A former elementary school teacher in Yokohama City has been arrested for the seventh time in connection with a voyeurism case involving a group of teachers. (News On Japan)

The severed remains of an infant less than one year old were discovered inside a freezer at an adult entertainment business office in Tokyo’s Sumida Ward on the night of December 6th, with subsequent investigations revealing that the entrance to the office had been left unlocked at all times. (News On Japan)

A festival praying for children’s healthy growth and a bountiful harvest was held on Sunday at Kibaha Shrine in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, where the traditional “Nenneko Festival” took place as local first-grader Hamaguchi Rikka, age 7, served as the “rice-bearing shrine maiden” and walked through the grounds in a kimono with an ohitsu container holding rice, mochi, and sakaki branches balanced on her head as she joined Shinto priests in a ceremonial procession. (News On Japan)

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 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)

Archaeological surveys conducted in Gose City, Nara Prefecture, have uncovered additional burial remains that, when combined with previously excavated sites in the area, have revealed what is now understood to be the largest communal cemetery ever found in the prefecture. (News On Japan)

As Japan enters what many now call the “100-year life era,” the question of how to finance a much longer old age has become unavoidable, with rising living costs and modest pensions leaving many seniors struggling to make ends meet and searching for ways to supplement their income. (News On Japan)

Police have arrested a man in his 30s after he allegedly entered a banquet hall at Hotel MiraCosta inside Tokyo DisneySea on December 1st while carrying what appeared to be a knife before fleeing the scene, with authorities locating him the following day in Kawasaki City. (News On Japan)

A bear was caught on camera intruding into a residential property in Yamagata on November 30th, underscoring how reports of bear damage continue even as the winter season takes hold and conditions grow colder. (News On Japan)

Two male workers died after becoming trapped beneath a vacuum truck on a municipal road in Hita, Oita, with emergency responders confirming on December 1st that both had suffered fatal injuries after the vehicle appeared to move unexpectedly while they were preparing to begin waste collection work. (News On Japan)

A group of motorbikes roaring through the streets of Matsuyama late at night was witnessed in June 2025, as riders ignored police warnings and sped erratically through the city, weaving across lanes and provoking officers by taking off their shirts and swinging their jackets while continuing to ride through red lights in a display that put both themselves and nearby pedestrians at risk. (News On Japan)

A fire broke out recently in Kyoto’s Pontocho district, yet despite the area’s narrow alleyways and tightly packed wooden buildings, the damage was limited to the complete loss of a single establishment with no injuries reported. (News On Japan)

A series of torrential rains have triggered what authorities describe as the worst flooding in years across Southeast Asia, leaving more than 600 people dead and forcing Japanese nationals in several countries to flee for safety. JNN reporters gained access to heavily damaged areas in southern Thailand, where the impact has been severe. (News On Japan)

Princess Aiko, the eldest daughter of the Emperor and Empress, celebrated her 24th birthday on December 1st after a year marked by a series of first-time imperial events, public duties and her inaugural overseas official visit, according to the Imperial Household Agency. (News On Japan)

A fire broke out on the night of November 29th in Kyoto’s busy Pontocho entertainment district, prompting a large-scale evacuation as flames spread from one restaurant to neighboring buildings. (News On Japan)

An elderly woman without a family registry was found dead from starvation in her home in Takaishi, Osaka, exposing the severe isolation faced by people who are legally “invisible” and therefore unable to access basic public support. The case highlighted deeply rooted structural issues affecting an estimated 10,000 or more individuals nationwide who, for various reasons, were never entered into Japan’s koseki system. (News On Japan)

Tokyo police carried out a search on a home-share facility and its operating company on Wednesday after investigators determined that the firm continued running its minpaku business on days explicitly banned under local ordinance and then submitted false reports to the authorities. (News On Japan)

Tokyo High Court issued a ruling on November [insert month here if needed based on publication timing] that the government’s refusal to recognize same-sex marriage is constitutional, a decision that prompted deep disappointment among the plaintiffs who had argued that the current legal framework violates the Constitution’s guarantee of freedom of marriage. (News On Japan)

A 69-year-old security guard was lightly injured on November 28th when he was attacked by a bear inside a public restroom located in front of JR Numata Station in Gunma Prefecture. (News On Japan)

A powerful earthquake struck the Aso region of Kumamoto at around 6:01 p.m. on November 25th, toppling a residential gate in Aso City and scattering roof tiles across the road, while rockfalls and damage were reported in nearby areas. (News On Japan)