A bearded American man was arrested after allegedly stealing a truck in central Tokyo on February 14th and repeatedly fleeing crash scenes, with one victim saying the driver appeared to be laughing as he sped away. (News On Japan)

The Japan Tourism Agency announced in its accommodation travel statistics survey that both the number of guests and total overnight stays at lodging facilities across Japan increased in 2025, with some prefectures posting striking gains driven by unexpected promotional efforts. (News On Japan)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has submitted to the metropolitan assembly Japan’s first ordinance proposal that would in principle ban the installation of new utility poles, but how far has the effort to remove poles from above ground across the capital actually progressed? (News On Japan)

In February, a male university student who climbed onto drift ice along the coast of Koshimizu in Hokkaido’s Sea of Okhotsk region was swept out to sea and later rescued, prompting experts to issue fresh warnings that such actions carry life-threatening risks. (News On Japan)

Tsurui Village in Hokkaido is moving to purchase land designated for a large-scale solar power project near the Kushiro Wetland from an Osaka-based developer, in a bid to protect the surrounding landscape. (News On Japan)

The lay judge trial has begun for a man accused of fatally assaulting his six-year-old niece and concealing her body in concrete, after the remains were discovered at a residence in Yao, Osaka Prefecture, with the defendant telling the court on February 26th that the charges were “correct.” (News On Japan)

The number of children born nationwide last year fell for the tenth straight year to a record low, but Tokyo saw a year-on-year increase for the first time in nine years, highlighting how local support measures and job opportunities may help counter Japan’s declining birthrate. (News On Japan)

The Japan Fair Trade Commission has conducted an on-site inspection of Microsoft’s Japanese subsidiary on suspicion of violating the Antimonopoly Act by potentially restricting the use of rival services. (News On Japan)

Food delivery service Wolt announced that it will withdraw from Japan on March 4th as competition in the domestic delivery market intensifies. (News On Japan)

A drone capturing aerial footage of a waterfall in Koka City, Shiga Prefecture, suddenly plunged from the sky after being attacked by a hawk, destroying equipment worth around 100,000 yen but leaving the operator with what he described as 'the best footage.' (News On Japan)

A real estate executive with alleged ties to an organized crime group was arrested on suspicion of defrauding elderly victims by selling apartments at several times their market value and extracting large sums of cash, in a case that authorities say caused total losses exceeding 700 million yen. (News On Japan)

A long-awaited spell of steady rain fell across Japan following a record stretch of low precipitation, offering much-needed relief to farmers and manufacturers that had struggled with water shortages. (News On Japan)

Kyoto City on February 25th unveiled a draft plan for a “citizen-priority pricing” system for municipal buses, under which fares for residents would be lowered while non-residents, including tourists, would pay higher rates, as officials seek to balance overtourism with daily life for locals. (News On Japan)

An elevator at Tokyo Skytree that made an emergency stop with passengers on board was found to have halted due to damage to internal wiring, with operations set to resume from February 26th after safety checks. (News On Japan)

Funabashi in Chiba Prefecture has surged in the latest ranking of the most desirable places to live in the Greater Tokyo area, announced on February 25th, reflecting growing demand for well-connected commuter cities offering relatively affordable housing and convenient urban amenities. (News On Japan)

McDonald’s, which opened in Japan in 1971 and has long counted the Big Mac among its signature products, saw the burger’s price rise from 280 yen in 2008 to 480 yen before increasing further to 500 yen on February 25th, nearly doubling over the past two decades. (News On Japan)

China has placed 20 Japanese companies and institutions under export controls, in what appears to be a further escalation of countermeasures following remarks by Prime Minister Takaichi concerning a potential Taiwan contingency. (News On Japan)

A ranking of Japan’s most skilled singing prefectures has placed Aomori at No.1 for the second consecutive year, prompting fresh curiosity over why residents there tend to score highly in karaoke assessments, according to a survey conducted by N-Sta. (News On Japan)

A shift appears to be underway in inbound tourism, with Chinese visitor numbers declining while arrivals from Southeast Asia—particularly Thailand—are rising and repeat travelers increasingly seeking experiences rooted in everyday Japanese life. (News On Japan)

A large-scale display of traditional hina dolls, arranged to resemble a Buddhist mandala and numbering about 4,500 in total, has gone on public view at Tsubosaka Temple in Takatori Town, Nara Prefecture. (News On Japan)