The National Red Cross Convention held on May 12 honored people involved in Red Cross activities across Japan. Empress Masako, serving as honorary president, attended the event alongside other female members of the Imperial Family, including Crown Princess Kiko, who serves as vice honorary president. (News On Japan)

A breathtaking scene unfolded before photographers as the setting sun illuminated terraced rice fields stretching toward the coastline in Saga Prefecture. (News On Japan)

Three men, including 22-year-old Sakuya Murakami from Takatsuki City in Osaka Prefecture, were arrested on suspicion of robbery resulting in injury after allegedly spraying a man in the face with what is believed to have been bear repellent and attempting to steal his backpack on a street in Nagaokakyo, Kyoto Prefecture, in April. (News On Japan)

A new parliamentary group within the Liberal Democratic Party known as the "National Strength Study Group" is set to be launched, bringing together a powerful lineup of senior ruling party figures including Vice President Taro Aso, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, and Policy Research Council Chairman Takayuki Kobayashi. (News On Japan)

Japan has approved the domestic manufacture and sale of an MMR vaccine that protects against measles, mumps, and rubella with a single injection, paving the way for its use in children aged one and older. (News On Japan)

Thick black smoke billowed across an expressway in Fukuoka on May 11th after a fire broke out beneath an elevated section of the road, temporarily blocking visibility for drivers and forcing a partial road closure. (News On Japan)

Several Japanese nationals suspected of involvement in a special fraud operation in Indonesia have been detained, after a report from the family of a Japanese woman believed to have been trafficked led authorities to uncover the operation. (News On Japan)

The House of Councillors' settlement committee convened on May 11th with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in attendance, as lawmakers continued debating the government's response to the worsening situation surrounding Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. (News On Japan)

A tornado-like whirlwind was spotted on Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture on May 11th, with dramatic footage capturing the swirling gust as it moved through a port area while lifting seawater into the air. (News On Japan)

A brown bear was caught on camera running at high speed through a residential area in Hokkaido, as sightings of unusually large bears continue to spread across the region this spring. (News On Japan)

A shortage of designated garbage bags began emerging in Hokkaido's Hokuto City in late April, with residents reporting that the bags had disappeared from store shelves and become difficult to purchase. (News On Japan)

As rice planting season gets underway, a rare seasonal sight known as the “Upside-Down Hyono Mountain” has appeared in Yabu City, Hyogo Prefecture, where the image of Mount Hyono is reflected on the surface of flooded terraced rice fields. (News On Japan)

As ferries cut across the open waters between Wakayama and Tokushima during the Golden Week holidays, passengers aboard the Nankai Ferry found themselves enjoying a slower pace of travel far removed from Japan’s notorious highway congestion. (News On Japan)

Changes are emerging within PTAs that support children's school lives as growing numbers of dual-income households make it increasingly difficult for parents to participate in traditional school activities. (News On Japan)

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on May 7th that Tokyo has been selected as a host city for the Olympic Qualifying Series, where athletes will compete for places at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. (News On Japan)

Police searched the offices of a bus company on May 8th following a crash on the Banetsu Expressway in Fukushima Prefecture on May 6th that left one high school student dead and 20 others injured, with the driver of the microbus claiming he was not asleep at the wheel. (News On Japan)

The "Okihiki" ceremony, in which citizens transport timber to the Outer Shrine of Ise Grand Shrine ahead of its next Shikinen Sengu reconstruction seven years from now, began in Ise City, Mie Prefecture, on May 9th. (News On Japan)

A man has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and murder after a woman was killed at a hotel in Osaka’s Minami district. (News On Japan)

As bears increasingly appear in residential areas across Japan, emergency gun hunts to eliminate the animals have also been carried out repeatedly in Aomori Prefecture, where a local hunter has spoken publicly about the difficulties involved in firing a weapon in populated areas. (News On Japan)

The fifth annual "Japan Parade" was held in Manhattan on May 9th, drawing large crowds as around 100 groups and approximately 2,700 participants showcased Japanese culture through martial arts performances, traditional dance, and cosplay. (News On Japan)