Japan’s weather agency carried out field inspections in Yamanashi Prefecture on June 28 after a powerful earthquake struck the Fuji Five Lakes area late on June 26, registering a lower 6 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale in Fujikawaguchiko and injuring six people. (News On Japan)

Damage was reported across the Kansai region as a stationary seasonal rain front and an approaching typhoon brought heavy rain, triggering landslides in Seika, Kyoto Prefecture, and flooding in other areas. (News On Japan)

A powerful earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of upper 6 struck off Iwate Prefecture at around 7:30 a.m. on June 25, shaking parts of Aomori Prefecture and leaving Hachinohe, which was hit by a similarly strong quake last December, facing fresh damage. (News On Japan)

FamilyMart began testing a new bear deterrent on June 24 at a store in a mountainous area of Kiryu, Gunma Prefecture, installing a wolf-shaped device known as Monster Wolf next to the outlet in the first such trial at a convenience store. (News On Japan)

Rice field art depicting Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and his dog Decoy is nearing its best viewing period in Oshu, Iwate Prefecture, Ohtani’s hometown. (News On Japan)

A luxury hotel using the former Nara Prison, a nationally designated Important Cultural Property, will open on June 25, offering rooms from 147,000 yen per night as Japan sees a growing trend of converting historic cultural assets into hotels. (News On Japan)

A shrine believed to be the world’s first dedicated to stuffed animals was established on June 20 in Nantan, Kyoto Prefecture, giving owners a place to express gratitude for beloved plush toys and hold memorial rites for those that have finished their role. (News On Japan)

JR Central said on June 22 that it will operate a special one-day-only Tokaido Shinkansen train that departs at night and arrives the following morning, as the company explores demand for overnight travel at a time of rising hotel costs. (News On Japan)

Three bear cubs were spotted climbing a tree in Hirogawa, Wakayama Prefecture, on the morning of June 22, prompting the town to put up warning signs and call on residents to stay alert, although no injuries or damage have been reported. (News On Japan)

Ahead of Mount Fuji’s July climbing season, two newly installed evacuation shelters have been unveiled on the Yoshida descent route to strengthen safety measures against eruptions, rockfalls and severe weather. (News On Japan)

About 240 people gathered before dawn on June 21 at Futami Okitama Shrine in Ise, Mie Prefecture, to pray for good health during a summer solstice ritual held in front of the Meoto Iwa rocks. (News On Japan)

Shizuoka Prefecture has launched a working group to consider enforceable restrictions on off-season climbing of Mount Fuji, after a series of reckless ascents during the mountain’s closure period led local leaders to demand tighter entry controls and a system requiring climbers to pay rescue costs. (News On Japan)

Heavy rain is expected across a wide area of Japan this weekend, with western Japan facing cloudy and rainy conditions on June 19 and Kyushu likely to see torrential rain and thunderstorms before rain clouds move eastward toward eastern Japan and Tohoku through June 21. (News On Japan)

The eruption alert level for Mount Tokachidake in Hokkaido was raised to Level 2 on June 18 for the first time in 12 years, prompting authorities to restrict entry within 1.5 kilometers of the crater and close parts of hiking trails just days before the mountain’s official opening for the summer climbing season. (News On Japan)

Kyoto's Myoshin-ji Temple, one of Japan's largest Zen temple complexes, is facing a growing problem that temple officials warn could eventually lead to costly restoration work and even pose safety risks to visitors. (News On Japan)

A long-abandoned sightseeing boat that has sat tilted in a canal in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, for nearly eight years is finally being removed by city authorities after officials determined the deteriorating vessel posed a serious safety risk. (News On Japan)

Bear attacks and sightings are increasing across Japan, with multiple people injured on June 17 and experts warning that bears are becoming more accustomed to human environments, potentially leading to more dangerous and unpredictable encounters in the years ahead. (News On Japan)

Nara Prefecture has conducted a promotional tour for ambassadors and diplomats from member states of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee to showcase the Asuka and Fujiwara Palace Sites as the property moves toward formal inscription as a World Cultural Heritage site. (News On Japan)

JR Central and JR West on June 17 announced pricing and service details for the new private-room seating that will be introduced on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen from October, creating a new top-tier class above the existing Green Car service. (News On Japan)

Shirahama, one of the Kansai region's leading tourist destinations, has approved the introduction of an accommodation tax, becoming the third municipality in the region after Osaka Prefecture and Kyoto City to adopt such a measure. (News On Japan)