A newly formed tropical depression in the South China Sea could bring another round of heavy rain to western Japan as it interacts with the seasonal rain front, meteorologists have warned, only days after Typhoon Jangmi (Typhoon No. 6) caused widespread damage across the country. (News On Japan)

A young Japanese macaque named Punch-kun has captured hearts around the world at a zoo near Tokyo, but the animal's growing popularity is now creating unexpected challenges, particularly after an American prankster dressed in a yellow suit entered the monkey enclosure, prompting renewed concerns over animal welfare and visitor behavior. (News On Japan)

A bear that injured four people in Fukushima City escaped despite efforts to capture it using tranquilizer darts and box traps, prompting authorities to urge residents to remain on high alert. (News On Japan)

A section of wall plaster and part of a roof eave were found damaged at Himeji Castle, the UNESCO World Heritage site in Hyogo Prefecture, on June 4th, with officials investigating whether strong winds from Typhoon Jangmi (Typhoon No. 6) were responsible. (News On Japan)

Transport services across eastern Japan were largely returning to normal on June 4th after Typhoon Jangmi (Typhoon No. 6) moved into the Pacific Ocean, with most railway lines resuming operations, airports functioning normally and airlines working to clear residual delays following a day of widespread disruption that saw nearly 900 flights canceled and major rail services suspended. (News On Japan)

A new ferry service linking Ishigaki Island and Taiwan has begun operations, marking the return of a regular maritime route between the two destinations for the first time in 18 years. (News On Japan)

Bear-related incidents have occurred in quick succession in Fukushima and Akita prefectures, leaving four people injured in Fukushima while authorities in Akita are investigating a suspected fatal bear attack involving a woman in her 70s. (News On Japan)

Typhoon Jangmi (Typhoon No. 6) swept across Japan on June 3rd, bringing record-breaking rainfall, widespread flooding, landslides, transport disruptions, and powerful winds, while prompting Tokyo's first-ever issuance of a Level 4 danger alert under the country's new weather warning system. (News On Japan)

One of Kyushu's most distinctive dining destinations, the underwater restaurant Manbo in Yobuko, Saga Prefecture, has temporarily closed after 43 years in operation as construction advances on a new and modernized replacement scheduled to open this autumn. (News On Japan)

A veteran hunter with 42 years of experience has become the first person hired by Hokkaido as a "Government Hunter," a newly created role aimed at strengthening bear control measures and improving public safety. (News On Japan)

Typhoon No. 6 is expected to approach the Okinawa region with strong intensity by the morning of June 1st, prompting authorities to warn of violent winds, extremely rough seas, torrential rain, and dangerous storm surges, while all flights operating at Naha, Miyako, and Ishigaki airports have been canceled. (News On Japan)

Typhoon No. 6 is disrupting air travel across southern Japan, with All Nippon Airways (ANA) canceling all flights arriving at and departing from Naha, Ishigaki, and Miyako airports on June 1st as the storm approaches. (News On Japan)

A Japan Airlines passenger aircraft that made an emergency landing after suffering a tire malfunction has prompted the discovery of runway damage at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, with authorities now investigating whether the two incidents are connected. (News On Japan)

Kansai Airport has completed its first large-scale renovation since opening, 24 additional stores, including a Universal Studios Japan outlet, marking the theme park's first airport store in Japan. (News On Japan)

Sanmarc Holdings is betting on Kyoto's global appeal and the growing popularity of gyukatsu among foreign tourists as it accelerates overseas expansion, with President Yuki Fujikawa positioning the beef cutlet chain as a key driver of the restaurant group's inbound tourism and international growth strategy. (News On Japan)

Osaka City will stop accepting new applications for its special-zone minpaku program on May 29 as complaints over noise, garbage disposal and other issues involving guests continue to increase. (News On Japan)

A new travel style known as “Otetutabi,” which combines short-term work with tourism, is rapidly gaining attention across Japan as both travelers and local businesses search for new ways to address changing social and economic realities. (News On Japan)

The route dispute surrounding the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Osaka has been thrown back into uncertainty, with the long-discussed "Obama-Kyoto Route" effectively returned to square one as ruling coalition lawmakers consider eight alternative plans, including a route via Maibara Station in Shiga Prefecture. (News On Japan)

Traditional rice planting was held on May 27th in Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture, where women dressed as saotome carefully planted Koshihikari rice seedlings as traditional rice planting songs echoed across the historic village. (News On Japan)

People caught littering in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward will face on-the-spot fines of 2,000 yen starting June 1st under revised local regulations aimed at tackling a surge in street garbage around the busy entertainment district. (News On Japan)