Hundreds of runners have carried small bells to scare away bears during a marathon on a small island in northern Japan. (NHK)

Japanese police dealt with cases of gruesome animal abuse on Friday as the severed head of one kitten and the stabbed body of another were found at a location in Fukuoka, and a monkey was euthanized in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, after being captured with an arrow stuck in its head. (Japan Today)

The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan has started up the world's fastest supercomputer for astronomy to simulate phenomena that cannot be observed by telescope. (NHK)

Japan's government is to withdraw a recommendation to list nature-rich islands in the southwest of the country as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. (NHK)

A new survey shows that Japan's population decline is picking up pace. (NHK)

Focused local efforts to attract tourists from abroad are paying off amid record-breaking numbers of foreign visitors across Japan. (Japan Times)

Police in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, are investigating the thefts of nearly 100 Buddhist and Shinto statues. (NHK)

Japanese prosecutors have decided not to indict a former senior Finance Ministry official on charges of falsifying public documents concerning the controversial sale of state-owned land to a school operator in 2016. (NHK)

Organizers of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games have unveiled the course that will be used for both the men's and women's marathons. (NHK)

Authorities in the South Korean city of Busan removed a controversial statue from a public road near the Japanese Consulate General on Thursday. (NHK)

The organizing committee of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics plans to keep around 1 million tickets for school children. (NHK)

A ceremony has been held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo to welcome Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang and his wife to Japan. (NHK)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police are planning to arrest a male Korean national after he surrendered over the stabbing of a male employee of public broadcaster NHK in Shibuya Ward earlier this month, reports TBS New (tokyoreporter.com)

As Japan’s most popular showbiz personality, Takuya Kimura, 45, more commonly known as Kimutaku, has been in the public eye since 1988, when he was chosen to be one of six boys to form the new boy band SMAP, which became a Japanese phenomenon beloved by all ages. (Japan Today)

The Japanese government plans to ease restrictions on unskilled foreign nationals seeking to work in Japan, Nikkei learned Tuesday, as the country grapples with a serious labor shortage. (Nikkei)

A 39-year-old man in prison for attempted murder said Tuesday that he had killed a 9-year-old girl in Tsuyama, Okayama Prefecture, in 2004. (Japan Today)

League officials have decided to expel 2 former Nihon University American football coaches over a dangerous foul that has made headlines in Japan. (NHK)

Coca-Cola has chosen Japan to launch its first alcoholic beverage, debuting on Monday a fizzy, lemon-flavored concoction called Lemon-Do that seeks to capitalize on the growing popularity of chūhai drinks. (Japan Times)

The rainy season appears to have begun in northern Kyushu and Shikoku, the Meteorological Agency announced Monday. (Japan Times)

Japanese, Chinese and South Korean communications ministers agreed Monday to reduce international roaming fees. (Japan Times)

Police in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, have arrested an unemployed 52-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder after he tied a rope across a national highway, injuring a motorcyclist who was knocked off his bike. (Japan Today)

A roller coaster at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka was temporarily halted Monday, leaving 32 riders suspended in the air until they were all safely back on the ground, the theme park operator said. (Japan Today)

Eyes across Japan and Vietnam will be watching next month when a Japanese man stands trial for killing a 9-year-old Vietnamese girl who lived with her family in a city east of Tokyo. (Nikkei)

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed on their support for the success of a possible summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. (NHK)

Ever wanted to display the famous deer of Nara or the iconic Mount Fuji on your car? Well now you can! (soranews24.com)