Kamakura City, known internationally as the setting for the hit anime “SLAM DUNK,” plans to halt the issuance of its popular local license plates at the end of January 2026, raising debate among residents who question why a design long cherished by locals must be discontinued. (News On Japan)

A large-scale solar project planned near the Kushiro Wetland in Hokkaido is facing renewed backlash after the developer offered local residents what it described as a “beautification cooperation payment,” prompting accusations that the company is trying to buy consent for the construction. (News On Japan)

Osaka’s Minami district, one of the busiest entertainment areas in Kansai, is grappling with a worsening garbage problem as the sharp increase in foreign visitors coincides with a rise in litter throughout the area, and when the reporting team walked through the neighborhood last week they found trash piling up in abandoned bicycle baskets and food containers tossed into alleyways just off the main shopping streets. (News On Japan)

The Japanese government is preparing to release a new damage projection for a major earthquake striking directly beneath the Tokyo metropolitan area by the end of the year, and interviews with officials familiar with the assessment indicate that in the worst-case scenario the death toll could reach 18,000, while economic losses are estimated at 83 trillion yen. (News On Japan)

Toyota unveiled its new GR GT supercar on December 5th at Woven City, the next-generation technology testbed located in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture, marking the model’s world debut as the automaker targets a release around 2027, positioning the vehicle as the pinnacle of its GR sports-car lineup and its first true supercar since the Lexus LFA launched in 2010. (News On Japan)

A growing number of families across Japan are choosing to close ancestral graves, and concerns over long-term upkeep have become a widespread source of anxiety. Now, even one of the country’s most storied lineages has begun confronting both the end of its line and the closure of its grave. (News On Japan)

Umeda’s Chayamachi district, located on the east side of central Osaka, is undergoing a noticeable shift as major retailers including Loft and ZARA have closed or relocated this year, even as large-scale developments such as Grand Green Osaka continue to open elsewhere in the area, raising questions about whether the district is transforming from a youth-oriented fashion hub into a center for subculture; to understand what is driving the changes, we spoke with Takanobu Okahara, president of Tsubasa Asset Partners and an expert on Osaka’s real estate trends. (News On Japan)

A volcano education center at the base of Showa-Shinzan is facing an existential threat as aging facilities and deteriorating materials put decades of invaluable records at risk. (News On Japan)