Construction of an underground tunnel for Japan's Linear Chuo Shinkansen in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward is expected to remain suspended for at least another six months after damage was discovered in several components of a large tunnel boring machine, according to Central Japan Railway (JR Central). (News On Japan)

Police in Saitama Prefecture are urging hikers to submit climbing plans before heading into the mountains during the busy autumn recreational season, after nearly 80% of people involved in mountain emergencies this year were found to have failed to file the necessary information. (News On Japan)

The Konosu Fireworks Festival, one of Japan's largest fireworks events, set a Guinness World Record for the number of consecutive large-shell fireworks launched on October 10, as approximately 20,000 fireworks illuminated the autumn night sky over Konosu City in Saitama Prefecture. (News On Japan)

Corporate bankruptcies caused by labor shortages in Japan reached a record 240 cases in the first half of the current fiscal year, highlighting the growing financial strain on small businesses as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledges to protect household livelihoods through economic growth while pursuing consumption tax cuts that could place additional pressure on the restaurant industry. (News On Japan)

Physical fitness among Japanese women in their 30s and 40s has been declining, according to the Sports Agency's fiscal 2025 Physical Fitness and Athletic Ability Survey, with experts pointing to the disproportionate burden of housework and childcare as a major factor limiting opportunities for exercise. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks fell sharply on June 26 as investors locked in profits from Japan’s record-setting AI-driven rally, with SoftBank Group and chip-related shares leading a broad retreat after reports that OpenAI may delay its initial public offering. (News On Japan)

Japan recorded a current account surplus of 4.062 trillion yen in August, an increase of 12% from a year earlier, driven primarily by a sharp rise in income from overseas investments, even as higher crude oil prices pushed the country's trade balance into deficit. (News On Japan)

The Japanese government has approved a bill to reduce the consumption tax on food from 8% to 1% for two years beginning in April 2027, while pledging to finance the measure without issuing deficit-covering government bonds, although it has yet to specify how it will cover the estimated 10 trillion yen cost. (News On Japan)

Household spending in Japan fell 3.1% in August from a year earlier, marking the ninth consecutive month of decline as rising food prices continued to weigh on consumer budgets, according to the latest household expenditure survey released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on October 9. (News On Japan)

Police in Oita Prefecture have revealed that the Kanto region accounts for the largest number of reported sightings of Yoichi Hatta, a fugitive wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run incident in Beppu in 2022, with authorities preparing to distribute new wanted posters nationwide from November as the search enters its fifth year. (News On Japan)

Japan's first 360-degree projection mapping show will open at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts on October 10, transforming the historic building into an immersive world of light, music, and seasonal imagery, with organizers hoping the attraction will also help stimulate the city's nighttime economy. (News On Japan)

A series of cyberattacks has disrupted business operations and exposed millions of customer records across Japan, with a ransomware attack on a cloud service provider affecting 495 companies and local governments nationwide, while convenience store operator Lawson has disclosed a separate breach involving more than 2.15 million personal information records. (News On Japan)

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)

A former dog breeder accused of failing to provide veterinary treatment to injured dogs at a facility in Neyagawa, Osaka Prefecture, pleaded not guilty as her trial opened on October 7, saying she had raised the animals with affection. (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)