Humanoid robots capable of stocking shelves, managing inventory, packaging products, and serving customers in more than 20 languages were showcased at an international retail industry event in Tokyo on October 8, highlighting the growing potential of artificial intelligence to transform store operations as Japan struggles with chronic labor shortages. (News On Japan)

Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force unveiled its latest submarine, the Shogei, at a launch ceremony in Kobe on October 8, featuring improved detection capabilities and quieter onboard systems following construction at a cost of approximately 80.5 billion yen. (News On Japan)

A man in his 40s was injured after being attacked by a troop of wild monkeys in Yugawara, a popular hot spring resort town in Kanagawa Prefecture, on September 17, marking the area's first reported case of a person being bitten by a monkey and prompting authorities to strengthen monitoring of the animals using GPS tracking devices. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks ended nearly unchanged on August 12, with the Nikkei 225 at 66,988.82, as gains in energy and financial shares offset weakness in electronics and pharmaceuticals while investors weighed higher crude oil prices, a weaker yen and growing expectations for another Bank of Japan rate increase. (News On Japan)

CFD取引を始めるとき、多くの人は取扱商品の数やプラットフォームの外観に注目します。しかし、長期的に利用するサービスを選ぶためには、さらに幅広い視点が必要です。 (News On Japan)

Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward will expand restrictions on private lodging businesses across the entire ward from January 2027 after the ward assembly approved an ordinance amendment on October 7 aimed at tightening controls on minpaku short-term rentals. (News On Japan)

Japan is entering a more difficult phase in its cybersecurity challenge, as a succession of major data breaches and ransomware attacks exposes weaknesses not only in corporate IT systems but also in supplier networks, governance structures and operational resilience. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi defended her plan to cut the consumption tax on food and provide support payments to workers in the House of Representatives on October 7, seeking to keep household relief at the center of her autumn Diet agenda while markets continue to test the government’s fiscal credibility. (News On Japan)

Bears are becoming increasingly active across Japan ahead of winter, with poor acorn harvests in parts of the country raising concerns that hungry animals may venture closer to homes and tourist areas in search of food. (News On Japan)

Japan will launch a new tax-free investment program for children in January 2027, allowing parents to invest up to 600,000 yen a year on behalf of children aged 17 or younger while permitting withdrawals from age 12 for expenses such as education and living costs. (News On Japan)

The ransomware group Qilin, accused of carrying out repeated cyberattacks against companies including Asahi Group Holdings, has warned that attacks targeting Japanese companies and government agencies could increase after a suspected core member was detained in Osaka and extradited to Germany. (News On Japan)

The US military suspended activities by all forces stationed in Okinawa for 48 hours from noon on October 7, an unusual measure following the arrest of a US Marine in connection with a robbery and murder case that has renewed scrutiny of crimes involving American service members. (News On Japan)

Japan's four largest beer makers were subjected to simultaneous compulsory searches on October 7 over suspicions they coordinated wholesale prices for beer and other alcoholic beverages, in a rare cartel investigation that could lead to criminal charges. (News On Japan)

Tokyo University of Science professor emeritus Kenzo Soai has been awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with French chemist Henri B. Kagan for discoveries that transformed scientists' understanding of how chemical reactions can favor one of two mirror-image forms of a molecule. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks fell on October 7, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 70,036, down 648 points, as investors took profits in semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related shares after the index’s rapid climb above 70,000 earlier in the week. (News On Japan)

A core member of the international ransomware group Qilin was detained in Japan and handed over to German authorities, according to people familiar with the case, as Japanese companies and institutions face a growing wave of cyberattacks that has exposed nearly 15 million pieces of personal information this month alone. (News On Japan)

Japan’s highly competitive graduate recruitment market remains favorable for students, but signs of change are emerging as the average number of job offers held by candidates declines and companies experiment with new ways to secure talent. (News On Japan)

Japan's prolonged period of rising prices is continuing to squeeze households and businesses, driven by the weak yen, higher raw material costs and rising wages, forcing consumers to change how they shop and cook while companies search for ways to contain costs without losing customers. (News On Japan)

Suzuki Motor said it will launch its new e SKY electric minicar on November 16, marking the automaker's first battery-powered mini passenger vehicle and offering a driving range of 310 kilometers on a single charge, among the longest for a Japanese-made vehicle in the category. (News On Japan)

Japan Airlines has revamped its domestic lounge at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, adding private workspaces, meal options timed to passengers' departures and facilities for families as it seeks to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse range of travelers. (News On Japan)