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)

Daihatsu has unveiled a new model of its Move mini vehicle, featuring sliding doors as its standout characteristic—an increasingly essential feature in Japan's family car market. (News On Japan)

Tachibana, head of the NHK Party, has been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of defaming a Hyogo prefectural assembly member during last year’s gubernatorial election campaign, according to investigative sources. (News On Japan)

The number of people arrested for violating Japan’s anti-stalking law reached a record high of 1,341 in 2024, while consultations regarding the misuse of tracking devices such as Apple’s AirTag also hit an all-time high, prompting the National Police Agency (NPA) to consider new regulations. (News On Japan)

Japan’s super-long-term government bond yields—covering 30- and 40-year maturities—have climbed sharply in recent months, reaching their highest levels in years. The upward momentum has also pushed up 10-year yields, which are commonly used as a benchmark in financial markets. (News On Japan)

Legionella bacteria have been detected in multiple locations at the Osaka-Kansai Expo site, prompting health and safety measures. According to the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, seawater collected on June 3rd from the Water Plaza, where water shows are held, was found to contain Legionella bacteria at 20 times the guideline limit. (News On Japan)

A man who repeatedly harassed his neighbors in a residential area of Ibaraki City, Osaka Prefecture, has been ordered to leave his home following a ruling by the Osaka High Court on June 4th. (News On Japan)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested four individuals, including Nobumasa Daigo, a director of an ivory sales company, on suspicion of violating the Unfair Competition Prevention Act. The group is accused of falsely labeling elephant ivory as mammoth tusk—a material not subject to trade restrictions—and selling it via online auctions. (News On Japan)