Prime Minister Takaichi began her responses in the House of Councillors on November 5th with an apology over political funds issues, as parliamentary questioning continued following her policy speech. (News On Japan)

FamilyMart has introduced an online sign language interpreting service ahead of the first-ever Deaflympics to be held in Japan. (News On Japan)

The number of U.S. military personnel arrested for criminal offenses in Okinawa has reached 77 so far this year, already surpassing the record total for all of 2024 as of the end of September. (News On Japan)

A rare migratory bird seldom seen in Okinawa has become the talk of the town after appearing in Nago City. The bird, identified as a spoonbill, was spotted along the Nasada River in the city’s Kogachi district. (News On Japan)

Nintendo has raised its forecast for the upcoming fiscal year ending in March 2026, projecting revenue to exceed 2 trillion yen for the first time. (News On Japan)

Georgia is a small country between Europe and Asia, known for its beautiful nature, rich history and warm hospitality. From high mountains to green valleys, from old churches to modern cities, Georgia offers something for every traveler. (News On Japan)

Japan’s space industry is gaining new momentum under Prime Minister Takaichi’s vision of building a “strong economy,” with the sector identified as a key target for strategic investment alongside AI and energy security. (News On Japan)

Based in the ancient capital of Nara, “future implementer” Hiromichi Fujimoto is leading multiple companies that blend technology and imagination to shape the society of tomorrow. (News On Japan)

Thirteen Japanese nationals are among 57 foreigners detained in a police raid on a special fraud base in southeastern Cambodia, according to local reports. Footage captured by JNN showed Cambodian authorities raiding a facility believed to be used for large-scale international scams. (News On Japan)

As the new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, begins her term, many countries are sending in facilitation letters and also pledging their commitment to mutually beneficial ties. (News On Japan)

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare plans to introduce a new system starting in June 2027 that will, in principle, deny changes or renewals of residence status for foreign residents who fail to pay their national health insurance premiums despite repeated requests for payment. (News On Japan)

As of November 4th, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced that a tropical depression near the Caroline Islands is expected to develop into a typhoon within the next 24 hours. The system is separate from Typhoon No. 25 (Haiyan) currently near the Philippines and is projected to move northwestward once it intensifies. (News On Japan)

The Tenpyo Procession, in which participants don splendid period costumes and visit Todaiji Temple, was held in Nara on November 3rd. The event commemorates Emperor Shomu, who commissioned the construction of the Great Buddha, and Empress Komyo, known for her devotion to Buddhism. (News On Japan)

A police officer responding to a traffic accident in Hyogo Prefecture died after falling from a bridge on November 3rd in Nishinomiya City, with authorities investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. (News On Japan)

The opening ceremony of the annual Osaka Festival of Lights was held on November 3rd along Midosuji, Osaka’s main street, transforming the city’s nightscape with dazzling illuminations as trees lining the boulevard glowed with countless lights. (News On Japan)

China’s Foreign Ministry announced that it will extend visa-free entry for Japan, France, and 43 other countries until the end of December 2026, as the government seeks to attract more overseas investment and tourists amid a prolonged economic slowdown. (News On Japan)

Farmers across western Japan are facing mounting losses from the growing population of nutria, large semi-aquatic rodents originally brought from South America. Once imported for their fur, the animals have become a major agricultural pest, chewing through crops and spreading rapidly into urban areas. (News On Japan)

Local authorities in Shari, a town in Hokkaido, are seeking donations to preserve and promote an old Japan National Railways bridge that has been registered as a national tangible cultural property. (News On Japan)

Japan’s record-breaking bear crisis has entered a new and deadly phase, with authorities confirming that a 79-year-old woman missing in Akita Prefecture was found dead in the mountains, believed to be the 13th fatality from bear attacks this year. (News On Japan)

A woman armed with a knife was subdued by police after causing a disturbance inside a movie theater in Tokyo’s Kabukicho district on November 2nd. (News On Japan)