Japanese railway companies plan to use data from seabed seismometers to quickly stop Shinkansen bullet trains when a major earthquake hits. (NHK)

Police on Monday served a fresh arrest warrant on a 27-year-old man who has admitted to killing nine people before dismembering their bodies at his apartment near Tokyo. (Japan Today)

The organizing committee of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics sent out information to elementary schools nationwide about the games' official mascot on Monday, ahead of a vote for the final selection. (Japan Today)

Police in Okinawa, southwestern Japan, have arrested a US Marine in connection with a fatal traffic accident. (NHK)

The US military in Japan has banned all its service members from drinking both on and off base following a fatal car accident in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan. (NHK)

The Phoenix Hall of Byodoin temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, glows at night during a trial illumination on Friday. (the-japan-news.com)

Chiba Prefectural Police have arrested a 33-year-old man for allegedly selling cash above face value using marketplace app Mercari and collecting interest exceeding the legal interest rate, reports TV Asahi (tokyoreporter.com)

Police in Tokyo on Saturday arrested an unemployed 42-year-old man of no fixed address on suspicion of killing a 61-year-old homeless man on a riverbank in Katsushika Ward. (Japan Today)

A man died Saturday after falling off a cliff while competing in a trail running race in Saitama Prefecture, police said. (Japan Times)

Despite their magical reputation, shooting stars are just pieces of space debris from millimeters to a few centimeters thick that fly into Earth’s atmosphere and brightly burn up into nothing. (rocketnews24.com)

After beginning service in Japan in 2011, Naver Corporation’s Line messaging app quickly become one of the most popular ways to stay connected to personal acquaintances. (Japan Today)

Japan’s national broadcaster NHK has unveiled this year’s lineup for its annual New Year’s Eve music show "Kohaku Uta Gassen" (Red and White Song Battle), featuring 10 new groups and singers. (Japan Today)

Nissan Motor Co Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa and other executives of the Japanese automaker are returning a part of their salaries to show remorse over illegal vehicle inspections at the automaker's plants in Japan. (Japan Today)

An apology by a Japanese railroad operator for a train's early departure has attracted the attention of foreign media. (NHK)

The overall number of crimes committed in Japan continued to drop in 2016, falling below the 1 million mark for the first time in the postwar era, according to the annual White Paper on Crime released Friday by the Justice Ministry. (Japan Times)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has told the head of the US Pacific Command that Japan wants to closely work with the United States to enhance deterrence and response capabilities of the bilateral alliance. (NHK)

Japan's Fair Trade Commission is investigating the local unit of the US vacation rental platform Airbnb on suspicion of violating the anti-monopoly law. (NHK)

The Nagoya District Court on Tuesday handed five women, including four Korean nationals, suspended prison terms for the smuggling of 30 kilograms of gold into the country from Korea last year, reports Nippon News Network (tokyoreporter.com)

The government plans to actively promote stays at farming villages geared toward foreign tourists. Supportive measures to begin next fiscal year will include sponsoring skilled chefs to hold cooking classes at women’s clubs to enhance local cuisine, and other steps to attract foreigners interested Japanese food and culture. (the-japan-news.com)

Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko have begun a three-day trip to remote islands in southwestern Japan. (NHK)

Japan's health ministry has drastically relaxed its planned regulations on indoor smoking at restaurants after a plan to tolerate smoking only at small eateries and bars met with opposition from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, government sources said Thursday. (Kyodo)

Happy Meal goodies even adults will want to get their hands on -- Uno, Game of Life, Pop-up Pirate and other games get the McDonald's treatment. (rocketnews24.com)

Japanese regional carrier Air Do becomes the latest airline struck by the global shortage of pilots, saying Thursday it has canceled 26 flights scheduled for February after already grounding 34 trips this month. (Nikkei)

A 3-meter-tall countdown clock for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics was unveiled Thursday in the Japanese capital's Ginza district. (Kyodo)

The Beaujolais Nouveau 2017 vintage went on sale in Japan on Thursday, but with people's tastes maturing, the traditional celebration of the French wine's seasonal release is on the decline. (Kyodo)