A light aircraft carrying three people that departed from Saga Airport on the morning of November 19th was found crashed in the mountains of Hoshino Village in Yame City, Fukuoka Prefecture, where emergency crews recovered three bodies whose identities and genders have yet to be confirmed. (News On Japan)

Okinawa Hotel in Naha received a commemorative bronze plaque from the Agency for Cultural Affairs after being designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property by the national government. (News On Japan)

Toyota’s experimental urban prototype Woven City, built in Shizuoka Prefecture as a large-scale test site, has entered its second month since opening in September, with the city’s early operations beginning to take visible shape as on-site demonstrations expand and new technologies are trialed across the community. (News On Japan)

Hokkaido hosted a company briefing session in Sapporo aimed at students and career changers on November 19th as part of an effort to energize the region’s space-related industries. (News On Japan)

Nagoya’s November session of the city assembly opened with members receiving a new ordinance proposal that would prohibit the unauthorized removal of aluminum cans and other recyclable materials placed out for collection, a move prompted by a sharp rise in scavenging as soaring material prices increase the value of recovered aluminum. (News On Japan)

A craze for puffy, glossy Bonbon Drop Stickers is spreading rapidly among elementary and junior high school students, turning these colorful seals into one of the most sought-after items of the season while also emerging as an unexpected communication tool for families. (News On Japan)

Tensions between Japan and China showed no sign of easing on November 18th after bureau-level talks in Beijing, where the Chinese side again demanded that Prime Minister Takaichi retract a parliamentary remark regarding a Taiwan contingency, prompting a firm rebuttal from the Japanese delegation. (News On Japan)

Princess Aiko, who is in Laos on her first official overseas duty, attended a state banquet on Tuesday night and delivered a greeting that included some Lao phrases. (News On Japan)

Aomori Prefecture was hit by intensifying snowfall on November 18th as the country’s first heavy snow warning of the season was issued, with the hot spring district of Sukayu reporting more than one meter of snow amid rapidly worsening conditions. (News On Japan)

Takaichi’s administration is moving closer to finalizing its economic package aimed at easing the strain of rising prices, with the government preparing a set of measures that include a gasoline tax cut, fresh investments across 17 priority fields and expanded subsidies for electricity and gas bills. (News On Japan)

Foreign luxury hotels are increasingly incorporating kumiko, a traditional Japanese woodworking technique, into their interiors, with the Four Seasons Hotel Osaka drawing particular attention from overseas visitors for its striking geometric patterns crafted without the use of nails. (News On Japan)

Ever wonder how buildings in Japan stay safe from strong winds, heavy rain, and earthquakes? (News On Japan)

Officials inspected a planned mega-solar construction site around the Kushiro Wetland on November 17th as staff from Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Hokkaido government visited the area together with Nippon Ecology President Matsui Masanori to confirm whether the project could affect the breeding and growth of red-crowned cranes. (News On Japan)

Autumn seems to be passing quickly this year, with peak foliage arriving almost before many have had time to notice. To help readers avoid missing the season’s highlights, reporters visited some of the best spots now at their most vibrant. (News On Japan)

Cases of inappropriate childcare are emerging across the country, and a recent incident in Higashi-Osaka has renewed concerns about how young children are being treated in nurseries. (News On Japan)

The Japanese Embassy in Beijing urged Japanese nationals in China on November 18th to take extra precautions for their personal safety as the Chinese government intensifies its opposition to Prime Minister Takai’s recent comments regarding a potential Taiwan contingency, prompting the embassy to send a warning email later in the evening. (News On Japan)

Japan’s traditional employment practices are once again under scrutiny as debate intensifies over so-called “do-nothing middle-aged workers,” with critics arguing that long-standing structural issues in hiring, promotion, and job assignment have allowed a segment of workers to lose motivation while remaining in secure positions. (News On Japan)

Aiko, the eldest daughter of the Emperor and Empress, arrived in Laos on her first official trip abroad, completing roughly 11 hours of travel before reaching the capital Vientiane, where she was welcomed with traditional dance at her hotel and greeted those who had gathered by bringing her hands together in a gesture of respect, enjoying the atmosphere without showing signs of fatigue. (News On Japan)

A strong winter-pattern pressure system drove the season’s coldest air across the country on November 18th, making snow and rain more likely along the Japan Sea coast while bringing heavy snow and blizzard conditions to parts of northern Japan, with temperatures falling sharply nationwide and even areas that see sunshine experiencing a biting northerly wind. (News On Japan)

In recent months, a clear shift has appeared in Japan’s App Store rankings - users now prefer lightweight utilities that improve device performance without ads or paid upgrades. (News On Japan)