Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended a national tree-planting ceremony in Aichi Prefecture on Sunday in their first official duty outside Tokyo since the emperor ascended the throne on May 1. (Japan Times)

A group of men jam their feet into high-heeled shoes and walk back and forth, some falteringly, others with unlikely confidence. Some women watch on, gauging the men's reactions while sympathizing with each other's stories about wearing the torture devices masquerading as fashion. (Kyodo)

The defense ministers of Japan, the United States and South Korea have held talks in Singapore. They are believed to have reaffirmed their countries' close cooperation on the denuclearization of North Korea. (NHK)

There are all kinds of sushi -- high end to cheap, high-tech conveyor belt sushi to supermarket and convenient store sushi. There's nigiri, maki, gunkan, narezushi, temaki. It's all pretty good and each offers a unique experience, but add this one to the list. (ONLY in JAPAN)

Japan's run as a core team in rugby sevens' elite world tour came to an abrupt end on Sunday, when the team was relegated for next season. (Kyodo)

Sony will increase salaries by up to 20% for new recruits with high-tech skills in fields such as artificial intelligence, moving away from the traditional Japanese emphasis on seniority to better compete in a battle for talent that crosses industries and international borders. (Nikkei)

An automated train operated by Yokohama Seaside Line Co. on Saturday traveled in the wrong direction, causing about 20 people to be injured, a local fire department said. (Japan Times)

Police in Japan are spending more time than ever before on marijuana-related crimes. But elsewhere in the world, governments are legalizing the drug... and the buzz is building. (NHK)

Japan's Olympic organizing committee has unveiled a tentative torch relay route for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that features cultural and scenic attractions around the country. (NHK)

Fifty-three-year-old Kenji Yamase doesn’t fit the traditional image of a hikikomori, but then perceptions of Japan’s social recluses are changing. (Japan Times)

A care home for the elderly in western Japan said Friday the death of a 91-year-old male resident last month in his room went unnoticed for more than 10 days. (Japan Today)

Mount Fuji. At 3,776 meters high, it’s Japan’s tallest mountain: standalone, vast and beautiful. A little over 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, and well connected by public transport to the capital, it is also one of the world’s most popular climbs — in 2018 alone, almost 300,000 people attempted the climb in the summer season. (Japan Times)

Japan is moving to introduce legislation that would oblige pet shops, breeders and other sellers of cats and dogs to implant the animals with electronic chips. The system will be used to track down the owners of stray pets. (NHK)

On May 28, Twitter user @influencercom uploaded a video that shows a man in a suit fleeing from two high school girls shouting "don't run away!", racing across a train platform of Akabane Station in Tokyo. (Japan Today)

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike says the city's government and China have agreed to allow a popular panda, Xiang Xiang, to remain in Japan until the end of next year. (NHK)

On May 17, Michelin published then Michelin Guide Aichi-Gifu-Mie 2019, the company’s inaugural guide to Aichi, Gifu and Mie prefectures in Japan’s central Tokai region. (Japan Times)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has made it clear that the US won't get special treatment in a trade deal with Japan. (NHK)

Amazon.com Inc.’s Japanese unit and Life Corp., one of the country’s major supermarket chains, said Thursday they will join forces to sell fresh foods online starting later this year, aiming to attract elderly and busy customers. (Japan Times)

The foreign and defense ministers of Japan and Russia remain at odds over some security issues, including the Russian-controlled islands claimed by Japan. (NHK)

It's the peak season for deer giving birth in Nara Park, a popular tourist site in Japan's ancient capital. A tweet warning visitors of the dangers of touching baby deer has gone viral. (NHK)

Amazon Japan will start offering groceries from supermarket chain Life in certain parts of Tokyo by the end of the year, Nikkei has learned, tapping growing demand for convenience among working couples and the elderly. (Nikkei)

Israeli airliner El Al has announced that it will launch its first ever direct flights between Narita Airport near Tokyo and Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport. (NHK)

A 45-year-old man was arrested Wednesday for the alleged use of a shock collar to discipline his three children, police said, the latest in a series of child abuse cases that have prompted legislators to seek a ban on corporal punishment. (Japan Times)

Police are stepping up cyberpatrols in cooperation with companies and nonprofit organizations to crack down on the increasing amount of information online that encourages people to kill themselves. (Japan Times)

Denki Groove band member and actor Masanori Taki, who uses the stage name Pierre Taki, was arrested during the month of March for possessing and using cocaine. (newsonjapan.com)