A phone booth that converts the voice of the person on the other end of a call into real-time text has been installed at Haneda Airport for four days, offering visitors a glimpse of technology designed for people who have difficulty hearing telephone conversations. (News On Japan)

Peach Aviation began scheduled flights between Narita Airport and South Korea's Incheon International Airport on September 20, marking the low-cost carrier's first new international route from Narita in seven years. (News On Japan)

Japan's Silver Week began on September 19 with five consecutive days off for the first time in 11 years, drawing crowds to food and festival events across the country despite rainy weather in the Kanto region as Typhoon No. 25 approached. (News On Japan)

Volcanic smoke continues to rise from Mount Tokachi (Tokachidake), an active volcano in Daisetsuzan National Park in Hokkaido, one week after its eruption alert level was raised to Level 3, restricting entry to the mountain and prompting a series of cancellations at nearby hot spring inns just before the peak autumn foliage season. (News On Japan)

The Kyushu Shinkansen will resume operations along its entire route on September 18 after suffering extensive track and other damage in the Kumamoto earthquake, raising hopes that the long-awaited restoration will help revive tourism in disaster-hit areas ahead of the Silver Week holiday period. (News On Japan)

A black bear has been spotted near one of the most popular hiking trails on Mount Takao in western Tokyo, prompting authorities to urge visitors to take precautions ahead of the five-day Silver Week holiday and the approaching autumn foliage season. (News On Japan)

Prolonged rain is disrupting tourism ahead of Japan's Silver Week holidays, forcing Nagatoro's popular river cruises to remain suspended for an 11th consecutive day while increased water flow at Fukuroda Falls in Ibaraki Prefecture is drawing more visitors. (News On Japan)

A new top-tier "Supreme Class" offering fully private compartments above the level of Green Car service will debut on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen on October 1, with passengers able to experience the new seating at a demonstration booth at Shin-Osaka Station. (News On Japan)

Tokyo Disney Resort will launch its annual Disney Halloween event on September 16, with a special parade previewed ahead of the opening and visitors allowed to enjoy the parks in costume during the event period. (News On Japan)

Visitors can climb to the top of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, about 300 meters above the sea, for sweeping 360-degree views of the Akashi Strait, Kobe, Awaji Island and, in clear weather, as far as Osaka. (News On Japan)

A mobile battery caught fire inside a Tobu Isesaki Line train in Saitama Prefecture on September 14, leaving a high school student with minor burns before another passenger extinguished the flames. (News On Japan)

GO, Waymo and Nihon Kotsu said they aim to launch Japan's first commercial fully driverless taxi service in Tokyo during 2027, using Level 4 autonomous vehicles that can operate without a driver on board under specified conditions. (News On Japan)

Kajima Corp. has unveiled the construction site of KAJIMA TREE, a roughly 60-meter wooden tower being built for the International Horticultural Expo that will open in March 2027. (News On Japan)

A new helicopter service linking Kansai International Airport with central Kyoto in about 25 minutes each way will begin operations on September 15, offering travelers a faster alternative to rail and bus connections that take at least 75 minutes. (News On Japan)

A 220-meter suspension bridge billed as the longest of its type in Japan opened at Biwako Valley in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, on September 14, offering visitors panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and Lake Biwa. (News On Japan)

Climbers who get into trouble on Mount Fuji during the official closed season could be charged for rescue by disaster-prevention helicopters under new safety measures being considered by Yamanashi Prefecture. (News On Japan)

Historic floats and a shrine mikoshi paraded through Tokyo's Akasaka district as the centuries-old Akasaka Hikawa Festival reached its climax with its traditional Shinkosai procession. (News On Japan)

Prolonged rain has dramatically transformed Fukuroda Falls in Ibaraki Prefecture, sending far more water than usual over the famous cascade and drawing growing numbers of tourists eager to see the unusually powerful spectacle. (News On Japan)

Hyogo Prefecture is warning of an increased risk of Asiatic black bears entering residential areas this autumn as a poor crop of acorns and other nuts leaves the animals searching more widely for food before hibernation. (News On Japan)

China will sharply raise visa fees for Japanese nationals entering the country from September 14, with the cost of a single-entry visa increasing to 16,750 yen, about 7.4 times the current level. (News On Japan)