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New sightseeing train in western Japan

New sightseeing train in western Japan

Photo taken on April 24, 2026, shows Nankai Electric Railway Co.'s new Gran Tenku sightseeing train at Namba Station in Osaka. The train connecting Osaka and Mt. Koya, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Wakayama Prefecture in western Japan, began operating the same day.

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New sightseeing train in western Japan

New sightseeing train in western Japan

Photo taken on April 24, 2026, shows Nankai Electric Railway Co.'s new Gran Tenku sightseeing train at Namba Station in Osaka. The train connecting Osaka and Mt. Koya, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Wakayama Prefecture in western Japan, began operating the same day.

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Mine-Akiyoshidai added to UNESCO geoparks list

Mine-Akiyoshidai added to UNESCO geoparks list

People pose for a photo during a celebration in Mine, Yamaguchi Prefecture, on April 23, 2026, after the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council added Mine-Akiyoshidai karst plateau in the western Japan city to its geoparks list.

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Mine-Akiyoshidai added to UNESCO geoparks list

Mine-Akiyoshidai added to UNESCO geoparks list

People celebrate in Mine, Yamaguchi Prefecture, on April 23, 2026, after the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council added Mine-Akiyoshidai karst plateau in the western Japan city to its geoparks list.

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Baseball: Giants vs. Tigers

Baseball: Giants vs. Tigers

Hanshin Tigers slugger Teruaki Sato hits a two-run home run off Yomiuri Giants right-hander Masahiro Tanaka in the first inning of a Central League baseball game at Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, western Japan, on April 16, 2026.

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Baseball: Giants vs. Tigers

Baseball: Giants vs. Tigers

Hanshin Tigers slugger Teruaki Sato hits a two-run home run off Yomiuri Giants right-hander Masahiro Tanaka in the first inning of a Central League baseball game at Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, western Japan, on April 16, 2026.

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US: April Snow Hits Rochester, New York

Light snow was observed near Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport in Rochester, NY on Monday morning, April 20, 2026 — a late-season reminder that winter doesn't always yield easily to spring in Western New York.

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Asian elephants from Malaysia at Osaka zoo

Asian elephants from Malaysia at Osaka zoo

Photo taken on April 21, 2026, shows Asian elephants at Osaka Tennoji Zoo in the western Japan city of Osaka. The three elephants from Malaysia went on public display the same day, marking the zoo's first elephant exhibition in eight years.

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Asian elephants from Malaysia at Osaka zoo

Asian elephants from Malaysia at Osaka zoo

Photo taken on April 21, 2026, shows Asian elephants at Osaka Tennoji Zoo in the western Japan city of Osaka. The three elephants from Malaysia went on public display the same day, marking the zoo's first elephant exhibition in eight years.

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Asian elephants from Malaysia at Osaka zoo

Asian elephants from Malaysia at Osaka zoo

Photo taken on April 21, 2026, shows Asian elephants at Osaka Tennoji Zoo in the western Japan city of Osaka. The three elephants from Malaysia went on public display the same day, marking the zoo's first elephant exhibition in eight years.

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Asian elephants from Malaysia at Osaka zoo

Asian elephants from Malaysia at Osaka zoo

Photo taken on April 21, 2026, shows Asian elephants at Osaka Tennoji Zoo in the western Japan city of Osaka. The three elephants from Malaysia went on public display the same day, marking the zoo's first elephant exhibition in eight years.

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US: Rochester Sees 25°F Temperature Drop as Snow and Rain Mix

Western New York experienced flurries, graupel and rain showers on Sunday, April 19, as temperatures in Rochester dropped more than 25°F (14°C) in 24 hours. Snow showers were expected to continue into Monday, with overnight lows near 29°F (-2°C).

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Whaling factory ship departs for Sea of Okhotsk

Whaling factory ship departs for Sea of Okhotsk

The Kangei Maru, the world's only whaling factory ship, departs from its home port in Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan, on April 18, 2026, for the season's first commercial whale hunt, in the Sea of Okhotsk.

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Whaling factory ship departs for Sea of Okhotsk

Whaling factory ship departs for Sea of Okhotsk

The Kangei Maru, the world's only whaling factory ship, departs from its home port in Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan, on April 18, 2026, for the season's first commercial whale hunt, in the Sea of Okhotsk.

