A man accused of murdering four people in a brutal 2022 incident in the city of Nakano, Nagano Prefecture, was sentenced to death on October 14th, with the court rejecting arguments over his diminished mental capacity. (News On Japan)

An All Nippon Airways flight bound for Iwakuni was forced to return to Haneda Airport on the night of October 13th after a possible incident involving its landing gear and a runway light during takeoff. (News On Japan)

The Osaka-Kansai Expo, which ran for six months, came to a close on October 13, drawing large crowds eager to witness its final moments. A closing ceremony was held on the last day, during which the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) flag was handed over to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, host of the 2030 World Expo. (News On Japan)

Production of Japan’s familiar 50cc motorized bicycles — a popular choice for short trips and errands — will come to an end in October, prompting a surge in demand as consumers scramble to purchase the last available models. (News On Japan)

A growing number of people are choosing to forgo traditional family graves, and a new type of burial site designed in the shape of ancient Japanese burial mounds has become so popular that more than 6,000 people are now on the waiting list. (News On Japan)

The Osaka-Kansai Expo, set to close on October 13, has generated a powerful wave of economic activity both inside and outside its grounds, with the organizing association projecting an operational surplus of 23 to 28 billion yen. At the center of this success story is Noguchi, owner of Tonkatsu Noguchi, the only individually operated restaurant at the Expo, whose eatery has become one of the most sought-after dining experiences at the event, fully booked every day and requiring advance reservations. (News On Japan)

The six-month Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, themed "Designing Future Society for Our Lives," featuring participation from 158 countries and regions, will come to a close on Monday, with total attendance surpassing 25 million people. (News On Japan)

A 26-year-old man died after being run over by a traditional yagura float during a procession in the Okada district of Sennan, Osaka, on the morning of October 11, with emergency services receiving a call shortly after 7 a.m. reporting that he had been struck by the wheels during the local Yagura Festival. (News On Japan)

The Japan Meteorological Agency announced that satellite images from the Himawari-9 weather satellite are currently unavailable due to a communication failure. While some functions have been restored through the backup satellite Himawari-8, key nighttime observation data such as infrared imagery remain inaccessible. (News On Japan)

Join me as I provide detailed feedback on a beautiful sunset landscape painting by Misaki-san from Kumamoto. She shared how she and her children were captivated by the ever-changing colors of the evening sky, exclaiming "Beautiful! Beautiful!" This heartwarming story inspired today's critique session. (Watercolor by Shibasaki)

A 23-year-old woman was arrested on the afternoon of October 12th in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, after she allegedly slashed the neck of an 83-year-old man with a knife inside a residential home, leading to his death shortly after. (News On Japan)