A dramatic open-air bath suspended in the air with sweeping views, alongside all-you-can-eat dining featuring nearly 100 dishes—where is the best-value destination for year-end and New Year travel? (News On Japan)

Foreign nationals have been appointed as drivers on local bus routes for the first time nationwide, using Japan’s Specified Skilled Worker program, in a move aimed at easing chronic labor shortages in the sector. (News On Japan)

Japan’s average temperature in 2025 is expected to rank as the third highest since records began, underscoring another year of persistent heat across the country. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the nationwide average temperature for the year is projected to be 1.25 degrees Celsius above the long-term average, placing it behind only last year and the year before, which marked the highest and second-highest readings on record, respectively. (News On Japan)

A road uplift that occurred in a Tokyo neighborhood is believed to have been caused by construction work on the Linear Chuo Shinkansen, with JR Central saying the tunnel excavation was likely responsible for the surface damage. (News On Japan)

Japan’s newest Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer was launched in Nagasaki City, with Defense Minister Koizumi attending the ceremony. (News On Japan)

Uniqlo, one of Japan’s leading fast-fashion brands, announced on the 22nd that it will raise the starting salary for new graduates to 370,000 yen, a move that has drawn widespread attention. (News On Japan)

Chinese media report that roughly 40% of airline flights linking Japan and China will be suspended in January next year, as the impact of Beijing’s call to refrain from travel to Japan continues to weigh on demand. (News On Japan)

Japan’s Foreign Ministry announced it will move to cut the application fee for 10-year passports by 7,000 yen, bringing the cost down to around 9,000 yen, as it prepares for a revision of the Passport Act. (News On Japan)

Photos of former Aum Shinrikyo leader Shoko Asahara, whose real name was Chizuo Matsumoto, have been found inside a facility operated by Aleph, the group regarded as the successor to the Aum Shinrikyo cult, it has been learned. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Takachi on December 22nd visited a “Press Photo Exhibition” in Tokyo reviewing key events of 2025, smiling for reporters as she recreated a pose from a photograph taken aboard the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington alongside President Trump. (News On Japan)

The H3 Rocket No. 8 was launched at 10:51 a.m. on December 22 from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, but the mission ended in failure after the rocket was unable to place its onboard satellite into its planned orbit. (News On Japan)

The government is moving to raise the maximum loan amount under the long-term fixed-rate home mortgage program known as Flat 35 to 120 million yen, as it seeks to respond to the continued rise in housing prices. (News On Japan)

Ukrainian-born new ozeki Aonishiki, 21, appeared at the winter regional tour’s Amagasaki tournament on December 12th, marking another milestone in a career shaped by displacement and perseverance. (News On Japan)

Kyoto University has been selected as a candidate for designation as an “University of International Research Excellence,” a national program that provides government funding to institutions aiming to conduct world-class research. (News On Japan)

A man arrested in connection with the stabbing of two people in Fukuoka has told investigators that he intended to kill multiple members of the idol group HKT, according to sources close to the investigation. (News On Japan)

Rapidus President Koike has unveiled what the company says is the world’s first next-generation semiconductor substrate measuring 600 millimeters on each side, marking a significant step forward for Japan’s emerging chipmaker. (News On Japan)

The Bank of Japan has decided to raise its policy interest rate to around 0.75 percent, a level not seen in 30 years, prompting questions about how the move will affect the weak yen, rising prices, and household finances across different generations. (News On Japan)

Gifu Girls High School is aiming to reclaim the national crown at the Winter Cup for the first time in seven years, with the team drawing strength from the remarkable comeback of its on-court leader, who overcame a devastating injury with the support of her family and teammates. (News On Japan)

International betting brand 1xBet has compiled a list of our continent’s top 5 players who have excelled this year. (News On Japan)

Eastern Hokkaido saw its coldest temperatures of the 2025 winter season again on the morning of December 19th, with authorities urging caution over icy roads as freezing conditions spread across the region. (News On Japan)