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Whaling factory ship departs for Sea of Okhotsk

Whaling factory ship departs for Sea of Okhotsk

The Kangei Maru, the world's only whaling factory ship, departs from its home port in Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan, on April 18, 2026, for the season's first commercial whale hunt, in the Sea of Okhotsk.

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80th anniversary of U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima

HIROSHIMA, Japan, Aug. 6 Kyodo - A ceremony is held at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 2025, marking the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the western Japan city. (Kyodo)

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[Breaking News]20th birthday of popular mascot Hikonyan

HIKONE, Japan, April 13 Kyodo - Hikonyan, the popular samurai helmet-wearing cat mascot of Hikone in Shiga Prefecture, appears at a special event marking its 20th birthday in the western Japan city of Hikone on April 13, 2026. (Kyodo)

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[Breaking News]Miura-Kihara pair performs at Mao Rink for new employees

TOKYO, Japan, April 13 Kyodo - Milan Cortina Olympics pairs figure skating gold medalists Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara meet the press after performing during Kinoshita Group's ceremony for new employees at Mao Rink -- opened by Vancouver Olympic silver medalist Mao Asada -- in Tachikawa, western Tokyo, on April 13, 2026. The pair belongs to the Tokyo company. (Kyodo)

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US: Super Typhoon Sinlaku Slams Northern Marianas and Guam, Prompting Disaster Declarations

Super Typhoon Sinlaku slammed the U.S. Northern Marianas and Guam in the western Pacific Ocean before daybreak on Wednesday, April 15, bringing high winds, storm surge, and flooding rainfall as the planet's strongest tropical cyclone of 2026 so far. President Trump approved emergency disaster declarations for the area.

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Miura-Kihara pair performs at Mao Rink for new employees

Miura-Kihara pair performs at Mao Rink for new employees

Milan Cortina Olympics pairs figure skating gold medalists Riku Miura (L) and Ryuichi Kihara perform during Kinoshita Group's ceremony for new employees at Mao Rink -- opened by Vancouver Olympic silver medalist Mao Asada -- in Tachikawa, western Tokyo, on April 13, 2026. The pair belongs to the Tokyo company.

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Miura-Kihara pair performs at Mao Rink for new employees

Miura-Kihara pair performs at Mao Rink for new employees

Milan Cortina Olympics pairs figure skating gold medalists Riku Miura (L) and Ryuichi Kihara meet the press after performing during Kinoshita Group's ceremony for new employees at Mao Rink -- opened by Vancouver Olympic silver medalist Mao Asada -- in Tachikawa, western Tokyo, on April 13, 2026. The pair belongs to the Tokyo company.

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Miura-Kihara pair performs at Mao Rink for new employees

Miura-Kihara pair performs at Mao Rink for new employees

Milan Cortina Olympics pairs figure skating gold medalists Riku Miura (top) and Ryuichi Kihara perform during Kinoshita Group's ceremony for new employees at Mao Rink -- opened by Vancouver Olympic silver medalist Mao Asada -- in Tachikawa, western Tokyo, on April 13, 2026. The pair belongs to the Tokyo company.

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Miura-Kihara pair performs at Mao Rink for new employees

Miura-Kihara pair performs at Mao Rink for new employees

Milan Cortina Olympics pairs figure skating gold medalists Riku Miura (R) and Ryuichi Kihara perform during Kinoshita Group's ceremony for new employees at Mao Rink -- opened by Vancouver Olympic silver medalist Mao Asada -- in Tachikawa, western Tokyo, on April 13, 2026. The pair belongs to the Tokyo company.

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20th birthday of popular mascot Hikonyan

20th birthday of popular mascot Hikonyan

Hikonyan, the popular samurai helmet-wearing cat mascot of Hikone in Shiga Prefecture, appears at a special event marking its 20th birthday in the western Japan city of Hikone on April 13, 2026.

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US: Giant Green Fireball Lights Up Night Sky in Billings, Montana

A giant green fireball lit up the skies across five western states on Wednesday, April 8, before exploding over northeastern Wyoming. The American Meteor Society received over 30 eyewitness accounts from Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, and South Dakota.

