Komeito leader Saito told senior members of the party’s regional organizations that, following the party’s departure from its coalition with the Liberal Democratic Party, he intends to establish a new party vision centered on centrist reform by the time of the party convention next autumn, saying in the meeting that he is determined to raise the banner of centrist reform high within Japanese politics and open up a new horizon by serving as a unifying axis across the ruling and opposition blocs. (News On Japan)

"For many years, criticizing politicians for being 'soft on China' has been an effective tactic. (News On Japan)

A tour of a traditional Japanese onsen and ryokan in Yufuin Onsen, a small town on Kyushu island in southern Japan. (Gabriel Traveler)

The world of handmade lingerie is melting into the realms of art, comfort, and personal expression. Designers and hobbyist sewists have begun to prefer mesh over its competitors. (News On Japan)

Izumisano City in Osaka has taken a concrete step toward establishing a “baby hatch,” sending municipal officials to observe operations at Jikei Hospital in Kumamoto, the first institution in Japan to introduce the service 18 years ago. (News On Japan)

An elderly woman without a family registry was found dead from starvation in her home in Takaishi, Osaka, exposing the severe isolation faced by people who are legally “invisible” and therefore unable to access basic public support. The case highlighted deeply rooted structural issues affecting an estimated 10,000 or more individuals nationwide who, for various reasons, were never entered into Japan’s koseki system. (News On Japan)

BYD will introduce an aggressively priced plug-in hybrid vehicle in Japan as part of its bid to expand market share, with the company set to begin domestic sales of its Sealion 6 model on December 1st at a starting price of 3.98 million yen, according to reporting by TV Tokyo. (News On Japan)

From high above Kyoto, the city’s autumn colors can be seen spreading vividly across the landscape, with trees throughout the area turning a deep, striking red that stands out even from the air. (News On Japan)

Japan’s nuclear policy, forced into a turning point by the catastrophic accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, has undergone a sweeping shift as the country moves from a nationwide shutdown of reactors to a steady resumption of operations. (News On Japan)

Tokyo police carried out a search on a home-share facility and its operating company on Wednesday after investigators determined that the firm continued running its minpaku business on days explicitly banned under local ordinance and then submitted false reports to the authorities. (News On Japan)

Tokyo High Court issued a ruling on November [insert month here if needed based on publication timing] that the government’s refusal to recognize same-sex marriage is constitutional, a decision that prompted deep disappointment among the plaintiffs who had argued that the current legal framework violates the Constitution’s guarantee of freedom of marriage. (News On Japan)

A 69-year-old security guard was lightly injured on November 28th when he was attacked by a bear inside a public restroom located in front of JR Numata Station in Gunma Prefecture. (News On Japan)

Toyota’s global production in October reached 926,987 vehicles, rising 3.8% from a year earlier, marking the fifth consecutive month of year-on-year growth and setting a new single-month record for the first time in 1 year and 11 months. (News On Japan)

The Chinese Embassy in Japan reiterated its call for citizens to refrain from traveling to the country after issuing a renewed advisory on November 26th, warning on social media that those already in Japan should take extra precautions to stay safe as embassy officials report a rise in requests for assistance from Chinese nationals who say they have faced discrimination since July. (News On Japan)