Women’s colleges in Japan are at a turning point. Once numbering 98 at their peak, their ranks have been steadily declining due to demographic pressures and changes in how women build their careers, with many institutions opting to transition to coeducation or suspend student recruitment altogether. (News On Japan)

A fire broke out in an apartment building in Suginami, Tokyo, shortly before 2 a.m. on September 25th, after a mobile battery being used to charge a smartphone caught fire, leaving six people hospitalized for smoke inhalation and other injuries. (News On Japan)

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) announced on September 25th that it will withdraw its "Africa Hometown" project, with President Akihiko Tanaka explaining at a press conference that widespread misunderstanding had created excessive burdens for local governments. (News On Japan)

Panasonic Holdings will begin soliciting early retirement applications next month at one of its core operating companies as part of broader restructuring efforts. (News On Japan)

Hoshino Resorts announced on September 25th that it will open the Nara Prison Museum in April next year, transforming the former Nara Prison, once used as a juvenile correctional facility, into a combined hotel and museum. (News On Japan)

A 10-vehicle collision on Route 36 in Eniwa, Hokkaido, on Thursday morning left two people injured and set off a dramatic police pursuit, as the driver suspected of causing the crash abandoned his car and fled on foot before being arrested several kilometers away. (News On Japan)

Japan counts only eight unicorns -- unlisted startups valued at over 150 billion yen -- compared with 690 in the United States, and has yet to produce a single 'hectocorn,' the term for companies worth more than 100 billion dollars such as ByteDance’s TikTok, OpenAI, or SpaceX. (News On Japan)

Prince Hisahito, the eldest son of Prince and Princess Akishino, began his visit to the Osaka-Kansai Expo on September 24th, marking his first solo official public engagement. (News On Japan)

A transgender man living in Sapporo has won a landmark case after the Sapporo Family Court ruled that the legal requirement demanding surgical or hormonal changes to alter the appearance of one’s genitals in order to change gender on the family register is unconstitutional. (News On Japan)

A sea of clouds spread across Lake Kussharo in Teshikaga, eastern Hokkaido, on Wednesday morning, creating a striking early sign of the coming winter. (News On Japan)

Japan and Saudi Arabia announced a new memorandum of understanding for economic cooperation on September 24th at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, with a strong emphasis on expanding entertainment and content industries. (News On Japan)

A van trapped at a railway crossing in Kaizuka, Osaka Prefecture, was struck by an oncoming train on September 23rd, killing 54-year-old driver Sayuri Hirokawa, with the entire incident captured on a surveillance camera. (News On Japan)

Residents in Settsu City, Osaka Prefecture, have decided to file for pollution mediation against chemical manufacturer Daikin Industries, whose plant is located in the area, after groundwater was found to contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), some of which are suspected of being carcinogenic. (News On Japan)

The Tokyo District Court on September 24th approved the release on bail of actor Hiroya Shimizu, 26, who has been indicted for violating the Narcotics Control Act by possessing cannabis. (News On Japan)

Sapporo City has issued an unusual request, urging families not to place 10 yen coins in coffins before cremation, citing the risk of damage to cremation furnaces. (News On Japan)

Police in Hyogo Prefecture have arrested gang affiliates over the abduction of a man in his 20s in Amagasaki, who remains missing, with investigators now moving toward re-arresting several suspects on suspicion of murder. (News On Japan)

Nearly 18 years have passed since journalist Kenji Nagai was shot dead while covering a protest in Myanmar, and new analysis has revealed that his final words were recorded on the video camera he held until the very end. (News On Japan)

Ferrari Japan unveiled the new plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV) ‘849 Testarossa’ in Tokyo on September 24th, carrying forward the name of the legendary Testarossa. (News On Japan)

Japan's Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru delivered a general debate speech at the United Nations General Assembly on September 24th, where he underscored the need to expand the Security Council and questioned whether the UN is fulfilling the role originally expected of it. (News On Japan)

A festival float overturned at Ikeda Hachiman Shrine in Ikeda, Nagano Prefecture, on the night of September 23rd, injuring five children. (News On Japan)