A SoftBank Group Corp. subsidiary and two other firms have developed a prototype of a two-seat humanoid robot that can transform into a car for use in amusement parks, the companies said Thursday. (Japan Times)

Robots that can weld, lift and bolt are being developed to help bridge labor shortages at domestic construction sites, though their use will be limited to night shifts when no human workers will be nearby due to safety and regulatory concerns. (Japan Times)

Another volcano erupted in the Kirishima mountain range in the Kyushu region, southwestern Japan, on Thursday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. (Jiji)

The Meteorological Agency says an eruption has occurred at Mount Ioyama in southwestern Japan, spewing volcanic rocks around the crater. (NHK)

Researchers at Japanese electronics maker Hitachi are studying a new method to help people detect cancer at an early stage. The idea is to screen urine samples mailed from home. (NHK)

A Japanese government panel started talks Thursday on action to be taken if the Japan Meteorological Agency announces a significant rise in the possibility of a major earthquake occurring at the Nankai Trough off the country's Pacific coast. (Jiji)

Since 1979, the Shibuya 109 skyscraper has stood tall, literally, as the epicenter of trendy young women’s fashion in Tokyo. A recent government study, though, considered what would happen if it were the epicenter of an earthquake, and the results weren’t nearly as pretty as the gyaru and one-kei outfits that have been purchased at 109 over the years. (Japan Today)

Japan will aim to realize a carbon-free society by 2050 through an energy policy shift, industry ministry proposals said Tuesday. (Jiji)

The latest artificial intelligence technologies and services are on display at an exhibition in Tokyo. (NHK)

Japanese macaques in Jigokudani valley, Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, take a dip in hot springs during the winter to relieve stress by warming themselves up, a research team has found. (Jiji)

Japan’s whaling fleet returned on Saturday after catching more than 300 of the mammals in the Antarctic Ocean without interference from anti-whaling protests, officials said. (Japan Times)

A team of Japanese research institutes wants to hunt down the stem cells of human cancers by employing an ultra-precise observation sensor technology used in the Hitomi astronomy satellite. (Japan Times)

The operator of the Genkai nuclear plant in southwestern Japan says it has found a hole in a reactor pipe where a steam leak was detected on Friday. (NHK)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has released its first estimate of maximum storm surges triggered by a super typhoon hitting Tokyo Bay. (NHK)

Kyushu Electric Power Co. <9508> said Friday it has found a small steam leak at the No. 3 reactor at its Genkai nuclear power plant in Saga Prefecture, southwestern Japan. (Jiji)

Back when I was in college, an acquaintance of mine who was answering a survey listed his favorite smell as "young women." I sort of figured he was either trying to be funny or suffering the psychological effects of a major dating dry spell, but it turns out he may have been on to something. (soranews24.com)

A few years back, the normally sleepy town of Taiji in Wakayama Prefecture was filled with activists furious with its traditional dolphin hunt, which was featured in “The Cove,” a 2009 Academy Award-winning documentary. (Japan Times)

The Tokyo High Court on Monday overturned a lower court ruling and said the owner of a cellphone with a mobile TV function is obliged to pay the NHK subscription fee. (Japan Times)

Shikoku Electric Power Co. will not seek to extend the operation of an aging nuclear reactor in western Japan, judging that the required safety investments will not pay off due to declining electricity demand in the region, sources close to the matter said Monday. (Kyodo)

A series of explosive eruptions has been observed at a volcano in southwestern Japan, after a lull of 10 days. The Meteorological Agency is warning people to stay away from Mount Shinmoe, and is maintaining an alert level of 3, on a scale of 1 to 5. (NHK)