A traditional New Year event known as “Jaduna” was held in Miyazu, Kyoto Prefecture, with local residents praying for a year of good health and protection from illness. (News On Japan)

Japanese police-related replica goods are being widely listed on Chinese flea market sites as “cosplay items,” including uniforms that closely resemble the real thing, raising concerns they could be used for crimes such as fraud. (News On Japan)

A traditional New Year archery contest known as “Toshiya” is being held at the national treasure Sanjusangendo Temple in Kyoto, with 20-year-olds and other young participants competing to test their skills. (News On Japan)

Three death row inmates have lost a lawsuit seeking to stop executions by hanging, after the Osaka District Court ruled that their claims could not be pursued through an administrative case and that the current method does not violate the Constitution. (News On Japan)

Damage to fences and other fixtures has been discovered at Kennin-ji Temple in Kyoto, with security camera footage capturing the incident in full. (News On Japan)

Thirty-one years have passed since the Great Hanshin Earthquake struck on January 17th, 1995, killing 6,434 people, with communities across Hyogo Prefecture offering prayers for the victims at 5:46 a.m., the moment the disaster hit, as the aging of those who lived through the quake makes it increasingly difficult to pass on its lessons to the next generation. (News On Japan)

Nearly a year has passed since Osaka banned smoking on streets across the entire city, but reporting on the ground has found growing frustration from residents and smokers alike, along with business owners warning they are reaching their limits. (News On Japan)

The suspect, surrounded by police officers, is seen in footage taken immediately after his arrest for allegedly stabbing two men who came to his apartment, in an incident that left one dead and another injured. (News On Japan)

Water erupted from near the ceiling of an underground passage inside Tokyo Metro’s Kasumigaseki Station in Chiyoda Ward at around 6:00 p.m. on January 14th, in what the operator believes was caused by a burst water supply pipe. (News On Japan)

The annual New Year imperial poetry ceremony, known as Utakai Hajime, was held at the Imperial Palace, where Princess Aiko’s waka poem was recited publicly for the first time and Prince Hisahito made his debut appearance at the traditional event. (News On Japan)

A preview trailer has been released for the Hokkaido Fact program “Ainu and the Majority: Who Stands Up to Discrimination,” scheduled to air on January 18th, 2026, from 3:54 p.m. to 4:24 p.m., examining how the structure of thinking around discrimination is beginning to change. (News On Japan)

The body discovered inside the wall of a bar in Hidaka Town, Hokkaido, has been identified as that of a 28-year-old nurse who lived in the town, police said. (News On Japan)

Men wearing traditional fundoshi loincloths entered the freezing sea to pray for good health and freedom from illness at the “Severe Winter Sea Misogi Festival,” held in Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture. (News On Japan)

Ceremonies celebrating those turning 20 were held across Japan on January 12th, with events taking place nationwide to mark Coming of Age Day. (News On Japan)

A man has been arrested on suspicion of abandoning a woman’s body inside a restaurant he operated in Hidaka, Hokkaido, with investigators now believing the business continued operating while the body remained inside the premises. (News On Japan)

What appeared to be an ordinary 100-yen coin turned out to be a counterfeit after emerging from a change machine at a capsule toy specialty store, prompting a Japanese television personality to share his experience on social media. (News On Japan)

A man accused of robbing a convenience store and injuring an employee, his face marked by a prominent tattoo, gave an interview from detention ahead of his first court appearance on January 9th, saying the crime was not motivated by financial need. (News On Japan)

A photograph of a Samoyed dog taken against the backdrop of Mount Fuji has been drawing widespread attention on social media, with the striking image earning more than 48,000 likes. (News On Japan)

A car rammed into a police officer during a traffic violation crackdown in Kishiwada, Osaka, on January 7th, with the vehicle continuing to drive while the officer clung to the hood, prompting police to investigate the case as attempted murder. (News On Japan)

Graffiti has been discovered on a bamboo grove near Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto, a popular area that draws large numbers of tourists to the shrine’s famed Senbon Torii gates. (News On Japan)