A Japanese department store is offering anyone with a quarter of a million dollars a lucky dip bag stuffed with expensive jewellery to ring in the New Year.

One lucky customer prepared to hand over a numerically significant 20.12 million yen ($259,000) can celebrate the turn of the year with a fistful of precious baubles.

The “fukubukuro” (lucky bag) — a feature of the New Year in Japan, one of the country’s most important holidays — will go on sale on January 2.

French luxury macaron brand Ladurée has announced the launch of a color cosmetics range called Les Merveilleuses de Laduree.

US fast-food chain Wendy’s, known for its square beef patties and baked potatoes, on Tuesday unveiled a foie gras burger as it sprang back into life in Japan.

Two years after shutting up shop because of falling profits, Wendy’s is hoping its exotic new menu will tickle the sophisticated Japanese palate.

The regular buns are still there but are joined by the foie gras burgers, which cost 1,280 yen ($16), and avocado and wasabi burgers (820 yen) as well as grilled chicken served with truffle and porcini mushroom sauce (920 yen).

A fleet of luxury sportscars has been involved in one of the most expensive accidents in history after an astonishing multi-car pile-up in Japan.

The wreck included several Ferrari 355s, Ferrari F430s, Ferrari F360, Ferrari F512, Lamborghini Diablo and three Mercedes models as well as a Nissan Skyline.

The Ferrari driver reportedly lost control round a wet curve of China Road in Yamaguchi Prefecture when he hit a median creating a catastrophic chain reaction.

Even though Christmas is not a traditional Japanese celebration, few places in the world mark December 25 with such gusto as Tokyo.

The Shangri-La Hotel, Tokyo has announced a WISH.forJapan Christmas package that is available December 10-25.

10 percent of the price, which starts at Y52,000 per night will go to support people affected by the earthquake and tsunami that struck northeast Japan in March.

Tokyo has now more Michelin three star restaurants than Paris, according to the latest edition of the gastronomical guide.

Japan as a whole also beats France, with 32 establishments granted the maximum grade, against 25 in the guide’s home country. Paris has just 10 three star eateries.

Of Tokyo’s 160,000 restaurants, 16 were awarded top marks, 52 got two stars and 179 were deemed worthy of one star by the authors of the Red Guide.