An eight-year-old Australian girl died after a snowmobile overturned in Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture, at around 11 a.m. on February 28th, with authorities investigating the cause of the accident. (News On Japan)

A bearded American man was arrested after allegedly stealing a truck in central Tokyo on February 14th and repeatedly fleeing crash scenes, with one victim saying the driver appeared to be laughing as he sped away. (News On Japan)

The lay judge trial has begun for a man accused of fatally assaulting his six-year-old niece and concealing her body in concrete, after the remains were discovered at a residence in Yao, Osaka Prefecture, with the defendant telling the court on February 26th that the charges were “correct.” (News On Japan)

The number of children born nationwide last year fell for the tenth straight year to a record low, but Tokyo saw a year-on-year increase for the first time in nine years, highlighting how local support measures and job opportunities may help counter Japan’s declining birthrate. (News On Japan)

A drone capturing aerial footage of a waterfall in Koka City, Shiga Prefecture, suddenly plunged from the sky after being attacked by a hawk, destroying equipment worth around 100,000 yen but leaving the operator with what he described as 'the best footage.' (News On Japan)

A real estate executive with alleged ties to an organized crime group was arrested on suspicion of defrauding elderly victims by selling apartments at several times their market value and extracting large sums of cash, in a case that authorities say caused total losses exceeding 700 million yen. (News On Japan)

An elevator at Tokyo Skytree that made an emergency stop with passengers on board was found to have halted due to damage to internal wiring, with operations set to resume from February 26th after safety checks. (News On Japan)

Funabashi in Chiba Prefecture has surged in the latest ranking of the most desirable places to live in the Greater Tokyo area, announced on February 25th, reflecting growing demand for well-connected commuter cities offering relatively affordable housing and convenient urban amenities. (News On Japan)