Commercial whaling for the season has opened, with two minke whales landed at Nemuro Port in Hokkaido, as the Sea of Okhotsk season began on April 1st with two small vessels from fishing cooperatives in Wakayama and Chiba prefectures each landing one whale. (News On Japan)

Toyota Motor has begun selling two vehicle models manufactured at its U.S. plants in Japan, marking a shift toward so-called "reverse imports" as part of efforts to improve trade relations between Japan and the United States. (News On Japan)

Cherry blossom season is in full swing across Japan, with live reports highlighting some of the country’s most scenic locations where historic castles and blooming sakura can be enjoyed together. (News On Japan)

A new ordinance imposing fines on littering and mandating trash bin installations at businesses took effect in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward on April 1st, as authorities seek to tackle a surge in street garbage following a rebound in tourism. (News On Japan)

A man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of obstruction after allegedly spreading a liquid and setting it on fire at the Shibuya Scramble Crossing in Tokyo on April 3rd. (News On Japan)

An LNG tanker operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines has passed through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains effectively blockaded, marking the first such transit by a Japan-related vessel since the Iranian attack. (News On Japan)

A 41-year-old Iranian man who was found collapsed on the grounds of a hospital in Toyokawa, Aichi Prefecture, has been confirmed dead, with police suspecting he was assaulted before his body was abandoned. (News On Japan)