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Imitation chrysanthemum production in western Japan

TANABE, Japan, April 6 Kyodo - Production of imitation chrysanthemum flowers is under way in Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on April 6, 2026, ahead of a three-day annual festival at the World Heritage-listed Kumano Hongu Taisha shrine, starting on April 13. (Kyodo)

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Imitation chrysanthemum production in western Japan

Imitation chrysanthemum production in western Japan

Production of imitation chrysanthemum flowers is under way in Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, on April 6, 2026, ahead of a three-day annual festival at the World Heritage-listed Kumano Hongu Taisha shrine, starting on April 13.

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US: Severe Storms Batter Western New York, Triggering Flooding and Road Closures 3

Severe thunderstorms swept through Western New York on Tuesday, March 31, bringing heavy rain, hail, lightning, and strong winds. The storms caused widespread flooding, power outages, and road closures across the region. A tornado warning was issued for parts of the area.

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US: Severe Storms Batter Western New York, Triggering Flooding and Road Closures 2

Severe thunderstorms swept through Western New York on Tuesday, March 31, bringing heavy rain, hail, lightning, and strong winds. The storms caused widespread flooding, power outages, and road closures across the region. A tornado warning was issued for parts of the area.

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US: Severe Storms Batter Western New York, Triggering Flooding and Road Closures

Severe thunderstorms swept through Western New York on Tuesday, March 31, bringing heavy rain, hail, lightning, and strong winds. The storms caused widespread flooding, power outages, and road closures across the region. A tornado warning was issued for parts of the area.

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Australia: Cyclone Narelle Turns Skies Deep Red Over Western Australia’s Shark Bay

The sky over the Shark Bay area in Western Australia turned a deep red and orange on Friday, March 27, as powerful winds from Tropical Cyclone Narelle whipped up iron-rich dust, blanketing some areas in a crimson haze.

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Kiyomizu temple lit up in Kyoto

Kiyomizu temple lit up in Kyoto

Kiyomizu temple in Kyoto, western Japan, is lit up during a test event on March 26, 2026, a day before the start of its spring special night viewing through April 5.

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Kiyomizu temple lit up in Kyoto

Kiyomizu temple lit up in Kyoto

Kiyomizu temple in Kyoto, western Japan, is lit up during a test event on March 26, 2026, a day before the start of its spring special night viewing through April 5.

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Kiyomizu temple lit up in Kyoto

Kiyomizu temple lit up in Kyoto

Kiyomizu temple in Kyoto, western Japan, is lit up during a test event on March 26, 2026, a day before the start of its spring special night viewing through April 5.

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Japan starts release of state-held oil

Japan starts release of state-held oil

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on March 26, 2026, shows the Kikuma National Petroleum Stockpiling Base in Imabari in Ehime Prefecture, western Japan. The Japanese government started releasing state-held oil the same day to stabilize supplies amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, commencing with the release from the Kikuma base.

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Japan starts release of state-held oil

Japan starts release of state-held oil

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on March 26, 2026, shows the Kikuma National Petroleum Stockpiling Base in Imabari in Ehime Prefecture, western Japan. The Japanese government started releasing state-held oil the same day to stabilize supplies amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, commencing with the release from the Kikuma base.

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Japan starts release of state-held oil

Japan starts release of state-held oil

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on March 26, 2026, shows the Kikuma National Petroleum Stockpiling Base in Imabari in Ehime Prefecture, western Japan. The Japanese government started releasing state-held oil the same day to stabilize supplies amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, commencing with the release from the Kikuma base.

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Retired figure skater Mao Asada

TOKYO, Japan, March 23 Kyodo - Retired Japanese figure skater Mao Asada speaks to the press in Tachikawa, western Tokyo, on March 21, 2026, as her figure skating academy Kinoshita Mao Academy holds its first presentation event. She started a full-time coaching career last August at the school. (Kyodo)

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Sumo: Kirishima earns re-promotion to ozeki

Sumo: Kirishima earns re-promotion to ozeki

Sumo wrestler Kirishima (top) poses following his re-promotion to the sport's second-highest rank of ozeki in Sakai in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, on March 25, 2026. The winner of the Emperor's Cup in the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament that concluded on March 22, the Mongolian was promoted to ozeki in 2023 but slipped from the position the following year due to poor performance.

