Iran had earlier said there were no plans for a direct meeting with a US delegation led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Iran had earlier said there were no plans for a direct meeting with a US delegation led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Japan’s hotel industry appears to be thriving as a surge in inbound tourism drives accommodation prices in popular destinations to record highs. Yet domestic travel demand has remained sluggish, while labor shortages and rising construction costs have made new hotel development increasingly expensive. (News On Japan)

The outgoing prime minister will not take up his seat after leading his party back into opposition.

The outgoing prime minister will not take up his seat after leading his party back into opposition.

The forest where the Sumatran orangutans live has been split by a road.

As Japan’s entire baby boomer generation enters the late-stage elderly bracket, the country is approaching what experts call the 'Great Inheritance Era' — a period marked by a sharp rise in asset transfers after death. (News On Japan)

The two Americans who reportedly worked for the CIA died in a car crash after a Mexican-led operation to destroy a drug lab.

The two Americans who reportedly worked for the CIA died in a car crash after a Mexican-led operation to destroy a drug lab.

More than 500 political prisoners are thought to still be in jail, despite the releases since the amnesty law was brought in.

More than 500 political prisoners are thought to still be in jail, despite the releases since the amnesty law was brought in.

The nationwide consumer price index for fiscal 2025, released today, rose 2.7% from the previous year. Prices have now exceeded the government and Bank of Japan's 2% target for a fourth consecutive year. (News On Japan)

SkyDrive and NEXCO West Japan have partnered to develop a flying car hub at the Beppu Bay Service Area in Oita Prefecture, aiming to launch operations in 2028 for sightseeing flights and other services. (News On Japan)

Local elections have been held in the occupied West Bank and in one Gazan city, though Hamas and other groups are not taking part.

The 300 couples were selected in a draw of nearly 2,000 people to be a part of the joint celebration.

The city of Dnipro was hardest hit, with officials saying four died in a strike on a residential building.

Princess Aiko, the eldest daughter of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, attended a performance of the traditional Japanese court music art known as gagaku. (News On Japan)

Bear sightings are surging across northeastern Japan in an unusually early spring trend, prompting the fastest issuance on record of bear alerts in multiple prefectures including Aomori and Iwate. Incidents have already left a police officer seriously injured and a member of the Self-Defense Forces attacked. (News On Japan)

A male employee of Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, has told investigators that he disposed of his wife's body in the zoo's incinerator and burned it for several hours, police said, as officers continued voluntary questioning of the man in his 30s, according to sources close to the investigation. (News On Japan)

Japan is often known for its culture, safety, and high trust society, but behind the scenes, it also has one of the strictest immigration systems in the world. (Paolo fromTOKYO)