Japan's Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera has suggested that North Korea's latest missile launch was likely linked to its earlier threat to aim at waters off Guam. (NHK)

Japan's space agency has unveiled a new observation satellite designed to allow more accurate predictions of global climate change. (NHK)

Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force is supplying fuel to U.S. ballistic missile defense (BMD) ships in the Sea of Japan, in a sign of deepening co-operation between the allies amid the growing threat from North Korea, a source said. (Japan Today)

Mazda Motor Corp. said Thursday it will launch a high-end large sport-utility vehicle in Japan on Dec. 14. (the-japan-news.com)

Japan's Defense Ministry says a ballistic missile fired from North Korea landed in the Pacific Ocean about 2,200 kilometers east of Hokkaido, northern Japan, on Friday morning. (NHK)

A 48-year-old man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of fatally stabbing a woman and seriously injuring her 4-year-old daughter in Osaka Prefecture, investigators said. (Japan Times)

Japan is working itself to death. The frequently recurring term karoshi (death from overwork) suggests as much. It's an indirect rather than a direct cause of death, which makes statistical precision difficult, but, as a rough standard, 80 hours a month of overtime work in the months leading up to a victim's death from a heart attack or stroke or suicide will back a claim for karoshi compensation. (Japan Today)

The Japanese government has revised its wording of alert messages sent out when a foreign missile is launched in Japan's direction. (NHK)

The city of Kyoto will propose collecting a minimum 200 yen per night tax on guests staying at hotels or other lodgings in the popular tourist area, municipal officials said Wednesday. (Japan Today)

Japan's Board of Audit has found that no Japanese-made parts were used in state-of-the-art F-35 fighter jets, violating a contract with the United States. (NHK)

Japanese cosmetics giant Shiseido is recalling about 400,000 eyeliner sticks. Officials at the firm say plastic splinters have been found in some items. (NHK)

Toshiba has decided to re-engage US private-equity firm Bain Capital as the preferred bidder in the sale of its chip unit. (NHK)

A Peruvian man indicted in the 2015 killings of six people in Saitama Prefecture has a mental illness, sources said Tuesday, a development that could affect whether he can be held criminally liable. (Japan Times)

A cave in Okinawa that commemorates the civilian victims of a mass suicide on the southern Japanese island during the closing days of World War Two has been found vandalized. (NHK)

NHK has learned that the US tech giant Google will start selling its smart speakers on the Japanese market starting in early October. (NHK)

Japanese said Monday it would sell off another chunk of the country's massive postal service in a share sale that could raise up to 1.4 trillion yen. (Japan Today)

A folding screen painted in ink featuring main characters of the Star Wars movie was unveiled Tuesday at Byodoin, a Buddhist temple on UNESCO’s World Heritage list in Kyoto Prefecture, ahead of the release of the latest episode in December. (Japan Times)

Police in southwestern Japan have admitted to having mistakenly arrested a young woman for fraud. (NHK)

Japan's hosting of the 2019 Rugby World Cup has created "nervousness" about whether big crowds will turn up but national pride will carry the day for the Japanese, World Rugby's chief executive said Monday. (Japan Today)

Reflecting the recent rise of alpine accidents amid the trekking boom in Japan, experts advise hikers to get insurance covering search and rescue expenses, which can be hugely expensive. (Japan Today)

Further consolidation among Japan's regional banks is inevitable given the rapidly aging population and ultralow interest rates, according to an adviser to the Financial Services Agency. (Japan Times)

American songstress Katy Perry is known around the world for her hit songs, extravagant costumes, and her bad blood with fellow singer Taylor Swift. Here in Japan, though, the 32-year-old performer is becoming known for her love of local reed diffusers and fabric softeners, thanks to a new commercial being broadcast to television screens around the nation from 8 September. (Japan Today)

Mitsuoka Motor Co Ltd has unveiled its Fusion sleeping/funeral car based on minivans. (Japan Today)

Japan's defense minister says North Korea has sufficient capabilities to be recognized as a nuclear power. (NHK)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday called for boosting the country’s defenses in the face of North Korean threats, warning that Tokyo needs to be able to protect itself. (Japan Times)