Funabashi in Chiba Prefecture has surged in the latest ranking of the most desirable places to live in the Greater Tokyo area, announced on February 25th, reflecting growing demand for well-connected commuter cities offering relatively affordable housing and convenient urban amenities. (News On Japan)

A ranking of Japan’s most skilled singing prefectures has placed Aomori at No.1 for the second consecutive year, prompting fresh curiosity over why residents there tend to score highly in karaoke assessments, according to a survey conducted by N-Sta. (News On Japan)

A traditional strength-offering ritual known as “Mochiage Chikara Hono,” in which participants lift massive rice cakes to pray for good health, was held at Daigoji, a UNESCO World Heritage temple in Kyoto. (News On Japan)

Aichi Prefecture recorded the highest number of car thefts nationwide in 2025, with more than 1,000 cases as thefts continue to rise in recent years, and Land Cruisers account for 40 percent of the vehicles targeted, prompting authorities to warn that multiple layers of security are essential to deter increasingly sophisticated methods. (News On Japan)

An elevator at Tokyo Skytree in Sumida Ward made an emergency stop on February 22nd, trapping 20 passengers for about six hours before they were safely rescued with no injuries reported, and the landmark tower remained closed on February 23rd while the operator announced it would also remain temporarily closed on February 24th for further safety inspections and investigation. (News On Japan)

A 21-year-old navigation officer was arrested after a cargo vessel collided with a recreational fishing boat off the coast of Toba, Mie Prefecture, leaving two men dead and multiple others injured. (News On Japan)

Emperor Naruhito turned 66 on February 23rd, marking the occasion with a press conference in which he reflected on the state of the nation and expressed his concern for people affected by natural disasters, as tens of thousands later gathered at the Imperial Palace for a public greeting held under unseasonably warm weather. (News On Japan)

Three men were left unconscious and in critical condition after a violent scramble for sacred wooden sticks during the Saidaiji Eyo naked festival in Okayama Prefecture on February 22nd, with a total of six participants transported to hospital. (News On Japan)

Record-low rainfall has exposed parts of a “phantom village” that sank beneath a riverbed more than 40 years ago in Niyodogawa, Kochi Prefecture, while the water shortage has also left sections of the Shimanto River nearly dry, raising concerns about its impact on ayu fishing and daily life. (News On Japan)

As Japan enters an era of greater diversity in the Reiwa period, the shape of marriage is evolving, with some couples choosing “friendship marriages” without romance and others even selecting artificial intelligence as a life partner, reflecting a broader search for happiness and trust beyond traditional expectations. (News On Japan)

A temple in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, was completely destroyed in a fire early Friday morning, with two bodies were discovered in the ruins. (News On Japan)

The family of a female nurse who took her own life after being severely reprimanded by a doctor while working under the risk of COVID-19 infection has filed a lawsuit seeking damages from the Japanese Red Cross Society, following official recognition of the case as a work-related accident. (News On Japan)

Three adults were stabbed by a man armed with a knife inside a library in Fukuoka’s Sawara Ward on Thursday night, leaving one person seriously injured, and police arrested the suspect at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder. (News On Japan)

A brutal stabbing in Osaka’s Minami district late last week left three young men wounded, one fatally, raising new questions about the changing environment around a well-known youth gathering spot beneath the Glico sign in Dotonbori. (News On Japan)

A fire broke out in a busy entertainment district near JR Osaka Station in Osaka’s Kita Ward at around 7:30 p.m. on February 18th, leaving a yakitori restaurant employee with minor burns. (News On Japan)

Three teenage boys were stabbed in Osaka’s Minami district, leaving one dead and two seriously injured, in an attack that police say may have involved repeated stabbings with strong intent to kill. (News On Japan)

A 51-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of posing as a Japan Airlines cabin attendant and defrauding a woman of more than 10 million yen by promising discounted overseas travel. (News On Japan)

A female prosecutor who says she was sexually assaulted by a former head of the Osaka District Public Prosecutors Office has filed a lawsuit seeking damages from the state and others, alleging she suffered secondary harm due to the prosecution’s handling of the case. (News On Japan)

Japan’s phone environment is set for sweeping changes in 2026, with mobile numbers nearing exhaustion and long-standing services such as feature phones, the Town Page directory and the 104 information line all coming to an end. (News On Japan)

A man has been arrested on suspicion of posing as a model audition for an underwear brand and photographing women in their underwear. (News On Japan)