How do start a conversation with Japanese girls? Get some cute dogs of course! (Oriental Pearl)

By December 2020, the Bank of Japan had become the single biggest shareholder of Japanese stocks. (asianometry)

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako made an online appearance at a tree-planting festival in Shimane Prefecture, western Japan, on Sunday. (NHK)

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 52-year-old man who is suspected of repeatedly raping the elementary school-age daughter of an acquaintance eight years ago, reports the Sankei Shimbun (May 31). (tokyoreporter.com)

At any other time in Yoyogi Park, the sight of workers going about their business with power saws would pass unnoticed. It’s a densely-treed spot and the glorious 57-year-old oaks and cedars won’t prune themselves. (ft.com)

More people will become eligible for coronavirus vaccinations at state-run, large-scale inoculation venues in Tokyo and Osaka, starting on Monday. Daily immunization slots at the sites will also increase. (NHK)

What is the most popular bookstore in Tokyo? When is the best time to go shopping in department stores in Tokyo? (Veeluv Tokyo)

Commercial facilities in Tokyo, Osaka and other prefectures are stepping up preparations to resume operations on Tuesday, as the government hopes to strike a balance between curbing coronavirus infections and reviving the battered economy after extending the COVID-19 state of emergency to June 20. (Kyodo)

The Japanese government decided to extend the coronavirus state of emergency for Tokyo and eight other prefectures until June 20. That's the same day emergency measures for Okinawa Prefecture are due to expire. (NHK)

The Japanese government will include 1,000 hydrogen refueling stations for fuel-cell vehicles deployed across the country by 2030 in a draft of its growth strategy due to be hammered out in June, Nikkei has learned. (Nikkei)

Books related to Karl Marx's "Capital" are selling well in Japan. Publishers say people could be more conscious of social issues, such as economic inequality and environmental destruction, amid the coronavirus pandemic. (NHK)

A survey has found about three-quarters of young residents of Tokyo plan nonessential activities amid the coronavirus state of emergency. (NHK)

The organizers of this summer’s Tokyo Olympics plan to require athletes to acknowledge that they may face health risks or death caused by coronavirus infections and intense summer heat if they compete in the games, a document detailing conditions for participation showed Friday. (Japan Times)

The University of Tokyo ranked eighth for high-quality natural science research in 2020, returning to the top 10 after falling to 11th the year before, according to a survey by research publisher Springer Nature Group. (Japan Times)

HYOGO (TR) – A female police officer stationed in Nishinomiya City has resigned following revelations that she engaged in extra-marital affairs with two colleagues, reports Nikkan Sports. (tokyoreporter.com)

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Friday gave up on legislation to promote public awareness of sexual minorities, proving unable to overcome opposition within its own ranks. (Nikkei)

Tokyo Olympic organizing committee president Seiko Hashimoto stated on Friday that local fans in Japan may be barred from attending the Olympics, according to the Associated Press. (CBS)

As calls mount for the Tokyo Olympics to be cancelled or postponed, the Japanese government's mishandling of the coronavirus crisis has come into sharp focus. (South China Morning Post)

World number one Novak Djokovic said on Thursday that he would reconsider taking part in the Tokyo Olympics if spectators were banned from attending. (Japan Today)

International students are speaking out against strict entry policies for foreigners imposed by Japan to control COVID-19 transmission and have started a campaign to lobby for entry permits for around 2,000 students unable to take up their places at Japanese universities this year. (universityworldnews.com)

Kataoka Hidetaro, a kabuki actor and living national treasure in Japan, has died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Shochiku Co, a producer of kabuki performances, said Thursday. He was 79. (Japan Today)

An advisory panel to the Japanese government has approved an extension of emergency coronavirus measures for Tokyo and eight other prefectures. (NHK)

A promotional animated video made by France's public broadcaster for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics has gone viral. (NHK)

Japan will let Myanmar citizens remain in the country legally even after their visas expire, in response to deteriorating political conditions in the Southeast Asian nation following the February coup. (Nikkei)

Hackers have accessed information-sharing software developed by Japan's Fujitsu, resulting in data leaks from Japanese government offices. (NHK)