Emperor Naruhito has sent a congratulatory message to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump ahead of his inauguration ceremony. (News On Japan)

Yuriko Sakurada, 57, a former deputy speaker of Towada's city council, has become Aomori Prefecture's first female mayor. (News On Japan)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has unveiled a plan to start covering up to 1.5 million yen in student loan repayments for individuals hired as teachers or technical public officials in the city starting from April this year. The initiative is expected to launch next year. (News On Japan)

The Ground Self-Defense Force's First Airborne Brigade held its annual "First Parachute Training" exercise at the Narashino Training Ground in Chiba Prefecture, where Defense Minister Nakatanit also took part in the drills. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Ishiba has positioned regional revitalization as the "Reiwa-era National Transformation" in his New Year's address, outlining plans to curb Tokyo’s overconcentration by promoting the relocation of central government agencies to regional areas. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Ishiba, who plans to move into the official residence as early as December 28th, addressed rumors that the residence is haunted, stating, "I'm from the Oba-Q generation, so I'm not afraid." (News On Japan)

Japan is revolutionising its defence innovation by creating a dual-use startup ecosystem that integrates civilian technologies into defence research. (East Asia Forum)

Japan is set to shoulder over 6.9 percent of the total financial contributions by member countries to support the United Nations from 2025 to 2027. It remains the third largest contributor following the United States and China, with the latter's share rising to almost on par with the US. (NHK)

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced a decision to ease visa requirements for Chinese nationals visiting Japan. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Ishiba attended a Christmas service on Sunday morning, December 22, at a Protestant church in Tokyo. As discussions are underway to arrange a meeting with U.S. President-elect Trump next month, their shared Protestant background may serve as a point of connection. (News On Japan)

The Tokyo District Court has granted bail to Atsuhiko Kurokawa, the leader of 'Tsubasa Party,' and other party members, including Secretary-General Ryosuke Nemoto. (News On Japan)

Paul Watson, founder of the anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd, who had been detained in Greenland, a Danish territory, has been released after Danish authorities rejected Japan's extradition request. (News On Japan)

On December 4th, 2024, Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Health Group, met with misfortune suddenly outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, New York. (News On Japan)

A criminal complaint against Hyogo Governor Saito and a PR firm representative over alleged violations of the Public Offices Election Act has been accepted by investigative authorities, it was revealed. (News On Japan)

On December 13th, it was announced that a new joint venture will be established to advance the collaborative development of the next-generation fighter jet involving Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy. (News On Japan)

The Lower House of Japan's Diet has passed a supplementary budget bill worth around 91 billion dollars to pay for a new stimulus package. (NHK)

The government is revising its energy policy framework for the first time in three years. Since the Great East Japan Earthquake, the policy has included a commitment to "reduce dependency on nuclear power as much as possible." However, it has been revealed that discussions are underway to remove this wording. (News On Japan)

The issue of diplomatic vehicles avoiding parking fines in Japan due to diplomatic immunity continues, with Russia reaching a record-high number of violations, accounting for 63% of the total. (News On Japan)

An annual opinion poll shows that more than 87 percent of Chinese have negative views of Japan, up sharply from last year and the second-highest rate recorded. (NHK)

Complaints against Hyogo Governor Saito Motohiko and the representative of a PR company have been filed with prosecutors and police in western Japan over a possible violation of the public offices election law. (NHK)