A male zoo keeper in his 50s was seriously injured after being attacked by a rhinoceros at the Kumamoto City Zoo and Botanical Gardens on April 26. (News On Japan)

Electricity and gas bills for usage in May will rise slightly in Japan, with the impact of tensions involving Iran expected to appear in utility charges from June onward. Larger increases could follow in subsequent months. (News On Japan)

The Japanese government held the first meeting of an expert panel on April 27 to begin discussions on revising three key security-related documents, including the National Security Strategy. (News On Japan)

The Bank of Japan decided to leave interest rates unchanged, opting against an additional rate hike for now, after its monetary policy meeting concluded earlier with a majority vote to maintain the policy rate at 0.75%, marking the third consecutive meeting at which rates were left unchanged. (News On Japan)

Shizuoka City said it will shorten operating hours at three municipally run hot spring facilities from May 7 for the time being, after instability in heavy oil supplies linked to the situation in Iran. (News On Japan)

International passenger traffic at Kansai Airport reached a record high of 27.08 million in fiscal 2025, up around 2 million from the previous year and highlighting strong demand for overseas travel across western Japan. (News On Japan)

A marine park in Hyogo Prefecture is presenting research findings in a live show demonstrating that a young dolphin can learn by imitating the movements of adults. (News On Japan)

Residents of Okinawa were given an early preview on April 27 of a new thrill ride at theme park JUNGLIA OKINAWA in Nakijin Village, Okinawa Prefecture. (News On Japan)

A rare spring mirage appeared over Toyama Bay on April 26, creating a striking optical illusion in which a bridge seemed to transform into a flattened diamond shape floating above the water. (News On Japan)

Prolonged tensions in the Middle East are beginning to affect everyday vegetables in Japan, with tomato farmers facing higher costs and shortages of packaging materials. (News On Japan)

The impact of the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz is spreading to Japan's export industries, dealing a fresh blow to automakers and other companies reliant on Middle East trade routes. (News On Japan)

Generative AI chatbot ChatGPT would have ranked first in this year's entrance examinations for both the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, according to research by AI startup Life Prompt. (News On Japan)

A 57-year-old man was arrested after allegedly stealing a fire engine dispatched to a suspicious fire near a railway station in Aichi Prefecture, then crashing it about 9 kilometers away while attempting to drive back to his home in Chiba Prefecture. (News On Japan)

A Japanese serow, a species designated by the government as a Special Natural Monument, entered a bank in Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture, on the afternoon of April 27. (News On Japan)

Regular service by an electric passenger ferry linking Tokyo's Nihonbashi and Toyosu began on April 26. It marks Japan's first scheduled service using a fully electric passenger vessel operated by a private company. (News On Japan)

The Nikkei Stock Average rose by more than 1,100 points at one stage in trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Monday. Following gains in semiconductor-related shares on the New York market on June 24, buy orders flowed into AI and chip-related stocks in Tokyo, lifting the Nikkei back above the 60,000 level. (News On Japan)

A viral social media video showing a man believed to be a foreign national being restrained by police in Tokyo has sparked widespread debate, with claims that officers had begun deporting troublesome tourists by wrapping them 'like sushi.' (News On Japan)

A survey by Nikkei Inc. and the Japan Center for Economic Research found that 66% of economists believe Japan needs measures to curb petroleum consumption in response to rising crude oil prices. (News On Japan)

A strong earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of lower 5+ struck Hokkaido early on April 27, with no risk of a tsunami, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The quake occurred at around 5:24 a.m. and was centered in southern Tokachi. It had an estimated magnitude of 6.1 and a focal depth of about 80 kilometers. (News On Japan)

Japan has reduced refinery operating rates as it scrambles to secure alternative crude supplies following disruptions to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the growing strain on one of Asia’s most import-dependent energy markets. (News On Japan)