Online passport renewal applications start in Japan
パスポート更新手続き オンラインで可能に スマホでマイナカード使い
The Japan News -- Mar 28
Japan’s revised passport law took effect Monday, making online applications for passport renewal possible without visits to relevant administrative offices.
The move, part of the digitalization of administrative services, is designed to improve convenience for applicants and rationalize passport-related clerical work.
Eligible for the online application are people whose passport validity period is less than a year and those whose passports have three or fewer blank pages for the visa area. ...continue reading
Mar 28 (ANNnewsCH) - 利用者伸び悩みから一度廃止になったパスポート更新のオンラインでの手続きが、マイナンバーカードを使う形で27日から再びできるようになりました。 ...continue reading

NHK - Jun 03
Heavy rain continued from Friday through Saturday morning, bringing record rainfall to several parts of Japan. The Meteorological Agency is calling on people to remain on the alert for landslides and swollen rivers.

Japan Today - Jun 03
A ground-breaking ceremony was held on Friday in Tokyo to mark the start of construction for a new train line connecting Tokyo Station and the capital's Haneda airport that will begin service before March 2032.

NHK - Jun 03
Sales of Suica and Pasmo IC cards, which are used to pay for train fares and other payments in Japan, will be temporarily suspended from Thursday of next week due to a global semiconductor shortage.

NHK - Jun 02
Weather officials say that Japan had the warmest spring in 125 years this year, characterized by early blooms on cherry trees, and summer-like temperatures on certain days in May.

NOJ - Jun 02
Built in 1979, the King Kong-like figure is perched atop a pink commercial building which houses a gym and a brightly lit FamilyMart. From afar, the giant creature is seemingly overlooking the bustling district, leaning towards the edge of the building, with its right arm dangling freely.

simpleflying.com - May 29
An Air France service between Osaka and Paris was forced to turn back on Sunday after a bird strike damaged its nose cone.

NOJ - May 29
The Maman Spider Sculpture by the late Louise Bourgeois is a famous landmark in Roppongi Hills.

theguardian.com - May 26
On a service road to the Bruce Highway, one of Australia's most dangerous roads, is a lone traveller on a kick scooter. He set out from Melbourne in late January and has been making the exhausting and occasionally perilous journey almost 3,000km to Cairns in far-north Queensland.

Japan Today - May 26
The operator of Japan's Narita airport plans to raise user charges for international passengers from September, including up to 330 yen for a facility fee, reflecting recent price and labor cost hikes, a source close to the matter said Wednesday.

NOJ / Japan Travel - May 25
Tire Park is every child's dreams come true. Over 3,000 tires (and a lot of sand) were used to build the coolest playground in Tokyo. It's filled with robots, dinosaurs, rocket ships, and more...

Abroad in Japan - May 25
Hokkaido is home to Japan's most luxurious and rarest steam train, the winter express. Only in operation several weeks of the year, we bag ourselves tickets as we continue our journey across Japan.

Inaka Adventure - May 25
You DON'T Need to worry about Traveling to Japan, but you DO Need to know some these simple unspoken RULES when you come to Japan

NOJ - May 24
Kitaro Square has play objects featuring Yokai (spirit-monster) and others, including "GeGeGe no Kitaro," from manga artist Shigeru Mizuki.

NHK - May 23
Tokyo's Haneda Airport will reopen an area for international flights in Terminal 2 in July to handle surging demand since Japan eased its entry rules. The part of the terminal had been shut down due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Kyodo - May 23
Japan is considering overhauling its tax-free shopping scheme for foreign visitors in response to a growing number of cases of tax-free items being resold overseas for profit at tax-inclusive prices, sources close to the matter said Monday.

NHK - May 22
Japanese weather officials say yellow sand from China's deserts is expected to blow into wide regions from northern to western Japan, and even spread to the Pacific coast through late Monday night.