Society News On Japan
Updated: 19 min 21 sec ago
May 26, 2026 - 14:30
A man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of murder after turning himself in to police on the night of May 25th in connection with the fatal stabbing of his 72-year-old father at a housing complex in Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture. (News On Japan)
May 26, 2026 - 14:17
Deep in the mountains of Ayabe in Kyoto Prefecture, 74-year-old Kazuyoshi Watanabe continues living alone in the isolated settlement of Koya, which has been reduced to a single resident after a stroke left the left side of his body partially paralyzed, despite the village having no supermarkets, convenience stores, or even vending machines. (News On Japan)
May 25, 2026 - 16:16
Two 19-year-old men have been arrested in connection with the robbery of 2 kilograms of gold bars on a street in Tokyo's Katsushika Ward on April 28th, while the stolen gold remains missing. (News On Japan)
May 25, 2026 - 13:33
A former employee of a girls bar in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district was sentenced by the Tokyo District Court to 1 year and 6 months in prison, suspended for three years, and fined 300,000 yen after being convicted of forcing a female co-worker into prostitution. (News On Japan)
May 25, 2026 - 06:48
Police are investigating an injury case after 26 people complained of feeling unwell and 19 were taken to hospital following a suspected pepper spray incident at the luxury shopping complex GINZA SIX in Tokyo’s Ginza district on May 25th. (News On Japan)
May 25, 2026 - 06:09
A runaway horse collided with spectators during the traditional Soma Nomaoi festival in Fukushima Prefecture on May 24th, injuring six people, after the rider fell off during the race, causing the animal to bolt into the crowd. (News On Japan)
May 25, 2026 - 05:25
A woman accused of killing a high school girl by causing her to fall from a bridge in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, denied having intended to kill the victim as her trial opened at the Asahikawa District Court on May 25th. (News On Japan)
May 24, 2026 - 12:53
Nearly three decades after the 1997 Kobe serial child murders shocked Japan, Mamoru Hase, whose 11-year-old son Jun was killed by the then 14-year-old perpetrator known as “Boy A,” has decided to bring an end to his long involvement with the offender over compensation and accountability. (News On Japan)
May 23, 2026 - 16:50
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)
May 23, 2026 - 14:47
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)
May 23, 2026 - 07:43
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)
May 23, 2026 - 01:00
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)
May 21, 2026 - 22:28
A sex business allegedly operating under the guise of a massage parlor in an area where such operations are prohibited has been raided by police, leading to the arrest of its female operator and others. (News On Japan)
May 21, 2026 - 16:04
A fire that broke out in Kagamino, Okayama Prefecture, shortly after noon on May 20th destroyed three buildings, including a home, after flames from open burning spread to dead leaves and then to nearby structures. (News On Japan)
May 21, 2026 - 08:34
Six people, including a senior member of a group affiliated with the Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicate's Kohei-ikka faction, have been arrested on suspicion of opening a gang office in a prohibited area near a nursery school in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward. (News On Japan)
May 21, 2026 - 02:23
Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen. (News On Japan)
May 21, 2026 - 02:19
A man who visited a police station in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the early hours of May 21st allegedly sprayed a transparent liquid inside the building, causing six police officers to complain of eye and throat pain and be taken to hospital with minor injuries. (News On Japan)
May 20, 2026 - 11:17
Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen. (News On Japan)
May 20, 2026 - 11:09
Tokyo police on May 18th simultaneously raided four girls bars and similar establishments across the capital, arresting five owners and employees on suspicion of allowing female staff to entertain male customers without the required business licenses, as authorities warned new university students against taking jobs at illegal nightlife venues. (News On Japan)
May 20, 2026 - 06:24
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department held a review ceremony for its riot police units at Meiji Jingu Gaien in Tokyo on May 20th, with around 1,700 officers marching in formation as part of a large-scale demonstration of security preparedness. (News On Japan)
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