Japan's tourism minister revealed on Friday that the government will continue with its nationwide travel discount campaign next year.
The campaign started in October to help the tourism industry, which has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
Authorities have raided Dentsu, one of Japan's major ad agencies, over alleged bid-rigging involving test events for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Tokyo prosecutors and the Japan Fair Trade Commission searched Dentsu's head office and an event-organizing firm, both in the capital, on Friday.
Japan Coast Guard officials say two Chinese government ships have entered Japan's territorial waters off the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.
The officials say the ships entered the waters off Minamikojima island at around 2:40 a.m. on Friday, after navigating in the contiguous zone just outside the territorial waters with two other Chinese government ships.
Consumer prices in Tokyo have been rising this month at their fastest pace in four decades. City residents were hit especially hard by soaring costs for food, electricity and gas.
The internal affairs ministry says the consumer price index for November rose 3.6 percent from a year ago in the capital's 23 wards. That was the highest figure since April 1982.
Sources say the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organizing committee may have been involved in alleged bid-rigging over the Games' test events.
They say the committee is suspected of having created in advance a list of advertising agencies and other firms that had previously carried out similar duties for each sports event.
The Japanese orchestra conductor Ozawa Seiji has lately been out of the spotlight. But now, he has delighted music fans by leading an orchestra for the first time in three years.
The Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival kicks off in central Japan this Friday with concerts to mark its 30th anniversary.
A cyberattack has suspended computer systems of a large telescope with the world's leading performance in Chile, hampering observation by international astronomers for more than one month.
Japan is one of the operators of the huge radio telescope known as ALMA. It has contributed about a quarter of the overall facility plan. The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan says ALMA suffered a cyberattack on its system on October 29, leaving astronomical observations suspended even now.
Japan is looking into allowing the sale of dual take-home tests for the coronavirus and the flu. Officials hope to head off a surge in infections that could once again overwhelm hospitals.
Medical staff are already using the antigen kits. With Japan dealing with the onset of an 8th COVID wave, they say the new tool comes in handy.
A Christmas tree decorated with ornaments lit up by an electric eel is on display at an aquarium in central Japan for the holiday season.
The tree stands near the entrance to the aquarium, Aquatotto Gifu, in the city of Kakamigahara. Next to the tree is a tank containing an electric eel.
More than 200 lawyers from across Japan have formed a new group to support those who say they have suffered damage from the former Unification Church.
The religious body is accused of soliciting large donations from followers and conducting dubious marketing practices known as spiritual sales.
The world governing body for soccer, FIFA, has thanked Japan's national squad and Japanese supporters for cleaning up a changing room and the stadium at the World Cup in Qatar.
FIFA posted on Twitter on Thursday a picture of the room used by the Japanese team, known as Samurai Blue. The room looks tidy and towels are neatly folded.
Japan's health ministry says 60,108 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed nationwide on Thursday. Officials say 130 people died from the virus.
The number of seriously ill patients increased by fifteen from Wednesday to 281 across the country.
An anti-terror drill simulating a chemical attack has been held at a new commercial complex next to Tokyo's Haneda Airport that is to fully open in January.
About 100 police officers and staff from the commercial facility took part in the drill on Thursday at Haneda Airport Garden, which is directly connected to the airport.
Japan pulled off a remarkable upset victory over four-time World Cup champion Germany in Doha on Wednesday.
Japan's team was largely outmaneuvered by their opponent in the first half. In the 33rd minute, Japan allowed a goal on a penalty kick.