After 77 years, Tokyo is set to return blue skies to Nihonbashi as the city buries its expressways underground and reimagines its historic heart. (News On Japan)

The Japanese government held its first meeting on April 25th to address support measures for the Employment Ice Age Generation, a group that has recently become the focus of active policy discussions across political parties. (News On Japan)

The Emperor and Empress attended the Greenery Ceremony, an annual event honoring researchers who have made outstanding contributions in fields such as plant and forest conservation. (News On Japan)

Construction of the Integrated Resort (IR) complex in Yumeshima, Osaka—adjacent to the site of the 2025 World Expo—began on April 24th, with plans to open the facility in five years. (News On Japan)

In response to a third-party committee confirming five cases of power harassment involving senior officials in Ōnojo, including the deputy mayor, the city government held a press conference on April 24th. (News On Japan)

Nearly three months after a road collapse in Yashio City, Saitama Prefecture, authorities are preparing to resume the search for the missing truck driver as early as next week. (News On Japan)

A 26-year-old woman was arrested in the early hours of April 24th in Kasuya Town, Fukuoka Prefecture, on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. While admitting to the offense, she claimed, "I ate chocolate that contained alcohol." (News On Japan)

A man who was charged with committing an act of abuse against his young daughter and distributing a video of the incident through a private social media group admitted to the allegations during his first court appearance. (News On Japan)

Toyota Motor Corporation announced on April 24th that its global sales for fiscal 2024 totaled 10,273,719 vehicles, a 0.3% decrease from the previous year, marking the first year-on-year decline in four years. (News On Japan)

Universal Studios Japan has announced a surprise expansion of its popular Minion Park, increasing the area by 1.4 times and unveiling a new attraction that features the park’s first-ever moving walkway. (News On Japan)

The Japanese government will begin issuing blue tickets for bicycle traffic violations in April 2026, with fines including 5,000 yen for ignoring stop signs and up to 12,000 yen for riding while using a smartphone. (News On Japan)

A woman’s body discovered in a freezer at a residence in Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, is now believed to have been concealed there for approximately four and a half years, police announced. (News On Japan)

Japan has seen a dramatic surge in tourism over the past decade, with visitor numbers tripling, bringing both economic benefits and greater intercultural exchange. However, this growth has also led to issues of "overtourism," especially on trains—the country's most popular means of transport—where overcrowding and cultural misunderstandings about behavior have caused concern among locals. (News On Japan)

Kyoto University and its research team have revealed that several former employees of Daikin Industries developed lung diseases, potentially linked to exposure to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a group of chemical compounds used in industrial manufacturing. (News On Japan)

Japan plans to introduce a new electronic travel authorization system to bolster immigration screening for foreign visitors, moving up its original timeline in response to the recent surge in arrivals. (News On Japan)

Rice prices in Japan continue to soar, more than doubling from the same period last year, with no clear signs of easing despite the government’s decision to release stockpiled rice. The current situation—dubbed the “Reiwa Rice Crisis”—has drawn comparisons to past supply shocks, prompting public concern and debate over whether government intervention has come too late. (News On Japan)

A monkey walking upright on two legs was spotted in a residential area of Tokyo on April 23rd, drawing attention as it crossed a street in the rain before entering a nearby field and munching on crops. (News On Japan)

A man found wandering naked in Saitama Prefecture has been arrested after a string of violent incidents, including a fatal hit-and-run and an attempted abduction, unfolded within roughly 90 minutes on April 21st. (News On Japan)

Police in Okinawa, southwestern Japan, say they have referred two US Marines to prosecutors on suspicion of committing separate sexual assaults against women. (NHK)

Tottori Prefecture and the Kingdom of Jordan, both exhibitors at Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, have formed a symbolic partnership dubbed the "Sand Alliance," uniting over their shared cultural and environmental connection to sand. (News On Japan)