1. People across Japan are slurping up soba buckwheat noodles on Wednesday, New Year’s Eve. Eating the noodles while wishing for longevity and happiness is a Japanese tradition on the final day of the year. Diners occupied all the tables immediately after the restaurant opened for the day. Most customers ordered soba in hot soup after arriving amid the winter cold with snow falling outside. Many bought noodles to take away and eat later at home.
2. The Tokyo Stock Exchange marked its last trading day of the year on Tuesday with a ceremony. This year saw the benchmark Nikkei Stock Average top the 50,000 mark for the first time, and participants prayed that stock prices will continue to rise next year. The Nikkei average ended the last session of 2025 at 50,339.
3. One of Japan’s largest events for lovers of manga and anime opened in Tokyo’s Koto Ward on Tuesday. The Comic Market, also known as Comiket, is marking its 50th anniversary after being launched in Tokyo’s Toranokomon in 1975. Visitors formed a long line at its venue Tokyo Big Sight before it opened at 10:30 a.m.