NHK -- Jan 14
A winter phenomenon known as "diamond dust" has been observed in the town of Biei in the northern Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido.
The natural phenomenon is seen when frigid temperatures cause water vapor in the air to freeze and sparkle in the sunlight.
On Sunday, many people with cameras gathered in mountainous areas of the town, where the mercury fell to minus 25.8 degrees Celsius in the morning.
They took photos of the tiny ice crystals in the air shining in the morning sunlight.
Visitors also enjoyed other winter scenes, such as frost-covered trees and a frozen river.
北海道は冷え込みが強まり、北海道旭川市ではダイヤモンドダスト現象が見られました。 空気中の水蒸気が凍り、朝日を浴びて輝いています。13日の北海道は上空に強い寒気が流れ込んだうえ、広い範囲で晴れて放射冷却の影響で冷え込みが強まりました。
Sep 21
A large severe tropical storm is approaching Japan and expected to gain strength. It may affect wide areas across the country over the three-day weekend. (NHK) Sep 21
The Rugby World Cup has kicked off in Japan. It's the first time an Asian country has hosted the tournament.
(NHK) Sep 21
Saitama Prefectural Police launched a murder investigation following the discovery of the body of a missing boy, 9, at an apartment block in Saitama City early Wednesday, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Sept. 18). (tokyoreporter.com) Sep 21
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged Friday to step up efforts to reform social security as Japan faces a multitude of challenges stemming from its rapidly graying population and low birthrate. (Japan Times) Sep 21
A court awarded damages Wednesday to a woman in her 30s who broke up with her same-sex partner because of infidelity, recognizing their common-law partnership despite same-sex marriage not being legal in the country. (Japan Times) Sep 21
Toyota Motor has unveiled the first yacht under its Lexus luxury brand, with a 450 million yen ($4.17 million) price tag in Japan that aims it squarely at the super-rich. (Nikkei) Sep 21
A new terminal for low-cost carriers opened at Chubu Centrair International Airport near Nagoya on Friday, raising expectations of growth in the number of foreign visitors to the Chubu region. (Japan Times) Sep 20
A Japanese district court has found all three former executives of Tokyo Electric Power Company not guilty in the only criminal prosecution stemming from the 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima. (NHK) Sep 20
An online streaming service designed for the more than 400,000 overseas visitors expected here over the next two months for the Rugby World Cup was launched this week by J SPORTS, one of the three broadcast rights holders in Japan. (Japan Times) Sep 20
A growing number of foreign tourists coming to Japan has helped push up commercial land prices throughout the country. (NHK)