A wave of pear thefts has prompted police and farmers to strengthen patrols as growers warn that stolen fruit is likely being resold online or from roadside vehicles. (News On Japan)

Kozo Okamoto, a member of the Japanese Red Army who took part in a 1972 mass shooting at an Israeli airport, has died at age 78 in Lebanon, where he had lived for decades under political asylum. (News On Japan)

Average life expectancy in Japan rose for both men and women last year for the first time in two years, with Japanese women retaining the world's top ranking for the 41st consecutive year. (News On Japan)