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The Bank of Japan simultaneously upgraded its assessments Monday for all of the country's nine regional economies for the first time since July 2012, with growing hopes of economic recovery yielding an increase in household and corporate spending, boosting domestic demand. (Kyodo)

The strong earthquake that hit the Kinki, Shikoku and Chugoku regions early Saturday morning brought back to many residents the terror they felt in the Great Hanshin Earthquake 18 years ago. (Yomiuri)

Peeler Ceramic Art Films, Potters of Japan Part One (WagonerPottery)

Three MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft returned to the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma air base in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, on Friday afternoon, after finishing drills on mainland Japan. (Jiji Press)

For Abe, joining the TPP negotiations is an integral part of his growth strategy, which is 'the third prong' of his economic policy. The first Abe administration of 2006-07 also emphasized the importance of making progress on Economic Partnership Agreements with other countries in East Asia in order to bolster economic growth in Japan by drawing in overseas demand for goods and services. (East Asia Forum)

A mysterious howling marked the start of Hiroshi Yagi's 40-year search for an animal that has not been seen in Japan for more than a century. (Asahi)

Japan's first combined liver-kidney transplant from a brain-dead donor was successfully carried out at Okayama University Hospital, the surgeon in charge said Sunday. (Mainichi)

Japan is very slowly beginning to recover from the enormous economic and infrastructure setbacks caused by the March 11, 2011, earthquake. One reason for the slow pace of recovery is due to Japan's shrinking and ageing population, a phenomenon that is gradually and detrimentally affecting Japanese society as a whole. (Bangkok Post)

Kansai Electric Power Co. and three other power companies have said they will implement rolling blackouts in their service areas this summer when power supply capacity is expected to exceed peak demand by less than 1 percent. (Yomiuri)

Three Japan Railway group companies said they will offer, starting April 10, five-day passes to foreign travelers good for unlimited travel in western Japan. The pass is good for all bullet, express and local trains on Sanyo lines west of the Osaka area, all JR lines in Shikoku, and some JR lines in Kyushu. The pass won't cover lines in some areas, such as Sanin in southwest Honshu. (Japan Times)