Japan's Nikkei stock average plunged more than 2,500 points at one stage during trading in Tokyo on October 15, as a sharp sell-off in semiconductor shares followed a surge in U.S. long-term interest rates and renewed concerns over the outlook for artificial intelligence investment. (News On Japan)

Three people, including a former chief priest, have been arrested over the alleged takeover of a historic Buddhist temple in central Kyoto, with investigators suspecting they sold temple-owned land and buildings without authorization for approximately 226 million yen, leaving the 300-year-old institution with almost none of its property beyond its main hall and grounds. (News On Japan)

Russian authorities have arrested a Japanese journalist working for the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper on suspicion of espionage, releasing footage of a security operation and accusing the reporter of gathering military intelligence, in a case that threatens to further strain relations between Tokyo and Moscow. (News On Japan)

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Yana submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on the evening of October 14 over a controversy involving shuttle buses and other issues, prompting Takaichi to acknowledge her responsibility for appointing him and announce plans to name a successor on October 15. (News On Japan)

More than 1,000 chickens escaped from a truck onto a busy national highway in Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, on October 15 after the vehicle's load shifted, prompting traffic restrictions that lasted approximately four hours. (News On Japan)

Japanese family restaurant chain Saizeriya has announced its first major price increase since going public in 1998, raising menu prices by an average of 6% from October 29 as soaring ingredient and energy costs force the company to abandon its longstanding policy of keeping prices unchanged. (News On Japan)

The El Niño phenomenon developing in the Pacific Ocean has reached its strongest level since records began in 1949, with sea surface temperatures off Peru rising 4 degrees Celsius above normal in September, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced on October 9, raising concerns about extreme weather worldwide and the prospect of an unusually warm winter in Japan. (News On Japan)

Japan's women's national soccer team, Nadeshiko Japan, suffered a 2-1 comeback defeat to Germany in an international friendly in Bremen on October 13, despite taking an early lead through Momoko Tanikawa. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks edged lower on October 14, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 67,744, down 33 points, as an early rebound in semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related shares faded late in the session before the release of U.S. inflation data. (News On Japan)

Japan's Fair Trade Commission plans to issue cease-and-desist orders against six construction companies, including firms affiliated with Japan Railways, over repeated bid-rigging in maintenance contracts for Tokyo's Toei subway network and other railway lines, with five companies facing surcharges totaling approximately 500 million yen. (News On Japan)

Japan is expected to fall from fourth to sixth place in the global economic rankings in 2027, overtaken by India and the United Kingdom, according to the latest economic outlook from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), reflecting sluggish domestic growth and the continued weakness of the yen. (News On Japan)

Osaka's iconic Glico sign in Dotonbori will undergo a major renewal next spring after more than a decade of operation, with its current LED display set to be switched off for the final time on November 30. (News On Japan)

Japan's first Disney cruise ship will be named "Disney Imagination," with Oriental Land and its partners planning to launch the service in spring 2029, offering a new Disney-themed travel experience departing from Tokyo. (News On Japan)

Tokyo's 23 wards have decided to establish a new small-scale public crematorium to address rising fees at privately operated facilities and growing concerns that cremation capacity could become insufficient around 2040 as the city's aging population drives up the number of deaths. (News On Japan)

Finding a reliable plumber can be a daunting task for homeowners, especially when emergencies arise and quick action is required. Many are turning to online portals like Plumber.com for their plumbing needs. (News On Japan)

One of Japan's largest digital technology exhibitions, CEATEC 2026, opened in Tokyo on October 13, drawing attention to advances in artificial intelligence designed to combat cyberattacks and improve rescue operations at disaster sites, with 821 companies and organizations showcasing their latest innovations over four days. (News On Japan)

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako drew attention during their September 19-20 visit to Aichi Prefecture for the opening ceremony of the 20th Asian Games, when the couple posed beside the popular character No-Face at Ghibli Park and used the Emperor's own smartphone to capture the moment, offering a rare glimpse of the Imperial Family's increasingly approachable public image. (News On Japan)

Japan's domestic corporate goods price index rose 6.8% in September from a year earlier, slowing to below 7% for the first time in four months but remaining at a high level as soaring crude oil prices and growing demand for AI-related materials continued to push up costs, according to data released by the Bank of Japan on October 13. (News On Japan)

East Japan Railway (JR East) is preparing to enter Japan's fiercely competitive mobile payment market with the launch of teppay on October 20, introducing a new QR code payment service through its Mobile Suica platform and potentially tapping into a customer base of 45 million Suica users. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi delivered an unusually harsh rebuke of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Kazuo Yana on October 13, describing his claims about cutting road budgets in areas that failed to support him as "inappropriate" and "really lame," while signaling that she would reconsider whether he should remain in office as opposition lawmakers intensified their demands for his dismissal. (News On Japan)