Russian Woman Found Dead in Osaka Apartment, Suspect Released

Two foreign nationals have been arrested and indicted for allegedly smuggling an illegal drug known as “zombie cigarettes” into Japan through Kansai Airport, marking the first time a case involving the substance has been uncovered in Osaka, authorities said on January 20th.

A growing number of families in Japan are choosing to close down their family graves, driven by factors such as fewer descendants to inherit burial plots and the difficulty of maintaining graves far from where they now live.

A man accused of stealing items from a convenience store and assaulting an employee who chased after him, causing injuries, has been sentenced to five years in prison.

A building in Owariasahi, Aichi Prefecture, was engulfed in intense flames on January 18th after firefighters received a call shortly after 5 p.m. reporting that a house was on fire.

A traditional New Year event known as “Jaduna” was held in Miyazu, Kyoto Prefecture, with local residents praying for a year of good health and protection from illness.

Japanese police-related replica goods are being widely listed on Chinese flea market sites as “cosplay items,” including uniforms that closely resemble the real thing, raising concerns they could be used for crimes such as fraud.

Three death row inmates have lost a lawsuit seeking to stop executions by hanging, after the Osaka District Court ruled that their claims could not be pursued through an administrative case and that the current method does not violate the Constitution.

Damage to fences and other fixtures has been discovered at Kennin-ji Temple in Kyoto, with security camera footage capturing the incident in full.