A municipal employee from Hitachi City has been arrested for sending messages threatening to kill Nintendo employees and participants of a gaming event. (News On Japan)

McDonald's Japan has started charging 5 yen for a plastic bag, regardless of size, across all 23 stores in Nagasaki Prefecture, ahead of a nationwide rollout. (News On Japan)

A young female bank employee in her third year at Mizuho Bank's Kobe branch, Naho Takahara, 24, is setting her sights on a solo transatlantic yacht race. (News On Japan)

Analysis of a nationwide survey on the working conditions of teachers, conducted for the first time in six years, has revealed that younger teachers and those responsible for larger classes tend to work longer hours. (News On Japan)

The "2024 Problem" in logistics has been affecting bookstores in Akita Prefecture since April, causing delays in the arrival of paperbacks and literary books, which now reach stores a day after their release date. (News On Japan)

An educational version of "Momotaro Dentetsu," a popular Japanese board game where players compete as railway company presidents to amass wealth by acquiring properties across Japan, has been rolled out to educational institutions since 2023. (News On Japan)

Rakuten Group has announced its decision to issue new dollar-denominated bonds worth approximately 300 billion yen ($2.7 billion), aiming to refinance the debt incurred from previous investments in mobile telecommunications infrastructure. (News On Japan)

Tokyo's cherry blossoms have officially reached their peak bloom, 13 days later than last year. (News On Japan)

A white Toyota Land Cruiser belonging to Junco Mihara, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party in the House of Councillors, was stolen from her home on Wednesday night. (News On Japan)

JR Central has announced that the completion of some sections of the construction for the "Linear Chuo Shinkansen" in Yamanashi and Nagano prefectures is expected to be delayed until 2031. (News On Japan)

Four men have been arrested by Tokyo police for allegedly recruiting women for prostitution in the United States via a website, promising encounters with affluent clients and high earnings. (News On Japan)

Uniqlo, a leading clothing retailer, has announced the start of used clothing sales at its Tenjin store in Fukuoka City, a first for the brand in Kyushu. (News On Japan)

In the bustling Gion district of Kyoto, a private road called "Kosode Koji" known for its historical ambiance is set to be off-limits to tourists. (News On Japan)

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Nara Prefecture has disciplined its former Youth Division Chief following a controversial dance party incident. (News On Japan)

Keiko Aoki, a woman who was acquitted in a retrial after initially being convicted of arson and murder, has publicly voiced her indignation following the Supreme Court's refusal to recognize the state's liability in her wrongful conviction. (News On Japan)

Beef bowls at Sukiya will see a price increase from April 3, along with a late-night surcharge, a first among major beef bowl chains. (News On Japan)

For the first time in 73 years, Japan has unveiled a newly constructed whaling mother ship, equipped with drone technology for whaling operations in the Antarctic Sea. (News On Japan)

The Imperial Household Agency has announced that Princess Kako, the second daughter of the Akishino family, is scheduled to visit Greece in late May to promote international goodwill. (News On Japan)

A speech by Shizuoka Governor Heita Kawakatsu to new employees on Monday, April 1, was broadcast in full, stirring controversy with remarks that could be construed as attributing a hierarchy to professions. (News On Japan)

The Ashinaga Scholarship Foundation, known for supporting students who have lost their parents, is experiencing its lowest scholarship acceptance rate ever. (News On Japan)