Emperor Sows Rice Seeds at Imperial Palace to Begin Annual Cultivation

The annual Whale Memorial Service was held in Taiji Town, Wakayama Prefecture, known as a whaling town, to express gratitude for whales that have long contributed to Japan's food culture.

A growing number of cases have been reported in which individuals offering to transfer cats for free on social media platforms demand payments, leading to suspicions of fraud.

Japan's population has been shrinking for 15 years, with huge implications for the country’s economy, national defense, and culture. Now, policymakers are working to boost birth rates. (60 Minutes)

A 100-year-old man driving a passenger car fell approximately 10 meters into a riverbed in Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture, but survived without life-threatening injuries.

The memorial mass for Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88, was held in Tokyo, with Prince Akishino attending on behalf of the Emperor.

Japan's prison system is undergoing a major shift as it prepares to introduce "confinement punishment," moving away from traditional penal servitude that emphasized punishment toward a new focus on rehabilitation.

Eighty years have passed since the Battle of Okinawa, where second-generation Okinawan-Americans, serving as military interpreters, are widely remembered for urging civilians to surrender in their native language, saving countless lives. These interpreters, selected by the U.S. military for their critical role in hastening the end of the war, faced the painful reality of a conflict between their motherland and homeland.

After 77 years, Tokyo is set to return blue skies to Nihonbashi as the city buries its expressways underground and reimagines its historic heart.