North Safari Sapporo, a private zoo in Minami Ward, Sapporo, which closed in September 2025 over unauthorized development, remains home to hundreds of animals as its operator disputes a planned removal order while emphasizing animal welfare concerns. (News On Japan)

The number of fatalities linked to last month’s Hadaka Matsuri, known as the Saidai-ji Eyo festival, in Okayama City has risen to two, after a man who had been in critical condition since the event died on March 17th. (News On Japan)

Two boats carrying high school students on a peace study program capsized off the coast of Henoko in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, the planned relocation site for a U.S. military airfield, on March 16th, throwing a total of 21 people into the sea, all of whom were rescued, though a second-year female student and the male boat captain later died. (News On Japan)

A camera captured a violent collision on a mountain road at night in Nantan, Kyoto, where a deer suddenly darted into the path of a vehicle, leaving the car with a heavily dented body. (News On Japan)

A large-scale cleanup operation was carried out on March 16th in Kyoto City as authorities moved to address a cluster of dilapidated structures and illegally dumped waste near a residential area close to Kinkakuji, marking the city’s first administrative enforcement action under regulations governing filled land. (News On Japan)

Tokyo police announced that a total of 112 women and girls were arrested over the past year for allegedly soliciting customers for prostitution on the streets of Kabukicho, one of the capital’s largest entertainment districts. (News On Japan)

Seven men, including suspected ringleaders linked to an organized crime group, have been arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department in connection with a robbery in which about 423 million yen was stolen from a man walking along a Tokyo street in January 2026. (News On Japan)

A mobile battery carried by a passenger caught fire inside a Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line train on March 15th, forcing the line to suspend operations temporarily across its entire route, though no injuries were reported. (News On Japan)

Beyond the cherry blossoms, the Akihabara crossing, or the stories of samurai, Japan hides a dark side that everyone should also know about. (TRNGL)

Many foreign men using escort services known as “delivery health” have been falling victim to a scam called panel magic. (Japanese Comedian Meshida)

A massive steel pipe buried underground suddenly protruded from the ground in Osaka’s Umeda district on March 11th, prompting ongoing road closures and emergency response efforts as authorities consider cutting the exposed section. (News On Japan)

Fifteen years after the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, daily life has gradually returned to areas where evacuation orders have been lifted, but in zones still aiming for their removal and in designated difficult-to-return areas, human activity has yet to resume. (News On Japan)

Concerns are growing over a new system being considered by Ibaraki Prefecture that would offer rewards to people who report information leading to the arrest of foreign nationals working illegally, with critics warning the measure could deepen social divisions and encourage discrimination. (News On Japan)

This late 80s documentary explores the experiences of Irish people living in Japan. It delves into cultural differences, from language barriers and social customs to the education system and daily life. Expect insightful commentary on work, leisure, and navigating a distinctly different society. (TRNGL)

Right now in Japan, more women say they do not want to get married. In 1980, the unmarried rate for women was about 4%, meaning most women eventually married. Today it is about 23%, or roughly one in four women. (Japanese Comedian Meshida)

Prince Hisahito, the eldest son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko and second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne, joined children on the ski slopes during a visit to Hokkaido, where he was seen offering assistance to a child who had fallen. (News On Japan)

A cherry tree more than 10 meters tall toppled in a Tokyo park on March 7th, pinning a woman in her 70s beneath its branches and leaving her with minor injuries. (News On Japan)

An 83-year-old yakuza boss has been arrested on suspicion of collecting protection money by forcing a restaurant owner to purchase a decorative rake known as a kumade. (News On Japan)

The sight of Punch, a baby monkey often seen clutching an orangutan plush toy as a substitute mother, has captured widespread attention, but the animal’s growing popularity has also led to the emergence of fraudulent social media accounts soliciting donations in his name. (News On Japan)

A 21-year-old man has been rearrested in connection with a stabbing incident in Osaka’s Minami district that left three 17-year-old boys dead or injured, as police also launched outreach efforts for troubled youths in the area. (News On Japan)