and other officials bow at the start of a news conference in the company's headquarters early Saturday. KYODO PHOTO

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced Friday that Rinnai's RUS-5RX and RUS-51BT models have caused five cases of carbon monoxide poisoning since 2000, killing three people and sickening 12 others. Ventilation is needed for these models because they release exhaust gas into rooms.

Our Planet

A coral reef in Okinawa in July 2022. Some jurisdictions around the world have moved to ban certain sunscreens in a bid to protect coral reefs, but some say the impact on reefs is far from clear.
Japan’s top brands get tied up in the great sunscreen debate

Longform

In 2020, 38% of all households were single-person. That figure is projected to rise to 44.3% by 2050.
The rise of AI companionship in a lonely Japan