Gifu Prefecture officials have urged climbers heading into the Northern Alps over the year-end and New Year holiday period to submit climbing plans and ensure they are fully equipped, as part of efforts to prevent mountain accidents. (News On Japan)

In September last year, the sudden acquisition of Spa Resort Hawaiians — long known as “Japan’s Hawaii” — sent shockwaves through the industry. The buyer was Fortress Investment Group, a U.S. investment firm that also made headlines two years ago with its purchase of Sogo & Seibu. How a foreign fund plans to rebuild one of Japan’s most iconic resort facilities is now drawing close scrutiny, as management, former hula dancers, and local residents watch the transformation unfold. (News On Japan)

A wolf that escaped from its enclosure at Tama Zoological Park in Hino, western Tokyo, was captured on December 28, prompting the zoo to close temporarily and bring its operations for the year to an early end. (News On Japan)

A multiple‑vehicle collision involving 67 cars and trucks on the Kan‑Etsu Expressway in Minakami, Gunma Prefecture left two people dead and 26 others injured in snowy conditions on the evening of December 26. (News On Japan)

A Thai girl who was 12 years old at the time and had been illegally made to work at a massage parlor in Tokyo has departed from Narita Airport for Thailand, according to police. (News On Japan)

In response to growing calls for more places to smoke, Osaka City has announced plans to install 63 new smoking areas, including around JR Fukushima Station, after enforcing a citywide ban on smoking in public streets. (News On Japan)

Wild animals are moving ever closer to human living areas, with unexpected encounters now becoming a daily reality across parts of Japan. (News On Japan)

A camera from the Sankei Shimbun was granted rare access to the abandoned Hakubutsukan-Dōbutsuen Station, located between Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations on the Keisei Electric Railway line, which was closed in 2004 and has remained largely untouched ever since. (News On Japan)

Field-based learning that takes students out of the classroom and into real-world settings is gaining traction in Japanese education, with students from Dalton Tokyo Junior and Senior High School and Minerva University in the United States visiting the Unosumai district of Kamaishi in Iwate Prefecture in November as part of an inquiry-based learning program to trace the aftermath of the March 11 disaster. (News On Japan)

Japan’s flagship luxury cruise ship Asuka II, measuring 241 meters in length and featuring 436 guest rooms, made a port call at Osaka Port, offering a rare glimpse inside one of the world’s most acclaimed cruise liners. The vessel has been ranked first for 31 consecutive years in the Cruise Ship of the Year reader poll conducted by Cruise magazine, standing out among roughly 300 ships worldwide. (News On Japan)

A shaved-headed man wearing sandals, half-length pants and a black T-shirt walked through Narita Airport around noon on Friday, surrounded by investigators from the Metropolitan Police Department. He briefly glanced at the assembled cameras before repeatedly bowing his head with a tense expression. (News On Japan)

A man was arrested at the scene after multiple people were stabbed at a factory in Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture, on Tuesday evening, leaving 15 workers injured, police said. (News On Japan)

Japan is bracing for a 2026 travel season that won't look like the past. The days of tourists sticking to the Tokyo-Kyoto rail corridor are ending. Recent booking data suggests travelers are now ditching the "Golden Route" for the deep countryside. (News On Japan)

Shoji Ozaki, a professional golfer affectionately known as “Jumbo” and the most successful winner in Japanese golf history, died on December 23 of sigmoid colon cancer. He was 78. (News On Japan)

A dramatic open-air bath suspended in the air with sweeping views, alongside all-you-can-eat dining featuring nearly 100 dishes—where is the best-value destination for year-end and New Year travel? (News On Japan)

Foreign nationals have been appointed as drivers on local bus routes for the first time nationwide, using Japan’s Specified Skilled Worker program, in a move aimed at easing chronic labor shortages in the sector. (News On Japan)

Japan’s average temperature in 2025 is expected to rank as the third highest since records began, underscoring another year of persistent heat across the country. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the nationwide average temperature for the year is projected to be 1.25 degrees Celsius above the long-term average, placing it behind only last year and the year before, which marked the highest and second-highest readings on record, respectively. (News On Japan)

A road uplift that occurred in a Tokyo neighborhood is believed to have been caused by construction work on the Linear Chuo Shinkansen, with JR Central saying the tunnel excavation was likely responsible for the surface damage. (News On Japan)

Japan’s newest Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer was launched in Nagasaki City, with Defense Minister Koizumi attending the ceremony. (News On Japan)

Uniqlo, one of Japan’s leading fast-fashion brands, announced on the 22nd that it will raise the starting salary for new graduates to 370,000 yen, a move that has drawn widespread attention. (News On Japan)