We listen to a news story about a new 100 yen visitor tax introduced in October by the island of Miyajima in Hiroshima Prefecture. City officials expect this tax to generate 104 million yen in revenues by next March. In the second half of the program, we shine a light on overtourism in Japan and look at the ways cities are trying to reduce the strain on both residents and tourists, providing helpful tips for international visitors along the way.

Amid a growing labor shortage, Japanese security firms are investing in the development and deployment of autonomous drones and robots. Join us as we listen to this story in Japanese and learn about expressions related to having or not having enough of something. In the second half of the program, we shine a light on service robots in action. More and more are being rolled out across the hospitality industry, which is also grappling with a lack of workers.

This time we feature a news story about the climate conference COP28 in Dubai, where countries showcased their decarbonization efforts. 14 Japanese firms participated and exhibited their latest tech. Later on, we spotlight one of those technologies: a next-generation solar cell based on a class of materials called perovskites, which can convert sunlight into electricity. We also learn about the Japanese word "kaihatsu" (development).

On December 2, an event was held to celebrate 100 years since the birth of the ever-faithful Hachiko. About 40 Akitas and their owners gathered from around the country and set out for a commemorative walk around Shibuya. Join us as we listen to the story in Japanese, review key expressions including "nakunaru" (to pass away), and spotlight the Akita dog, which in recent years has become popular overseas.

On March 16, the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line will start operating between Kanazawa Station in Ishikawa Prefecture and Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture. A public preview event was held in early February ahead of the official opening, and 2,000 participants were selected randomly from about 150,000 applicants to take a test ride. We listen to the news story, spotlight visitor attractions in Fukui Prefecture, and study expressions related to riding the Shinkansen and other trains.

In January, Japan successfully landed an unmanned space probe on the moon. Japan's space agency JAXA said that SLIM touched down 55 meters east of the target site, achieving the world's first high-precision landing with a margin of error of less than 100 meters. We listen to the story in Japanese, learn about words such as "inai" (within) that describe a range of values, and spotlight a small robot co-developed with industry and academia that succeeded in photographing the lander on the moon.

After a major earthquake struck Taiwan in early April, there were calls in Japan for donations to help Taiwanese people. The keyword on social media was "ongaeshi," the idea of repaying someone's kindness. Municipalities with ties to Taiwan set up donation boxes to help support those affected by the disaster. Tune in to learn about words such as "kondo," which means "this time" or "next time," and "on," which refers to the feeling of gratitude you feel for a favor someone has done for you.

Starting July, all climbers who ascend Mt. Fuji from the Yamanashi Prefecture side will be charged a 2,000-yen toll. It is part of a new set of measures aimed at encouraging proper climbing etiquette and preventing accidents. We review the story and learn about the suffix "-kata" in "noborikata" (the way to climb), as well as mountaineering terms like "goome" (roughly one-tenth of the way from the base to the summit) and "raku" (falling rocks).

The city of Gifu in central Japan has brought iconic Gifu Castle to the metaverse, recreating it as it was during the time of warlord Oda Nobunaga. Follow along as we listen to the news story in Japanese, review key terms like "mite-mawaru" (look around) and learn the construction "verb + mawaru," and highlight common expressions that originated back in the days of the samurai.

With dengue fever spreading in Southeast Asia and elsewhere, two Japanese manufacturers of household goods have jointly developed a new mosquito spray. It's designed to saturate their wings and bodies with water, rendering them unable to fly. Join us as we review the story in Japanese, study the keyword "utsuru" (to catch or contract an illness or disease), and learn expressions related to mosquitoes and insects in general.

Amid the rise in remote working, Saku City in Nagano Prefecture is aiming to attract new residents. They've started a system to subsidize transportation costs for those living and working remotely in the area while making work trips out to urban hubs. Officials hope to curb the effects of population decline. We listen to the news story in Japanese, review the construction "A to B no aida" (between A and B), and learn expressions related to "hikkoshi" (changing residence) and "ijuu" (relocation).

Charles Oppenheimer, the grandson of the creator of the atomic bomb, spoke at a news conference in Japan, stressing that we should never use the bombs again. We listen to the news story and review the expression "ikenai" in "genbaku ya bakudan o tsukatte wa ikenai" (atomic bombs and bombs in general should not be used). We also learn about the story behind "senbazuru" (1,000 folded paper cranes).

To discourage rowdy Halloween gatherings, Shinjuku Ward has banned street drinking in and around the Kabukicho district from the evening of Oct. 31 until the following morning. Last year, nearby Shibuya Ward asked people not to come to the area, which led many revelers to flock to Shinjuku instead. Shinjuku officials will ask convenience stores and other retailers to refrain from selling alcohol. We review the story and learn Japanese expressions used in the context of going out for a drink.

The Ig Nobel Prize is awarded to unique research that inspires laughter as well as reflection. This year, a research team led by Japanese professor Takebe Takanori received the physiology prize for discovering that pigs and other animals have the ability to absorb oxygen through the rectum. This is the 18th year in a row that a Japanese national has won an award. We review the story and learn expressions related to "iki" (breath), such as "iki ga au" (be on the same wavelength).