March 29, 2024
Japan's Meteorological Agency announced the blooming of the Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms in Tokyo at 2 p.m. on Friday, five days later than average.

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) announced a formal plan on March 28 to establish priority lanes for autonomous vehicles along expressways stretching from Tohoku to Kyushu within the next ten years.

JAXA has announced the revival of the unmanned explorer "SLIM" following its successful hibernation after making Japan's first moon landing. The probe successfully endured a second lunar night, a period during which temperatures can drop to as low as minus 170 degrees Celsius.


SOCIETY | March 29, 2024
As city life rebounds post-pandemic, there's been a noticeable increase in people smoking on the streets. In Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, the number of street smoking violations has doubled from the previous year.

A fire chief in Shiga Prefecture has been disciplined for "vaccine harassment," after a staff member who chose not to receive the COVID-19 jab was made to work in the office hallway.

As more people keep pets indoors, there has been a call for caution regarding unexpected pet behavior leading to fire accidents.

Last year saw a record-breaking 1,963 prohibition orders issued in Japan under the Stalking Control Law, marking the highest number to date.


The Ninomaru Shozokan Museum within the Imperial Palace has refreshed its exhibit this month, which also allows visitors the opportunity to explore the Outer Garden.

World Heritage Site Himeji Castle has confirmed the blooming of cherry blossoms since Friday morning, with enough of the pink petals to satisfy lucky visitors.

Students from Kanagawa Prefecture's Kanto Gakuin Rokura High School, as part of their school project, have created a promotional video for Toyama Prefecture! The story, told through a cinematic lens, follows two high school students on a journey across Toyama, featuring the prefecture's breathtaking nature and recommended spots.

Ryohei Suzuki, famous as a voice actor for playing Buzz Lightyear in the Japanese dubbed version, visited the historic Hasedera Temple in Nara, which dates back to 736, highlighting the temple's spiritual significance and artistic beauty.

ANA revealed to the press its new domestic-spec Boeing 787-10 on March 25th, distinguished by its size, fuel efficiency, and superior transport capacity.


The film "Young Warriors" is a drama that depicts the lives of young people veering into unexpected directions due to violence.

Former high school classmates Akiyoshi Junta (Aki) and Fujishiro Harutsugi (Haru), though attending different universities, have been living together in a quiet residential house. Now in their senior year of college and busy job hunting, Haru decides to pursue a career as a photographer and lands a position at a photo studio, while Aki secures a job at an interior goods company.

Released on January 26 to universal acclaim, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has hit gamers hard.

"Laid-Back Camp", an outdoor girls' story, is about to pitch a new smartphone puzzle game.

The trailer for "Reiji Himuro," the 10th-anniversary commemorative work of the "Japan Unity" series, has been unveiled.


Seven-Eleven have extended the expiry date of its hand-rolled onigiri (rice balls), including salmon, plum, kelp, spicy cod roe, and tuna mayonnaise varieties.

In a significant policy shift, the government has decided to allow the export of the next-generation fighter jet, co-developed with Japan, to third countries.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced that astronaut Koichi Wakata will retire from the agency on March 31.

As the new school year approaches, the methods of conducting "school health checks" vary by municipality, raising questions about their appropriateness.


BUSINESS | March 29, 2024
The consumer price index (CPI) for Tokyo's 23 wards, which tracks the price movements of goods and services consumed by households, reported a preliminary increase of 2.4% in mid-March.

Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications announced on Friday that the nationwide unemployment rate for February rose by 0.2 points from the previous month, reaching 2.6%.

Major paper manufacturers in Japan are set to raise prices on tissue and toilet paper by approximately 5% to 15% from April.

LINE Corporation, in response to a major data breach affecting its users, has decided to reconsider its business outsourcing to the Korean company responsible for the leak.

To address the anticipated logistics challenges of 2024, Mercari, a leading flea market app company, has initiated a new delivery service predicated on drop-off delivery.