Emperor, Empress welcome Duterte

A Chinese national was sentenced to eight months in prison by the Tokyo District Court for defacing a stone pillar at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, an act deemed disrespectful to the worship site.

Nearly a year has passed since the Noto Peninsula earthquake struck on New Year’s Day, leaving the region grappling with recovery efforts and compounding challenges. In Suzu City’s Otani district, residents began moving into temporary housing earlier this month, following 11 months of hardship, including additional damage from September’s torrential rains.

A Lawson convenience store has opened in Ryujin Village, Wakayama Prefecture, bringing a much-needed lifeline to a rural community left without a supermarket. The store, which operates 24/7, was established through the passion of its owner, Atsushi Yamada, who sought to give back to the village where his grandfather was born.

The streets of Shibuya became a chaotic scene during the year-end party season, with excessive drinking leading to public disorder. People were found sleeping on the streets, fights broke out among groups of young revelers, and police and emergency services were frequently called to intervene.

Santa takes to the skies, delivering presents to southern islands. From the rear of an open transport aircraft, boxes equipped with parachutes descend to the ground, marked by the glow of a blue light. These deliveries, bringing joy to residents of remote islands in the South Pacific, are part of an international joint exercise involving Japan's Air Self-Defense Force since 2015.

Japan's Ministry of Justice has released this year’s crime white paper, revealing that the number of recognized penal code offenses increased for the second consecutive year.

Police in Kitakyushu have arrested Masanori Hirahara, a 43-year-old unemployed man living near the crime scene, on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the stabbing of two junior high school students at a fast-food restaurant.

Influenza cases in Japan have surged since early December, with a sharp increase in patient reports per medical institution. At a Towa Pharmaceutical factory in Yamagata, demand has exceeded supply despite last year’s facility expansion.