Osaka’s latest official land price survey highlights a significant shift in the city’s real estate landscape, with the Minami district reclaiming the top position for the first time in six years, overtaking Kita, the long-dominant commercial hub centered around Umeda. (News On Japan)

Rising land prices are making it increasingly difficult for people to live in their preferred locations, prompting a growing trend of choosing homes a few stations away from major hubs as a way to reduce rent. (News On Japan)

The average monthly amount invested by people in their 20s who use NISA has reached 34,432 yen, with the amount young adults are putting into investments continuing to rise and even giving birth to the phrase "NISA poverty." (News On Japan)

Tokyo police announced that a total of 112 women and girls were arrested over the past year for allegedly soliciting customers for prostitution on the streets of Kabukicho, one of the capital’s largest entertainment districts. (News On Japan)

Mito City began deploying hidden camera detection devices at all municipal elementary schools, junior high schools, and compulsory education schools on March 17th as incidents of secret filming inside schools continue to occur across Japan, including cases reported within the city itself. (News On Japan)

Cherry blossom season has begun, with flowering officially announced in Kochi and Gifu, and past records suggest that even people with hay fever may still be able to enjoy the blossoms at their peak. (News On Japan)

A farewell ceremony for Masashi Ozaki, a legendary figure in Japanese golf affectionately known as “Jumbo,” who died at the age of 78 last December, was held at a hotel in Tokyo on March 16th, drawing many figures from the golf world and related industries to pay their respects. (News On Japan)

Japan is moving to coordinate with Western nations to secure a stable supply of rare earth materials, government sources revealed. (News On Japan)

Uniqlo, a subsidiary of Fast Retailing, began rolling out “Yellow Uniqlo” stores on March 16th at seven locations inside JR Ikebukuro Station, Kyoto Station, and Narita Airport, featuring bright yellow exteriors designed to evoke the sun and draw attention to products aimed at protecting customers from ultraviolet rays. (News On Japan)

Seven men, including suspected ringleaders linked to an organized crime group, have been arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department in connection with a robbery in which about 423 million yen was stolen from a man walking along a Tokyo street in January 2026. (News On Japan)

A mobile battery carried by a passenger caught fire inside a Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line train on March 15th, forcing the line to suspend operations temporarily across its entire route, though no injuries were reported. (News On Japan)

As Japan enters the peak spring relocation season from March to April, the transport ministry has released this year’s moving reservation outlook, warning that many people may struggle to secure their preferred moving dates. (News On Japan)

Two weeks after attacks on Iran triggered the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, turmoil has spread through the global economy, with rising gasoline prices already hitting consumers while a looming shortage of petrochemical materials threatens to drive up the cost of everyday goods. (News On Japan)

Beyond the cherry blossoms, the Akihabara crossing, or the stories of samurai, Japan hides a dark side that everyone should also know about. (TRNGL)

Many foreign men using escort services known as “delivery health” have been falling victim to a scam called panel magic. (Japanese Comedian Meshida)

As tensions surrounding Iran intensify and global markets grow increasingly volatile, attention is turning to how the Bank of Japan will respond at its upcoming monetary policy meeting and what the developments could mean for stock prices and the yen. (News On Japan)

PayPay, a major smartphone payment service under SoftBank Group, was listed on the Nasdaq market in the United States on March 12th, marking the largest U.S. listing ever by a Japanese company. (News On Japan)

JR East raised fares across all of its service areas on March 14th, marking the first fare hike since the company’s privatization and the first major increase in about 40 years, excluding adjustments tied to consumption tax increases. (News On Japan)

Kyoto Prefecture recorded more than 30 million overnight visitors last year, reinforcing its status as one of Japan’s most popular travel destinations. (News On Japan)

Momoka Muraoka secured a silver medal in the women’s sitting giant slalom on March 12th, the seventh day of the Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics, bringing her career total to 11 medals—the most ever won by a Japanese athlete at the Winter Paralympics. (News On Japan)