An explosion and fire have halted a combustion test of Japan's new Epsilon S solid-fuel rocket at the Tanegashima Space Center in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima. (NHK)

Kozo Iizuka, a former senior official convicted in a 2019 car crash in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, that killed two people and injured nine others, has died at the age of 93. Iizuka passed away in October, reportedly due to natural causes.

The Governor of Hyogo Prefecture in western Japan has expressed his view that there were no illegalities in his election campaign. The remark came as some are accusing him of violating the public offices election law over the use of a PR company in the campaign. (NHK)

Cough medicine shortages have been ongoing for over a year in Japan, creating significant challenges for both patients and healthcare providers. Hospitals and pharmacies report dwindling stocks, with some relying on alternative solutions like medicated patches.

A renowned Japanese photographer based in New York, Yasuomi Hashimura, known for his groundbreaking contributions to American advertising photography, died after being pushed on the street by a man.