Amid rising rice prices, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shinjiro Koizumi has stirred debate by floating the idea of emergency rice imports. This is not his first confrontation with Japan’s powerful agricultural cooperatives. Nearly a decade ago, Koizumi attempted major reforms of JA (Japan Agricultural Cooperatives), only to face fierce resistance from entrenched interests within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). (News On Japan)

A ceremonial ritual to carry sacred timber into the Ise Grand Shrine’s Inner Shrine was held on June 9th in preparation for the next Shikinen Sengu in 2033, when the shrine buildings are reconstructed once every 20 years. (News On Japan)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have made the first arrest in Japan using a new investigative method known as "undercover identity investigation," in which officers apply for illegal jobs using fabricated IDs. (News On Japan)

A total of five individuals, including senior figures from organized crime groups, have been arrested on suspicion of reserving a hotel room without disclosing their ties to criminal organizations. Authorities believe the site was used to conduct an alliance ceremony between a Japanese gang and the Hong Kong-based mafia group known as 14K. (News On Japan)

A 75-year-old man was arrested on June 5th at a hospital in Chiba City for stabbing a doctor during a consultation. The suspect, Fukoyoshi Nobe, is being held on charges of attempted murder after he slashed a 53-year-old male physician in the neck and other areas with a knife, causing serious injuries. (News On Japan)

Masahiko Inami, professor and deputy director at the University of Tokyo’s Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, is leading groundbreaking research into human augmentation—technology that expands human capabilities beyond natural limitations. Inspired by science fiction and driven by a vision of a more inclusive and creative future, Inami’s work aims not only to assist those with physical challenges but to elevate all individuals through the integration of new skills and sensory functions. (News On Japan)

Shigeo Nagashima, known affectionately as "Mr. Professional Baseball," was remembered at his funeral in Tokyo on June 8th, following his death from pneumonia on June 3rd at age 89. (News On Japan)

Okinawa has entered summer faster than ever before. The Japan Meteorological Agency announced around 11 a.m. on June 8th that the region is believed to have ended its rainy season—marking the earliest such declaration since records began in 1951. (News On Japan)

Wandering around Tokyo's most famous temple, Senso-ji, in the Asakusa district from day to night. As the sun sets on Japan, the temple and pagoda are illuminated, and is a beautiful sight with Tokyo Skytree lit up in the background. For sure one of my favorite even spots to wander around and take in the sights. (VIRTUAL JAPAN)

A bear known as OSO18, which attacked more than 60 cattle in eastern Hokkaido, has been revealed to be an unusually extreme carnivore, primarily feeding on Ezo deer. (News On Japan)

A wild male deer was seen roaming through a residential neighborhood in Chuo Ward, Sapporo, on the morning of June 6th, prompting police to issue warnings to residents. (News On Japan)

Japan’s bid for a successful private-sector moon landing has ended in failure for the second time, after startup ispace announced that it lost communication with its lunar lander Resilience during the final descent. (News On Japan)

A police officer and a Buddhist priest have been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a female high school student in Aomori Prefecture. (News On Japan)

A Vietnamese-themed girls' bar in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward has been raided by police for operating without a license and employing foreign students on study visas to entertain customers. (News On Japan)

To meet surging inbound tourism demand, so-called "special zone minpaku" (private lodgings permitted under special deregulation zones) have rapidly increased in Osaka. This system, introduced in 2014, allows for more relaxed rules on operating private accommodations. Today, approximately 95% of all approved special zone minpaku are concentrated in Osaka, and tensions with neighboring residents are rising. (News On Japan)

More than half of female local assembly members in Japan have experienced harassment, according to a Cabinet Office survey released on June 6th. (News On Japan)

The suspected ringleader of a Japanese criminal group known as "JP Dragon," which is believed to have been operating a large-scale phone fraud scheme out of the Philippines, has been detained by local authorities. (News On Japan)

A local metalworking factory in Tochigi Prefecture has developed a high-performance pot called the "Explosive-Speed Boiling Cooker" that is gaining popularity among outdoor enthusiasts. The pot features 108 protrusions on its base that significantly improve heat conductivity, allowing water to boil much faster than with ordinary pots. (News On Japan)

Nara, famed for its ancient temples and historic cityscape, faces a modern dilemma: how to increase tourism revenue while preserving the city's low skyline. Due to strict regulations designed to protect the views of landmarks such as Mount Wakakusa and the Great Buddha, no building in Nara Prefecture exceeds 50 meters in height. (News On Japan)

Parenting and household management can become overwhelming when balancing the everyday routines of meal preparation, playtime, and household chores. Families over time have adjusted to living in more compact spaces with fewer items and have come to realize the importance of organization more than ever before. (News On Japan)