Japan's nationwide Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.2% in January compared to the previous year, marking the highest increase in a year and seven months, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. (News On Japan)

North Safari Sapporo, a private zoo in Sapporo’s Minami Ward, has come under scrutiny after submitting a removal plan for its illegal structures to the city government. The plan lacks critical details regarding the removal process and, most notably, fails to address the fate of the animals housed at the facility. (News On Japan)

Kansai International Airport’s newly renovated immigration area was unveiled this week, boasting an open-concept design that allows travelers to submit passports, facial photos, and fingerprints in a single step. (News On Japan)

Hakuba Village in Nagano Prefecture has become one of Japan’s leading resort destinations, drawing approximately 250,000 foreign visitors each year. Walking through the town, one can see multilingual signs at train stations and restaurants, evidence of the efforts being made to accommodate international travelers. (News On Japan)

The wholesale price of rice in Japan continues to climb, with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries announcing on February 19th that the average price for rice traded in January under the 2024 harvest reached 25,927 yen per 60 kilograms of brown rice. (News On Japan)

SBI Shinsei Bank will double the interest rate on savings accounts for individuals aged 60 and older starting in April. (News On Japan)

Visitors to the Osaka-Kansai Expo will get a glimpse of the future through an innovative pavilion featuring cutting-edge robots. The 'Future of Life' pavilion, designed with water flowing along its four walls, was unveiled on February 19th, showcasing three guiding robots named Panji, Petra, and Punica. These robots will assist visitors inside the pavilion. (News On Japan)

With the arrival of the Spring Festival, a surge in Chinese tourists is bringing an influx of foreign patients to Japanese clinics. From a vegetarian suffering appendicitis after indulging in local cuisine to an American traveler sustaining a head injury at a ryokan, clinics are seeing a wide range of medical cases. (News On Japan)

More than half of employees in Japan say they do not want to become managers, according to a recent survey on management career aspirations conducted by a human resources company. Only 20.5% of respondents expressed a desire for a managerial role, while the majority said they would rather avoid it. (News On Japan)

Kyoto’s annual Miyako Odori, a spring tradition in the Gion Kobu district, is set to return with geiko and maiko performing in stunning asagi-colored costumes. (News On Japan)

A powerful cold wave brought extreme winter weather to Japan on February 19th, with strong northern winds sweeping through Tokyo and heavy snowfall blanketing the Sea of Japan side. In Odaiba, Tokyo, pedestrians struggled to walk against the fierce winds, some forming single-file lines to shield themselves from the chill. (News On Japan)

An exhibition featuring works by young artisans was held Sunday in Naha as part of an initiative to preserve the traditional techniques of Ryukyu lacquerware. (News On Japan)

Osaka is witnessing an influx of foreign luxury hotels, fueled by a surge in inbound tourism. In 2024, a record 14.63 million international visitors arrived in the city, intensifying competition among global hotel brands. (News On Japan)

Chiyoda Ward in central Tokyo has announced a new childcare support policy, offering households with junior high and high school students a monthly stipend of 15,000 yen per child, without income restrictions, starting in April 2025. (News On Japan)

Japan's Justice Ministry has announced that starting in May, it will amend regulations to allow regional names to be listed in the nationality field of family registers when Japanese citizens marry foreign nationals. (News On Japan)

In today's video, we head back to Fukui to discover more of what the region has to offer: from dramatic cliffs to scenic shrines to dinosaurs (!!). (japan-guide.com)

yocera Communication Systems and Hokkaido University announced on February 15th that they had successfully tested a mid-speed, mid-sized autonomous delivery robot on snow-covered terrain. (News On Japan)

Fukuoka Prefecture announced on Monday a plan to accommodate evacuees from Okinawa in the event of a Taiwan-related contingency. Under the plan, seven cities, including Fukuoka City, will serve as temporary shelters. (News On Japan)

Japan's real gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an annualized rate of 2.8% from October to December last year, marking the third consecutive quarter of positive growth. However, the results are not entirely encouraging, as weak consumer spending remains a concern. (News On Japan)

Red-crowned cranes have returned in large numbers this season, creating a mesmerizing spectacle across Hokkaido’s snowy plains. The birds were seen leisurely pecking at food while pairs, preparing for the upcoming breeding season, spread their wings and engaged in an elegant courtship dance. (News On Japan)