Japan’s defence strategy set for a boost after PM attends annual military review ceremony

Dubbed one of the world’s strictest anti-smoking measures, Osaka's citywide ban on street smoking has drawn scrutiny over its effectiveness. Now, a month after the regulation change, how has the city transformed?

A massive abandoned housing complex looms in the mountains, its buildings overgrown with vegetation. No residents are in sight. Concerns over deteriorating security at this so-called "ghost complex" have escalated.

A pine tree estimated to be 650 years old, standing tall at Amanohashidate, one of Japan’s Three Scenic Views in Kyoto, has reached its final days.

Guardrails installed along the roads near Okubo Park in Shinjuku, Tokyo, are set to be removed as street solicitation, commonly known as 'tachinbo,' has become a social issue in the area.

Children born through sperm donation are calling for stronger protections of their right to know their origins as Japan debates legislation on assisted reproduction.

Kyoto's Daigo-ji Temple held its annual 'Godairiki-san' event on Sunday, where participants lifted massive kagami mochi to offer their strength for good health. Men lifted 150 kg and women 90 kg, competing for the longest hold.

Each year, Hokkaido Shrine holds a cold-water purification ceremony to celebrate the coming of age of new adults, with nineteen young men and women participating in this year's 'Kanchu Misogi' on Sunday.

North Safari Sapporo, a private zoo in Sapporo’s Minami Ward, has come under scrutiny after submitting a removal plan for its illegal structures to the city government. The plan lacks critical details regarding the removal process and, most notably, fails to address the fate of the animals housed at the facility.