Japan's H3 Rocket No. 6 lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 9:53 a.m. on June 12, marking the first launch in about six months since the failure of H3 Rocket No. 8 and a critical step toward the full resumption of operational flights. (News On Japan)

Weeds, often seen as symbols of toughness and perseverance, may in fact survive not because they are strong, but because they have developed highly efficient strategies that avoid unnecessary competition and maximize their chances of reproduction, according to recent research. (News On Japan)

Three people in their 20s and 30s living in Osaka Prefecture and other areas were referred to prosecutors on June 2nd for allegedly illegally selling and transferring the type 2 diabetes drug Mounjaro without the required authorization, as concerns grow over the drug's popularity as a weight-loss treatment and the health risks associated with its misuse. (News On Japan)

A hot spring lodging facility in Akita Prefecture has introduced a biomass boiler that uses rice husks and buckwheat hulls as fuel, reducing reliance on expensive kerosene while creating a new use for agricultural waste. (News On Japan)

The Japanese government has unveiled a draft target to replace between two and five nuclear reactors by the 2040s, marking the first time numerical goals for nuclear power development have been presented since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster 15 years ago. (News On Japan)

The video explains how a tiny, remote Japanese island called Minami Torishima (Marcus Island) could become one of the most strategically important locations in the world due to enormous deposits of rare earth elements buried in deep-sea mud beneath the Pacific Ocean. (News On Japan)

A large solar power facility built on a mountainside in Fukushima City is generating reflected sunlight for far longer than originally projected, with a city survey finding that glare at some locations lasted up to 53 minutes per day—more than ten times the maximum duration predicted by the operator. (News On Japan)

Japan’s largest space business exhibition opened at Tokyo Big Sight on May 27th, showcasing a growing wave of companies from outside the traditional aerospace sector entering the rapidly expanding space industry. (News On Japan)

JR Tokai held its first-ever resident briefing session in Shizuoka City on May 26th regarding construction of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen, outlining measures for water resource management and environmental conservation as the company seeks to gain local support ahead of the start of construction in Shizuoka Prefecture. (News On Japan)

A seasonal spectacle has begun on the Miwasaki coast in Shingu, Wakayama Prefecture, where tiny male chigogani crabs are emerging from their burrows at low tide and rhythmically waving their claws in a movement resembling a dance. (News On Japan)

A small onshore wind turbine collapsed in Oga, Akita Prefecture, in March, raising fresh concerns among local residents following a series of wind turbine-related accidents in the city over recent years. (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)

A safety alert is expected to be issued as early as May 21st over Tavneos, a drug used to treat vasculitis, after 20 patients who took the medication died from serious liver dysfunction, according to people familiar with the matter. (News On Japan)

As aging underground infrastructure becomes an increasing concern across Japan, the city of Yokkaichi in Mie Prefecture has developed a digital underground map designed to improve the management of sewer, water, gas, and electrical systems. (News On Japan)

Japan's Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry said on May 18th it had instructed Kissei Pharmaceutical to report the facts surrounding the deaths of 20 patients who had taken a treatment drug for vasculitis. (News On Japan)

A mysterious object floating softly through the air has captured widespread attention online, with researchers at Nagoya University developing an ultra-lightweight material that appears to behave like a real-life “flying carpet.” (News On Japan)

Japan has approved the application of public health insurance to a regenerative medicine product using iPS cells to treat Parkinson’s disease, marking the world’s first practical use of iPS cell-based regenerative medicine. (News On Japan)

A crack was found in the cover surrounding the high-pressure turbine at Kansai Electric Power’s Mihama Nuclear Power Plant No. 3 reactor in Mihama, Fukui Prefecture, following a steam leak that occurred last week, the utility said. (News On Japan)

Japan has approved the domestic manufacture and sale of an MMR vaccine that protects against measles, mumps, and rubella with a single injection, paving the way for its use in children aged one and older. (News On Japan)

A steam leak was detected early on May 8th at the Mihama Nuclear Power Plant's Unit 3 in Fukui Prefecture, prompting Kansai Electric Power to manually shut down the reactor. (News On Japan)