumer centers across Japan have received more than 1,500 inquiries from people affected by a scandal involving a gala dress kimono retail and rental firm. The total value of contracts drawn up between the firm and the consumers who have consulted with the centers has topped 270 million yen, or nearly 2.5 million dollars. (NHK)

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said Monday it will postpone the Wednesday launch of its third Epsilon solid-fuel rocket due to expected bad weather. (Japan Times)

Eight corpses possibly belonging to North Korean nationals have been discovered aboard and near a wooden ship that washed ashore in Kanazawa City earlier this month, reports NHK (Jan. 16). (tokyoreporter.com)

A man was arrested Monday on suspicion of stabbing two men the previous night, one fatally, in what appeared to be random attacks, the police said. (Japan Times)

Japanese confectionery maker Meiji will ramp up its production capacity of health-oriented chocolate. (NHK)

About 2,000 women who are or will turn 20 years old as of April 1 took part in an annual New Year archery event for new adults at Sanjusangendo, a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, on Sunday. (Japan Today)

It was said of the California Gold Rush of the mid-19th century that the ones who made the money were those who sold the shovels. Today’s shovel sellers in Tokyo are the service providers, agents and brokers eager to entice clients with tales of gold in the hills. (Japan Times)

The heir of a store specializing in a confectionery style with more than 300 years of tradition in Japan’s ancient capital is hoping her youthful reimagining of yatsuhashi sweets will help attract a new generation of Kyoto locals and carry on its legend. (Japan Times)