In the World Cup, Japan pulled off its biggest upset since first appearing in the tournament back in 1998.
The Samurai Blue came from behind in Wednesday's Group E clash to defeat four-time champion Germany 2-1.
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has admitted to inadequacies in the submission of his office's campaign expenditures pertaining to last year's general elections.
The online edition of the weekly Shukan Bunshun magazine said that Kishida's office attached 94 receipts with no addressee and description to its expenditures.
Soccer fans flocked around the famous scramble crossing near Tokyo's Shibuya Station after Japan beat Germany 2-1 in the World Cup in Qatar.
A university student said he watched the match at a nearby restaurant. The 20-year-old said he thought Japan might lose when Germany opened the scoring, and he was very happy the Samurai Blue prevailed.
Japan's health ministry says 12,850 coronavirus cases were confirmed in Tokyo on Wednesday.
The daily tally is up 2,736 from a week ago. It's also the 19th straight week-on-week increase.
A Japanese government panel of experts on the country's defense capabilities has called for the early deployment of missiles with counterattack capabilities. It also suggested tax hikes would be the preferred way to finance the increase in defense capabilities.
The panel came up with a report on ways to drastically enhance the country's defense capabilities, on Tuesday. The panel's chair, Sasae Kenichiro, who is a former ambassador to the US, submitted the report to Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported 856 new coronavirus cases in the Japanese capital on Tuesday.
That daily tally is the highest for a Tuesday since the pandemic began. The Tuesday figure is usually lower as many medical institutions are closed on weekends.
A support group including lawyers is providing consultations in Tokyo to people who have lost their jobs or part of their income because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Consultation sessions began from 10 a.m. on Tuesday in Okubo Park situated in Shinjuku's Kabukicho entertainment district.
A new variant of the coronavirus that was first detected in South Africa has been confirmed in Japan.
On Monday, the health ministry said it was found in a woman in her 30s who arrived at Narita Airport near Tokyo on December 19. She traveled from South Africa.
Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide says the government will work to make sure healthcare services are available to deal with coronavirus infections during the year-end and New Year holidays.
Suga was speaking on Monday at a government taskforce meeting that was called to discuss measures against the virus.
Japanese health officials had confirmed 2,390 new cases of the coronavirus as of 8:00 p.m. on Monday.
That brings the total number of infections to 224,478, including 712 on a cruise ship.
Japan and South Korea remain divided over the issue of people referred to as wartime comfort women, five years after the countries agreed to settle the issue.
In December 2015, Tokyo and Seoul confirmed that the issue was resolved finally and irreversibly.
Japan's former transport minister Hata Yuichiro, who died on Sunday at the age of 53, has become the first incumbent lawmaker in the country to die of the coronavirus.
Hata developed a fever on Thursday and was due to take a PCR test on Sunday. His condition deteriorated suddenly while on his way to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
NHK has learned that Japanese machinery maker IHI has developed technology to use ammonia as a fuel for thermal power generation, potentially cutting carbon dioxide emissions by more than half.
IHI has been working to develop technology for the "co-firing" of natural gas and ammonia. Ammonia does not emit carbon dioxide when burnt.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported 481 new cases of coronavirus in the Japanese capital on Monday.
That daily tally is the highest for a Monday since the pandemic began. The Monday figure is usually lower as many medical institutions are closed on weekends.