The Japanese stock market is entering a new phase as investors look ahead to 2026 following a volatile but ultimately strong year in 2025, when the Nikkei index briefly approached the 50,000-yen level. (News On Japan)

Japan’s auto industry, already facing mounting pressure, is preparing for another major challenge in 2026 as Taiwan-based manufacturing giant Foxconn steps up its push into the Japanese market. Following its earlier focus on Chinese electric vehicle makers, the company is now turning its attention to Japan, raising questions over whether it will become a partner or a rival to domestic automakers. (News On Japan)

A man has been arrested in connection with the stabbing of a female esthetic salon manager in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward on August 29, with investigators revealing that the suspect had previously used the salon multiple times and had been involved in a dispute over unpaid fees. (News On Japan)

The final trading session of the year concluded at the Osaka Exchange in Kitahama, Osaka, where the traditional year-end ceremony known as the “Dainokai” was held to mark the close of trading. (News On Japan)

Tetsuzo Fuwa, former chairman of the Japanese Communist Party and a central figure in the party for decades, died on December 30, the party announced. He was 95. (News On Japan)

As global uncertainty continues to grow, Japan’s electronic components industry has been quietly strengthening its presence on the world stage. A closer look at technologies recognized by Apple reveals Japan’s current position as a critical hub in the global supply chain. (News On Japan)

North Safari Sapporo, a zoo located in Minami Ward, Sapporo, which closed in September, reached its deadline on December 26 to remove illegal structures from the site. (News On Japan)

A five-year-old boy died after becoming trapped in an outdoor belt-type escalator at a ski resort in Otaru, Hokkaido, on Sunday morning. (News On Japan)

In Edo period Japan, one of the most erotic parts of a woman's body wasn’t the melons, the peaches, or the buns fresh from the bakery. No, it was the neck. Specifically, the back of it. (News On Japan)

Okinawa Prefecture has unveiled a development plan for a J.League-standard stadium to be built in Okunoyama Park in Naha, with initial construction costs estimated at approximately 26.4 billion yen. (News On Japan)

A special exhibition showcasing specimens of rare wildlife found in Okinawa has opened in Naha, offering visitors a close look at the region’s rich natural heritage. (News On Japan)

The U.S. military is expected to resume solo patrols outside its bases as early as the end of the year, with both the Japanese and U.S. governments confirming the policy shift following a temporary suspension triggered by the wrongful detention of a civilian man. (News On Japan)

Gifu Prefecture officials have urged climbers heading into the Northern Alps over the year-end and New Year holiday period to submit climbing plans and ensure they are fully equipped, as part of efforts to prevent mountain accidents. (News On Japan)

In September last year, the sudden acquisition of Spa Resort Hawaiians — long known as “Japan’s Hawaii” — sent shockwaves through the industry. The buyer was Fortress Investment Group, a U.S. investment firm that also made headlines two years ago with its purchase of Sogo & Seibu. How a foreign fund plans to rebuild one of Japan’s most iconic resort facilities is now drawing close scrutiny, as management, former hula dancers, and local residents watch the transformation unfold. (News On Japan)

A multiple‑vehicle collision involving 67 cars and trucks on the Kan‑Etsu Expressway in Minakami, Gunma Prefecture left two people dead and 26 others injured in snowy conditions on the evening of December 26. (News On Japan)

A Thai girl who was 12 years old at the time and had been illegally made to work at a massage parlor in Tokyo has departed from Narita Airport for Thailand, according to police. (News On Japan)

In response to growing calls for more places to smoke, Osaka City has announced plans to install 63 new smoking areas, including around JR Fukushima Station, after enforcing a citywide ban on smoking in public streets. (News On Japan)

Wild animals are moving ever closer to human living areas, with unexpected encounters now becoming a daily reality across parts of Japan. (News On Japan)

A camera from the Sankei Shimbun was granted rare access to the abandoned Hakubutsukan-Dōbutsuen Station, located between Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations on the Keisei Electric Railway line, which was closed in 2004 and has remained largely untouched ever since. (News On Japan)

Field-based learning that takes students out of the classroom and into real-world settings is gaining traction in Japanese education, with students from Dalton Tokyo Junior and Senior High School and Minerva University in the United States visiting the Unosumai district of Kamaishi in Iwate Prefecture in November as part of an inquiry-based learning program to trace the aftermath of the March 11 disaster. (News On Japan)