Fukui Gov. Issei Nishikawa says he's willing to accept the central government's plan to decommission the trouble-prone Monju prototype fast-breeder reactor in the city of Tsuruga. (Japan Times)

Japanese professional shogi player Yoshiharu Habu has become the first person ever to win lifetime titles in all 7 major title matches. (NHK)

Bank of Japan Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda told reporters after meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday that he did not discuss who will lead the central bank after his term expires in April. (Japan Times)

The Japanese government is weighing a plan to equip fighter jets with long-range cruise missiles amid the North Korean nuclear and missile threat, starting with earmarking research costs in its fiscal 2018 budget plan, government sources said Tuesday. (Japan Today)

Tokyo prosecutors on Tuesday arrested the president of a tech venture known as one of the developers of the world's fourth-fastest supercomputer on suspicion of defrauding a governmental institution of 431 million yen in subsidies. (Japan Today)

The Japan Coast Guard says as many as 28 wooden boats believed to be from the Korean Peninsula were spotted drifting off the Japanese coast or had run aground in November. It is the largest monthly figure since recordkeeping began 4 years ago. (NHK)

Japanese idol group AKB48's popularity is so phenomenal that it even has politicians lobbying for concerts in their country. The mega group isn't so hot in South Korea though, where their own idol group brands have gained international acclaim. (Japan Today)

After an intoxicated commuter tumbled onto railway tracks at JR Ebisu Station on Saturday, an elderly man pulled him away just before a train arrived, reports the Sankei Shimbun (tokyoreporter.com)

The U.N. General Assembly on Monday endorsed a Japanese antinuclear resolution by a wide margin, although fewer countries backed it than in previous years amid perceptions of backpedaling on disarmament. (Kyodo)

Shizuoka Prefectural Police have arrested a 38-year-old male member of a hip-hop group over the alleged possession of marijuana, reports the Sankei Shimbun (tokyoreporter.com)

A survey by professional recruitment company Hays has found that many Japanese female professionals aspire to be corporate directors, but that male bosses do not seem to grasp that reality. (Nikkei)

Calendar, diary and fortune-telling businesses are anxiously awaiting the announcement of the name of Japan's next imperial era, as the government said Friday it is expected to begin on May 1, 2019, the day after the emperor abdicates. (Japan Today)

With Emperor Akihito set to abdicate on April 30, 2019, the focus will likely shift to Crown Prince Naruhito, who will ascend the throne, and Crown Princess Masako, who has long been in a battle with depression. (Japan Today)

A Japanese court has sentenced a former civilian worker at a US base in Okinawa, southern Japan, to life in prison for murdering a woman. (NHK)

While it’s become common knowledge that many Japanese talent agencies prohibit idol singers from dating, there are similar rules in place at some Japanese high schools. (rocketnews24.com)

An industrial blast Friday that left one man dead and 11 other people injured in Fuji, Shizuoka Prefecture, might have been caused by a dust explosion, plant officials said. (Japan Times)

Japan have been presented with a chance for revenge in their opening match of next year's World Cup finals after being drawn against Colombia, Senegal and Poland in first-round Group H on Friday. (Kyodo)

As a part of a crackdown on a so-called “delivery health” out-call service in Taito Ward for providing prostitution, Tokyo Metropolitan Police have announced more arrests in the case, reports TBS News (tokyoreporter.com)

Like many countries, Japan has an unwritten rule that those who are willing to ride an escalator by standing still should keep to one side, while people in a rush who want to climb the moving steps are allowed access on the other side. (rocketnews24.com)

Japanese astronaut Norishige Kanai has said he will do his best to complete his upcoming mission at the International Space Station. (NHK)

The stench of flesh rotting on a sultry day fills the air as cleaner Hidemitsu Ohshima steps into a tiny Tokyo apartment where a dead man lay decomposing for three weeks. (Japan Today)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the Imperial House Council has chosen April 30th, 2019, as the date for Emperor Akihito's abdication, and picked the next day, May first, for Crown Prince Naruhito's accession. (NHK)

Local restaurants, souvenir shops and even some temples and shrines are hoping to cater to foreign guests with an international custom yet to be adopted in Japan: letting customers pay their bills with credit cards instead of cash. (Japan Today)

Princess Aiko, the only child of Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, turned 16 on Friday, enjoying high school life and striving to better fulfill her role as a member of the imperial family. (Japan Today)

The Japan Sumo Association has reprimanded Yokozuna Hakuho for recent conduct and remarks deemed below the standards expected of a grand champion. (NHK)