Toothbrush Murder: 17-Year Sentence Handed Down in Aomori

The Japanese city of Kamaishi was almost entirely destroyed in the earthquake and ensuing tsunami of 2011. It was the biggest natural disaster to hit Japan, killing nearly 20,000 people. (Al Jazeera)

People across Japan are remembering tens of thousands of lives lost 14 years ago.

North Safari Sapporo, which brands itself as 'Japan's most dangerous zoo,' has announced it will close at the end of September, after operating for two decades despite being in an urban planning control zone where development is restricted.

The 17th World Scallop Fishing Championship took place in Toyoura, Hokkaido, a town known for its thriving scallop farming industry.

A car carrying two people mounted a utility pole support in Tokyo’s Shinagawa Ward’s Osaki area on Saturday afternoon.

A 28-year-old unemployed man has been arrested for attacking a man from behind with a jump kick and stealing his bag on a street in Takatsuki, Osaka. A security camera captured the entire incident.

The Nagoya High Court has ruled that Japan’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, upholding a lower court decision in a case filed by a same-sex couple from Aichi Prefecture.

A surge in the resale of 'Manhole Cards,' collectible cards featuring designs of local manhole covers distributed for free by municipalities, has angered collectors and local governments. Some cards are being resold for as much as 100,000 yen, prompting concerns over fairness and the original intent behind the initiative.