Prince Hisahito, the eldest son of Prince and Princess Akishino, began his visit to the Osaka-Kansai Expo on September 24th, marking his first solo official public engagement. (News On Japan)

A transgender man living in Sapporo has won a landmark case after the Sapporo Family Court ruled that the legal requirement demanding surgical or hormonal changes to alter the appearance of one’s genitals in order to change gender on the family register is unconstitutional. (News On Japan)

A sea of clouds spread across Lake Kussharo in Teshikaga, eastern Hokkaido, on Wednesday morning, creating a striking early sign of the coming winter. (News On Japan)

Japan and Saudi Arabia announced a new memorandum of understanding for economic cooperation on September 24th at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, with a strong emphasis on expanding entertainment and content industries. (News On Japan)

A van trapped at a railway crossing in Kaizuka, Osaka Prefecture, was struck by an oncoming train on September 23rd, killing 54-year-old driver Sayuri Hirokawa, with the entire incident captured on a surveillance camera. (News On Japan)

Residents in Settsu City, Osaka Prefecture, have decided to file for pollution mediation against chemical manufacturer Daikin Industries, whose plant is located in the area, after groundwater was found to contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), some of which are suspected of being carcinogenic. (News On Japan)

The Tokyo District Court on September 24th approved the release on bail of actor Hiroya Shimizu, 26, who has been indicted for violating the Narcotics Control Act by possessing cannabis. (News On Japan)

Sapporo City has issued an unusual request, urging families not to place 10 yen coins in coffins before cremation, citing the risk of damage to cremation furnaces. (News On Japan)

Police in Hyogo Prefecture have arrested gang affiliates over the abduction of a man in his 20s in Amagasaki, who remains missing, with investigators now moving toward re-arresting several suspects on suspicion of murder. (News On Japan)

Nearly 18 years have passed since journalist Kenji Nagai was shot dead while covering a protest in Myanmar, and new analysis has revealed that his final words were recorded on the video camera he held until the very end. (News On Japan)

Ferrari Japan unveiled the new plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV) ‘849 Testarossa’ in Tokyo on September 24th, carrying forward the name of the legendary Testarossa. (News On Japan)

Japan's Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru delivered a general debate speech at the United Nations General Assembly on September 24th, where he underscored the need to expand the Security Council and questioned whether the UN is fulfilling the role originally expected of it. (News On Japan)

A festival float overturned at Ikeda Hachiman Shrine in Ikeda, Nagano Prefecture, on the night of September 23rd, injuring five children. (News On Japan)

Inbound tourism to Japan rose nearly 20% from January to August 2025 compared with a year earlier, though most visitors continue to flock to major cities, raising concerns about overtourism. (News On Japan)

As the Tokyo Stock Exchange undergoes reforms with the introduction of new listing maintenance standards, attention is turning to how investors can identify promising growth stocks. (News On Japan)

The Sapporo Regional Meteorological Observatory announced that Mount Meakan in eastern Hokkaido, where eruption alert level 2 is in place, had experienced an eruption. (News On Japan)

Three employees of a delivery-only restaurant in Tokyo’s Edogawa Ward were sprayed with what appeared to be pepper spray on Wednesday morning, leaving them with minor injuries. Police are searching for two masked suspects who fled the scene. (News On Japan)

Aichi Prefectural Police have begun testing the use of small body-worn cameras to record enforcement activities. (News On Japan)

Japan’s digital life moves at lightning speed. With one of the world’s highest rates of internet penetration, a dense public Wi-Fi network, and a tech-savvy population, millions of people log into bank accounts, stream media, shop, and work remotely every day. (News On Japan)

Ine, a small fishing town in northern Kyoto Prefecture known for its traditional wooden boat houses, has recently become a social media sensation, drawing a record number of visitors. (News On Japan)