All 300 units of a newly developed robot offered by major Japanese telecom operator Softbank have sold out. The human-like robot can talk and read human expressions. (NHK)

The gentle giant has been designed specifically to assist in caring for Japan's ageing population, taking on heavy-duty tasks such as lifting. (cnet.com)

Fishermen in Fukushima Prefecture criticized Tokyo Electric Power Co. on Wednesday over fresh leaks of radioactive water into the ocean from the crippled nuclear plant and its failure to take immediate measures despite learning of the possibility of leaks last spring. (Kyodo)

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Tuesday it has failed to disclose leaks into the sea of rainwater containing radioactive substances from a drainage ditch linked to a building at its stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant although it became aware of the leaks in April last year. (Jiji Press)

A remote Japanese island in the Pacific Ocean has grown more than 11 times in size since an underwater eruption started about 15 months ago. (NHK)

A Japanese company known for designing off-the-wall devices has unveiled a wearable tomato machine for marathon runners. (sbs.com.au)

One of my favorite things about the Harry Potter universe was the fact that all the photos and paintings of people moved around on their own. Sure it was only a tiny detail, but it was all those little details of how a wizarding world might actually work coming together that made the final product so amazing. (Japan Today)

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said Sunday that an alarm went off at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s <9501> Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant that signaled high radioactivity levels in drainage ditches. (Jiji Press)

The nation's first mass-produced drone underwent a test flight here Feb. 20 ahead of work assisting cleanup crews near the stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. (Asahi)

Japan's Meteorological Agency plans to issue faster warnings about volcanic eruptions to help climbers and communities living around craters. (NHK)

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said Monday its Akatsuki space probe, which is scheduled to reattempt a survey of Venus in December, has successfully passed the point in its route closest to the sun. (The Japan News)

The International Atomic Energy Agency suggested Tuesday that Japan consider releasing radioactive water into the ocean, after drastically reducing its radiation levels, to enhance safety at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. (Kyodo)

Japan's government is raising its estimates on damage from a possible megaquake and ensuing tsunami in eastern to northern parts of the country along the Pacific Ocean. (NHK)

A minor tsunami has hit the coast of northern Japan after an advisory was issued following a 6.8-magnitude earthquake in northern Japan. (9news.com.au)

A Japanese aquarium has captured the first footage of conger eels spawning eggs. (NHK)

Japanese government officials are planning to tighten controls on mercury as part of an international effort to regulate the material. (NHK)

The operator of the disaster-hit Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant on Thursday began experiments using cosmic rays in an effort to look at the condition of the damaged reactor cores, hoping it will help determine how to remove the melted fuel they hold. (Japan Times)

A long-serving satellite that has provided valuable data on rainfall in tropical regions will be retired from service in April, closing the curtain on a mission that greatly exceeded expectations. (The Japan News)

Japan's weather bureau said on Tuesday it sees about a 50% chance that an El Nino weather pattern, linked to heavy rainfall in some regions and drought in others, may re-emerge by summer after it subsided over spring. (Japan Today)

Riken said Tuesday that it is considering filing a criminal complaint against Haruko Obokata, a former researcher at the Japanese government-affiliated research institute, over a scandal involving STAP cells, which she claimed to be a new type of stem cell. (Jiji Press)