Osaka is grappling with a wave of confusion and last-minute activity after announcing it would halt new approvals for special “minpaku” short-term rental properties in response to mounting complaints over noise and garbage. One week after the policy shift, application counters are fully booked, with wait times stretching to two months. (News On Japan)

The intersection of modern interior design and real estate has become increasingly significant in recent years, fundamentally transforming how properties are valued, marketed, and sold. (News On Japan)

Fender, the US-based instrument maker, unveiled its first collaboration guitar with Godzilla on October 9 in Tokyo, featuring a special-edition “Godzilla Guitar” capable of reproducing the monster’s iconic roar. (News On Japan)

Japan’s annual prefectural attractiveness ranking has placed Saitama Prefecture at the bottom for the first time, surprising even local restaurant owners. Now in its 17th year, the 2025 survey once again crowned Hokkaido as the most attractive prefecture — maintaining its perfect record since the ranking’s inception. (News On Japan)

Japan's Imperial Household Agency has released The Official Record of Empress Kojun, chronicling the life of Empress Kojun, wife of Emperor Showa and grandmother of the current Emperor. (News On Japan)

Bear attacks are intensifying across Japan, with fatalities in fiscal 2025 already matching the record high set in 2023. Experts warn that the rise reflects not only an increase in bear numbers but also changes in human society that have blurred the line between mountain habitats and residential areas. (News On Japan)

Typhoon No. 22, classified as a very strong system, made a direct hit on the Izu Islands, leaving widespread damage across the region. On Hachijo Island, located about 300 kilometers south of Tokyo, the storm brought record-breaking rainfall and violent winds, leaving residents stunned by the destruction. (News On Japan)

Collectors and growers in Australia have long been limited by availability. Import restrictions, shifting regulations, and supply gaps have made sourcing quality seeds a challenge. (News On Japan)

In response to a voyeurism incident involving a group of teachers, the Hokkaido Board of Education has announced plans to introduce devices that detect hidden cameras and similar equipment in schools. (News On Japan)

Osaka University’s Professor Shimon Sakaguchi has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering regulatory T cells that suppress excessive immune reactions, a landmark finding that has brought excitement to colleagues, students, and the medical community. (News On Japan)

In Fukuchiyama City, Kyoto Prefecture, workers carried out the traditional practice of “komo-maki,” wrapping straw mats around pine trees to protect them from harmful insects as the autumn season deepens. The activity takes place each year around “Kanro” (Cold Dew), one of the 24 solar terms marking the seasonal transition toward winter. (News On Japan)

In the heart of Nara Prefecture lies Imai, a town that has miraculously preserved its Edo-era landscape and traditions to this day. Established in the mid-Muromachi period as a temple-based settlement, Imai developed under the same Buddhist sect as Ishiyama Honganji. (News On Japan)

Nissan, currently in the midst of rebuilding its business, has unveiled a new model of its world-first mass-produced electric vehicle, the Leaf, as part of efforts to revive the company’s fortunes. The automaker will begin domestic sales of the third-generation Leaf on October 17th. (News On Japan)

Prices continue to squeeze businesses across Japan, with the number of bankruptcies caused by rising costs reaching a record 488 cases in the first half of this fiscal year, according to data compiled by Teikoku Databank. (News On Japan)

Typhoon No. 23 (Nakri), currently located southeast of the Kanto region, is moving eastward and is expected to become an extratropical low over the far western Pacific on October 15. As of 3 p.m., the storm was positioned about 260 kilometers east of Hachijojima and traveling northeast at around 35 kilometers per hour. Although Hachijojima has now exited the typhoon’s storm zone, Nakri’s area of strong winds remains extensive and will continue to impact coastal regions even as the system moves away. (News On Japan)

Learning Japanese as a beginner feels a bit like standing at the foot of Mount Fuji — exciting, but a little daunting. (News On Japan)

Japan and Indonesia have signed an agreement aimed at facilitating trade by simplifying customs procedures. Under the deal, both countries will apply the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) system to companies that are officially recognized as trustworthy by customs authorities. (News On Japan)

During their visit to the Kansai region, the Japanese Emperor and Empress arrived in Kyoto aboard the “Imperial Train,” which operates on a special schedule reserved solely for the Imperial couple. During its operation, no other train is allowed to overtake or run alongside it, ensuring absolute safety and privacy. (News On Japan)

TeamLab has opened a new art space, “TeamLab BioVortex Kyoto,” in Kyoto’s Minami Ward, featuring around 50 works including several unveiled in Japan for the first time. Spanning approximately 10,000 square meters, the facility offers an immersive interactive experience where light, sound, and motion respond dynamically to visitors’ movements. (News On Japan)

Beer deliveries from Asahi Group Holdings have been disrupted following a ransomware cyberattack, causing shortages that have already begun to affect izakaya and other establishments across Japan. Some bars have reported their beer stock falling to “only one left” as supply chain delays ripple through the industry. (News On Japan)