Aichi Prefecture recorded the highest number of car thefts nationwide in 2025, with more than 1,000 cases as thefts continue to rise in recent years, and Land Cruisers account for 40 percent of the vehicles targeted, prompting authorities to warn that multiple layers of security are essential to deter increasingly sophisticated methods. (News On Japan)

Today, I'll be showing you some of the BEST activities to do on your next Japan trip that MOST tourists miss! (Mrs Eats)

Japan’s largest rice wholesaler, Shinmei Holdings, has laid out its view of where rice prices are heading and how it plans to secure the staple’s future, as households grapple with the sharpest price pressure in years and farmers continue to exit an industry where profits are thin. (News On Japan)

How will AI transform marketing? The answer, according to leading marketer Kazuki Nishiguchi, lies not in marginal efficiency gains but in a dramatic restructuring of business itself, as AI agents move closer to consumers and potentially displace even dominant platforms such as Amazon. (News On Japan)

An elevator at Tokyo Skytree in Sumida Ward made an emergency stop on February 22nd, trapping 20 passengers for about six hours before they were safely rescued with no injuries reported, and the landmark tower remained closed on February 23rd while the operator announced it would also remain temporarily closed on February 24th for further safety inspections and investigation. (News On Japan)

A 21-year-old navigation officer was arrested after a cargo vessel collided with a recreational fishing boat off the coast of Toba, Mie Prefecture, leaving two men dead and multiple others injured. (News On Japan)

The third launch attempt of the private-sector small rocket Kairos, which had been scheduled for three days later in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, has been postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions. (News On Japan)

Nearly 35,000 runners raced through the streets of Osaka on February 22nd as the Osaka Marathon, now in its 14th year, was held in unseasonably warm conditions reminiscent of late April. (News On Japan)

Gold prices continue to surge, while China’s restrictions on rare earths and other developments are drawing renewed attention to mineral resources, prompting a closer look at resource strategies in an increasingly geopolitical era through an interview with Sumitomo Metal Mining President Shinsuke Matsumoto. (News On Japan)

Emperor Naruhito turned 66 on February 23rd, marking the occasion with a press conference in which he reflected on the state of the nation and expressed his concern for people affected by natural disasters, as tens of thousands later gathered at the Imperial Palace for a public greeting held under unseasonably warm weather. (News On Japan)

The arrival of early spring is being felt in Ome, western Tokyo, where a plum festival has opened against the backdrop of a community that overcame the loss of tens of thousands of trees to a devastating virus. (News On Japan)