The Japanese government has approved a bill to revise the Immigration Control Act that would raise the maximum fee for foreigners applying for permanent residency from 10,000 yen to 300,000 yen, while under the current law the maximum fee charged for residence-related procedures is capped at 10,000 yen. (News On Japan)

Japan posted a current account surplus of 941.6 billion yen in January, marking the 12th consecutive month in the black, according to preliminary balance of payments data released by the Finance Ministry on March 9th. (News On Japan)

Real wages in Japan turned positive for the first time in 13 months in January, rising 1.4% from a year earlier after accounting for inflation, according to data released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. (News On Japan)

Customs authorities in Osaka strengthened border controls on March 9th in response to a continued influx of counterfeit goods entering Japan, including fake merchandise linked to popular characters and events. (News On Japan)

Two men fell while climbing Mount Fuji shortly before 3 p.m. on March 9th near the New Seventh Station, as authorities launched a rescue operation on the mountain where summit routes remain closed for the winter season. (News On Japan)

Japan’s Foreign Minister Motegi held a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi and condemned attacks on civilian facilities in Gulf countries as well as actions threatening navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, urging Iran to halt such activities. (News On Japan)

The Nikkei Stock Average plunged by more than 4,100 points at one stage at the start of the week as crude oil prices surged sharply, with widespread sell orders hitting Tokyo stocks immediately after the market opened on Monday and pushing the index below the 52,000 level during trading. (News On Japan)

Nara Prefecture’s Asuka Village, with a history spanning 1,400 years, preserves numerous historic sites that tell the story of Japan’s ancient capitals, including the vividly colored wall paintings of the Takamatsuzuka Tumulus depicting the famed “Asuka Beauties,” while the surrounding satoyama countryside continues to evoke what many consider the original landscape of Japan. (News On Japan)

Right now in Japan, more women say they do not want to get married. In 1980, the unmarried rate for women was about 4%, meaning most women eventually married. Today it is about 23%, or roughly one in four women. (Japanese Comedian Meshida)

A day after a woman in her 70s was injured when a cherry tree collapsed at the same park, another tree was found toppled in Kinuta Park in Tokyo’s Setagaya Ward on March 8th. (News On Japan)

Sake brewed aboard the International Space Station returned from orbit and arrived at Kansai International Airport on March 6th, marking a milestone in a Japanese initiative aimed at eventually producing alcohol on the Moon. (News On Japan)

Prince Hisahito, the eldest son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko and second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne, joined children on the ski slopes during a visit to Hokkaido, where he was seen offering assistance to a child who had fallen. (News On Japan)

A cherry tree more than 10 meters tall toppled in a Tokyo park on March 7th, pinning a woman in her 70s beneath its branches and leaving her with minor injuries. (News On Japan)

An 83-year-old yakuza boss has been arrested on suspicion of collecting protection money by forcing a restaurant owner to purchase a decorative rake known as a kumade. (News On Japan)

Once known as a “3K” job—dangerous, demanding and poorly paid—the taxi industry in Japan has long struggled with labor shortages, but drivers’ incomes have improved significantly in recent years, rising by roughly 40 percent compared with 2020 during the COVID-19 downturn. (News On Japan)

Property taxes play an important role in supporting schools, roads, and emergency services across Travis County. (News On Japan)

The sight of Punch, a baby monkey often seen clutching an orangutan plush toy as a substitute mother, has captured widespread attention, but the animal’s growing popularity has also led to the emergence of fraudulent social media accounts soliciting donations in his name. (News On Japan)

A 21-year-old man has been rearrested in connection with a stabbing incident in Osaka’s Minami district that left three 17-year-old boys dead or injured, as police also launched outreach efforts for troubled youths in the area. (News On Japan)

Japan was once known as a “vending machine superpower,” but the number of machines across the country continues to decline as rising prices and changing consumer habits drive people away from drink vending machines. (News On Japan)

Come with us for an overnight trip as we step back in time in the small town of Uchiko! (japan-guide.com)