Two historic private residences in Hyogo Prefecture dating back to the Muromachi period are expected to be designated as National Treasures, marking the first time folk houses in Japan will receive the status. (News On Japan)

Two historic private residences in Hyogo Prefecture dating back to the Muromachi period are expected to be designated as National Treasures, marking the first time folk houses in Japan will receive the status. (News On Japan)

Traditional Okinawan dishes made with rare seaweed are being revived by local residents and researchers racing to preserve both the region’s fading food culture and its rapidly deteriorating marine ecosystem. (News On Japan)

An employee at Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, who was rearrested on suspicion of murdering his wife, allegedly told investigators that she had suspected him of having a relationship with another woman. (News On Japan)

Construction projects across Japan are being suspended as shortages of paint, thinner and waterproofing materials linked to worsening tensions in the Middle East place mounting pressure on small and midsize builders, with some contractors warning they may soon be forced out of business. (News On Japan)

A fire broke out in a residential area of Moriguchi, Osaka Prefecture, on May 23rd, leaving one woman injured and prompting an ongoing firefighting operation involving 13 emergency vehicles. (News On Japan)

The crude oil tanker "Idemitsu Maru," which passed through the Strait of Hormuz, is scheduled to arrive at Nagoya Port around noon on May 25th, drawing attention as Japan faces a sharp decline in crude imports from the Middle East following the effective closure of the strategic waterway. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met with Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda at the Prime Minister’s Office on May 22nd, urging the central bank to implement appropriate monetary policies while taking into account the government’s efforts to combat rising prices and promote crisis-management and growth-related investment. (News On Japan)

A historic temple hall on Mount Misen in Hiroshima Prefecture was destroyed by fire, but the famed "undying flame" believed to have burned continuously for more than 1,200 years was safely preserved elsewhere, according to the temple's chief priest. (News On Japan)

The film 'Kokuhou,' which swept 10 categories at this year's Japan Academy Film Prize ceremony in March, has become one of Japan's biggest box office successes in decades, helping fuel record profits at major distributor and production company Toho. (News On Japan)

The Nikkei Stock Average climbed sharply again on May 22nd, closing at a record high of 63,339 as investor sentiment improved on expectations that fighting between the United States and Iran could soon come to an end. (News On Japan)

Education Minister Yohei Matsumoto said on May 22nd that Doshisha International High School's planning, on-site response and safety management during a study trip to Okinawa were "grossly inappropriate," placing extremely heavy responsibility on the school and its operator after two small boats carrying students capsized off Henoko in Nago, killing a student and a captain. (News On Japan)

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party is moving toward legislation that would punish acts of damaging or defiling the national flag in public, with a party project team broadly approving the outline of a proposed law on May 22nd while excluding decorative flags used in children's meals, artwork and digital content. (News On Japan)

Japan's next-generation homegrown supercomputer, Fugaku NEXT, is being developed with a radically different strategy from its predecessors, abandoning the single-minded pursuit of the world's fastest calculation speed in favor of artificial intelligence capabilities expected to accelerate breakthroughs in fields ranging from drug development and batteries to disaster prevention and food production. (News On Japan)

Two Japanese nationals and a Chinese citizen were injured after a 59-year-old man attacked them with a knife at a Japanese restaurant in a commercial building in Shanghai on May 19th, with Chinese authorities investigating the motive after disclosing that the suspect had a history of treatment for mental illness. (News On Japan)

Three men, including a company executive, are suspected of smuggling gold from Hong Kong into Japan dozens of times last year to avoid paying consumption tax and other charges, with investigators believing the precious metal was handed over inside a toilet at Kansai International Airport. (News On Japan)

Universal Studios Japan (USJ) has begun renting out a wayfinding device for visually impaired visitors, becoming the first theme park in Japan to introduce the technology. (News On Japan)

Elementary schools in Sapporo will begin their sports day season from this Saturday, and for children eager to run faster in footraces, a special lesson was held to teach the basic techniques that can make the difference. (News On Japan)

A new Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers’ group aimed at advancing the policies of the Takaichi administration held its first meeting, with Vice President Aso appointed as supreme adviser and former Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato named chairman. (News On Japan)

A black bear was filmed walking directly toward a camera from only a few meters away at around 2 p.m. on May 21st in the parking lot of a tourist facility in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture, as the person recording the scene could be heard saying, "Call someone. Wait a minute. This is bad, it is coming this way. We could get hurt." (News On Japan)