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Sumo: Kirishima earns re-promotion to ozeki

Sumo: Kirishima earns re-promotion to ozeki

Sumo wrestler Kirishima (L) meets the press following his re-promotion to the sport's second-highest rank of ozeki in Sakai in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, on March 25, 2026. The winner of the Emperor's Cup in the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament that concluded on March 22, the Mongolian was promoted to ozeki in 2023 but slipped from the position the following year due to poor performance.

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Sumo: Kirishima earns re-promotion to ozeki

Sumo: Kirishima earns re-promotion to ozeki

Sumo wrestler Kirishima meets the press following his re-promotion to the sport's second-highest rank of ozeki in Sakai in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, on March 25, 2026. The winner of the Emperor's Cup in the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament that concluded on March 22, the Mongolian was promoted to ozeki in 2023 but slipped from the position the following year due to poor performance.

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Sumo: Kirishima earns re-promotion to ozeki

Sumo: Kirishima earns re-promotion to ozeki

Sumo wrestler Kirishima (C) celebrates his re-promotion to the sport's second-highest rank of ozeki in Sakai in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, on March 25, 2026, after winning the Emperor's Cup in the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament that concluded on March 22. The Mongolian was promoted to ozeki in 2023 but slipped from the position the following year due to poor performance.

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Sumo: Kirishima earns re-promotion to ozeki

Sumo: Kirishima earns re-promotion to ozeki

Sumo wrestler Kirishima (L) accepts his promotion to the sport's second-highest rank of ozeki during a ceremony at his stable in Sakai in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, on March 25, 2026, after winning the Emperor's Cup in the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament that concluded on March 22. The Mongolian was promoted to ozeki in 2023 but slipped from the position the following year due to poor performance.

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Sumo: Kirishima earns re-promotion to ozeki

Sumo: Kirishima earns re-promotion to ozeki

Sumo wrestler Kirishima (2nd from L) accepts his promotion to the sport's second-highest rank of ozeki during a ceremony at his stable in Sakai in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, on March 25, 2026, after winning the Emperor's Cup in the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament that concluded on March 22. The Mongolian was promoted to ozeki in 2023 but slipped from the position the following year due to poor performance.

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Sumo: Kirishima earns re-promotion to ozeki

Sumo: Kirishima earns re-promotion to ozeki

Sumo wrestler Kirishima (C) accepts his promotion to the sport's second-highest rank of ozeki during a ceremony at his stable in Sakai in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, on March 25, 2026, after winning the Emperor's Cup in the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament that concluded on March 22. The Mongolian was promoted to ozeki in 2023 but slipped from the position the following year due to poor performance.

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Public access to Hiroshima Castle tower ends

Public access to Hiroshima Castle tower ends

Hiroshima Castle's tower is illuminated on the final day of its public opening in Hiroshima, western Japan, on March 22, 2026. A 68-year history of public access to the castle tower, rebuilt in 1958 following its destruction in the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing, ended due to its aging.

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Retired figure skater Mao Asada

Retired figure skater Mao Asada

Retired Japanese figure skater Mao Asada speaks to the press in Tachikawa, western Tokyo, on March 21, 2026, as her figure skating academy Kinoshita Mao Academy holds its first presentation event. She started a full-time coaching career last August at the school.

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Retired figure skater Mao Asada

Retired figure skater Mao Asada

Retired Japanese figure skater Mao Asada speaks to the press in Tachikawa, western Tokyo, on March 21, 2026, as her figure skating academy Kinoshita Mao Academy holds its first presentation event. She started a full-time coaching career last August at the school.

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Retired figure skater Mao Asada

Retired figure skater Mao Asada

Retired Japanese figure skater Mao Asada speaks to the press in Tachikawa, western Tokyo, on March 21, 2026, as her figure skating academy Kinoshita Mao Academy holds its first presentation event. She started a full-time coaching career last August at the school.

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Spring Grand Sumo Tournament

Spring Grand Sumo Tournament

Sekiwake Kirishima poses during a press conference at his stable in Sakai in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, on March 23, 2026, after winning the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament that concluded the previous day.

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