Imagine a headline splashing out news of tourists being killed by a fire at an illegal short-term lodging facility during the Group of 20 leaders’ summit in Japan. (Japan Times)

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called on Russia to help resolve the 2 countries' territorial issue, for the sake of regional peace, stability, and economic development. (NHK)

The former head of a school operator at the center of a scandal involving its discounted purchase of state land was granted bail Friday along with his wife, about 10 months after being arrested on suspicion of fraudulently receiving public subsidies. (Japan Today)

A quake with a magnitude of 5.2 struck Nagano Prefecture on Friday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, adding that no tsunami warnings were issued. (Japan Today)

Corrosion and holes have been found in ventilation ducts at 12 reactors at seven nuclear plants across Japan, the Nuclear Regulation Authority said Wednesday, raising concerns that workers could be exposed to radiation in the event of an accident. (Japan Today)

Andrés Iniesta has signed for the Japanese side Vissel Kobe after bringing down the curtain on his brilliant Barcelona career. (theguardian.com)

Chinese money is pouring into Hokkaido at a much greater scale than imagined. In his recent visit to the island prefecture, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attended a forum of Japanese prefectural and Chinese provincial governors in Sapporo on May 11, but a Chinese diplomatic source said he was just using the meeting as an excuse for touring the island. (Japan Times)

A district court has ordered the government to pay 400,000 yen in damages to an inmate who was unjustifiably held for months in a cell for solitary confinement equipped with a surveillance camera. (Japan Today)

Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai) said Thursday it fired a male employee who is alleged to have embezzled about ¥100,000 after overcharging foreign passengers for shinkansen tickets at Shin-Osaka Station on seven occasions this year. (Japan Times)

At least 10 components apparently fell from a Japan Airlines plane and hit a window of a clinic and a car in Kumamoto Prefecture on Thursday, local police said, adding no one is believed to have been injured. (Japan Times)

Tokyu Corp. announced Thursday that a new complex comprising a hotel, office and commercial space near Shibuya Station is scheduled to open in September, with the top half occupied by Google. (Japan Times)

A 14-year-old girl and a man in his 20s jumped to their deaths from the roof of an apartment building in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on Thursday. (Japan Today)

Two graduate students have been arrested for sitting around a traditional Japanese heated table they set up at the center of a busy intersection in western Japan, police said Wednesday. (Japan Today)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday denied he had knowledge of a veterinary school project at the center of favoritism allegations much earlier than he has previously admitted, as shown in a newly disclosed document. (Japan Today)

The number of male and female judoka at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be equal for the first time since the sport was introduced at the Summer Games in 1964, the International Judo Federation said Monday. (Japan Times)

The mayor of Komae in western Tokyo expressed his intention to resign on Tuesday after four female employees of the municipal government submitted a protest letter saying they have been sexually harassed by him. (Japan Times)

Health officials in Japan say as of Monday more than 170 people across the country have been infected with measles. The outbreak began in the southwestern prefecture of Okinawa in March. (NHK)

The amount of Pacific bluefin tuna stocks rose 10 percent from 2014 to 21,000 tons in 2016, the Fisheries Agency said, citing an estimate by an international organization. (Japan Times)

Surfing at the 2020 Olympic Games will take place in the ocean and not in an artificial wave pool, according to the International Surfing Association (ISA). (Japan Today)

Uber Technologies Inc. said Tuesday it will start its first taxi-hailing service in Japan this summer on a western island, targeting foreign tourists and residents, in a step toward a full-fledged entry into the country's huge taxi market. (Kyodo)

NHK has learned that police have received a complaint about a serious foul committed during an American football match between 2 Japanese university teams. (NHK)

Japan's Imperial Household Agency unveiled a portrait of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko on Monday. This is the first time the couple's portrait was created with their approval. (NHK)

A new law that's set take effect in Japan next month in principle allows anyone to rent out their property as private lodging if they register with local authorities. It's seen as a way to accommodate a growing number of tourists, but so far only a small number of home owners have signed up. (NHK)

Demand for vacation apartments is growing in Japan and companies are rolling out ways to make guests feel as welcome as possible. One recent entrant is convenience store chain FamilyMart. (NHK)

Eight passengers on an All Nippon Airways flight were sickened Monday at Narita airport in Chiba Prefecture after smoke filled the cabin, triggering an evacuation, officials from the airline and airport said. (Japan Times)