The cherry blossom front has finally reached Hokkaido, with Matsumae Town in southern Hokkaido declaring the start of the blooming season on April 13th. (News On Japan)

IKEA, the Swedish furniture giant, is set to open its first outlet in Hokkaido in mid-May, marking its long-awaited entry into the region not in the major city of Sapporo but in the neighboring town of Tobetsu, where deep historical ties with Sweden have helped pave the way for the project. (News On Japan)

Japan is now facing a new challenge rarely seen before — a wave of foreign tourists unlike any in the country's history. (News On Japan)

Tokyo police conducted a coordinated crackdown in the Kabukicho entertainment district over a two-week period, taking 21 youths aged between 13 and 19 into custody for offenses including late-night loitering, underage drinking, and smoking. (News On Japan)

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda warned on April 14th that rising crude oil prices driven by escalating tensions in the Middle East could act as a drag on Japan’s economy, signaling growing concern within the central bank over external cost pressures. (News On Japan)

A large number of hangers have been spotted on an elevated section of the Shuto Expressway in Tokyo’s Shinjuku area, where crows appear to be using them to build nests, prompting concern among nearby residents. (News On Japan)

A fire broke out at a multi-tenant building near JR Shin-Yokohama Station in Yokohama late on April 12th, sending flames billowing from a restaurant window and causing panic in the surrounding nightlife district, though no injuries were reported. (News On Japan)

The number of Tokyo University students pursuing careers as government bureaucrats is declining, even as rising wages in skilled trades and shifts driven by artificial intelligence are reshaping perceptions of high-paying jobs. (News On Japan)

TOTO has suspended new orders for unit baths and other products as concerns grow over shortages of petroleum-based materials amid escalating tensions involving Iran. (News On Japan)

Technical and logistical problems mean Peruvians choosing a new president and members of Congress continue to vote on Monday.

Technical and logistical problems mean Peruvians choosing a new president and members of Congress continue to vote on Monday.

Organisations warn many more people could be executed in the wake of the anti-government protests which swept Iran earlier this year.

The team was returning from a fixture when they were attacked by "masked men wielding guns and assault rifles", officials say.

Asha Bhosle died in Mumbai on Sunday after being admitted to the hospital following a heart attack.

The team was returning from a fixture when they were attacked by "masked men wielding guns and assault rifles", officials say.

The singer, who died at the age of 92, will be cremated with full state honours on Monday.

The US president accuses Leo of being "weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy".

European leaders share Hungarians' joy over the ousting of Vladimir Putin's EU ally, writes the BBC's Europe editor.

European leaders share Hungarians' joy over the ousting of Vladimir Putin's EU ally, writes the BBC's Europe editor.

The singer voluntarily checks herself into a treatment facility, three weeks before her court date.