JR East has announced its first-ever time-limited discount sale offering up to 60% off Shinkansen fares, with tickets available through its online reservation platform, Ekinet. (News On Japan)

A 36-year-old unemployed man has been arrested on suspicion of abducting a teenage girl who was later found dead in Yamagata Prefecture. The suspect, Hiroki Kishinami from Fukushima City, has previously been arrested three times for offenses including the abduction of minors and assisting in suicides. (News On Japan)

A growing number of Chinese tourists in Japan are converting their foreign driver's licenses into Japanese ones by listing their hotel addresses as proof of residence, drawing criticism and prompting a policy shift from authorities. (News On Japan)

Loose socks, once a symbol of 1990s gyaru fashion, are making a stylish comeback among Japan's Gen Z, driven by a broader 'Heisei retro' trend that celebrates nostalgic aesthetics. In Harajuku, young people are pairing the evolved, shorter versions of the socks with miniskirts and shorts. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Mark Carney's cabinet reshuffle includes changes to the core team overseeing the currently fraught US-Canada relationship.

A lawsuit over the right to education in Japanese Sign Language concluded at the Sapporo High Court on May 13th, with a junior high school girl using the language in court to state that "Japanese Sign Language is my identity." (News On Japan)

SoftBank Group has returned to profitability for the first time in four years, reporting on May 13th a net profit of 1.1533 trillion yen for the fiscal year ending March 2025, driven by a global rebound in stock markets that sharply boosted the value of its investment holdings. (News On Japan)

Zensho Holdings, operator of the Sukiya beef bowl chain, reported a 17.7% rise in annual revenue to 1.1366 trillion yen for the fiscal year ending March 2025—marking the first time a domestic restaurant company in Japan has exceeded 1 trillion yen in sales. (News On Japan)

The celebrity businesswoman grew tearful as she gave evidence in the trial of 10 people accused of robbing her at gunpoint.

The celebrity businesswoman grew tearful as she gave evidence in the trial of 10 people accused of robbing her at gunpoint.

Israeli warplanes dropped six bombs simultaneously on the hospital, according to local sources.

The US leader has faced criticism over his plan to accept a plane from Qatar worth an estimated $400m.

Russia has not yet said who it will send to Istanbul on Thursday and has refused to respond to ultimatums.

Russia has not yet said who it will send to Istanbul on Thursday and has refused to respond to ultimatums.

Dozens of senior officials, military leaders and businessmen queued to greet the US president in Saudi Arabia.

Police arrest the leaders of Germany's largest Reichsbürger faction, that calls itself "Kingdom of Germany".

Police arrest the leaders of Germany's largest Reichsbürger faction, that calls itself "Kingdom of Germany".

The foreign minister says raising concerns publicly amounts to interference in domestic affairs.

The foreign minister says raising concerns publicly amounts to interference in domestic affairs.

The French actor, who denies the allegations, has been given a suspended jail term of 18 months.