A giant tortoise that made a break from a Japanese zoo has been found safe and sound two weeks after it escaped -- just 140 meters from the park. (Japan Today)

Huge bonfires on mountains lit up Japan's old capital, Kyoto, on Wednesday night in an annual Buddhist ceremony. (NHK)

Japan's Defense Ministry has decided to consider introducing a new US-made missile defense system known as "Aegis Ashore" in light of progress in North Korea's missile development. (NHK)

Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force and US Marines have opened their joint exercises in Hokkaido, northern Japan, to the media. (NHK)

Lack of sunshine caused by prolonged cloudy conditions and lingering rain in Pacific coastal areas of northeastern Japan may cause problems for the rice harvest. (NHK)

The Imperial Household Agency said on Thursday it will announce the informal engagement of Princess Mako, a granddaughter of the Emperor and Empress, to former university classmate Kei Komuro on Sept. 3. (the-japan-news.com)

Incidents of "outing" of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students by teachers in Japan have been on the rise, discouraging other LGBT students from coming forward due to concerns about discrimination and confidentiality. (Japan Today)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made a tamagushi ritual offering at his own expense to Yasukuni Shrine on Tuesday, the 72nd anniversary of the end of World War II. (the-japan-news.com)

In telephone talks held Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed their cooperation to deal with a possible North Korean missile launch that might travel over Japan toward waters off Guam. (the-japan-news.com)

A high-level Japanese government official denounced a Korean bus company Tuesday for putting "comfort woman" statues on its five buses running in Seoul, urging the Korean government to take "appropriate measures." (koreatimes.co.kr)

Japan's cautious consumers are starting to loosen up, spending more on cars and home appliances and offering hope that domestic demand - and not just exports - will be strong enough to reflate an economy that has been sluggish for many years. (Japan Today)

Hideki Matsuyama announced on Monday that he has been married since January and is now a father, news that caught Japanese media and fans by surprise. (Japan Times)

Citizens in Japan have been observing the 72nd anniversary of the end of World War Two. August 15th is the day Japan commemorates the end of the war. (NHK)

Japanese seafood distributor Kyokuyo will begin shipping fully farmed Pacific bluefin tuna to stores and restaurants in November, aiming to offer a sustainable alternative to a fish whose natural stock is threatened by rising consumption. (Nikkei)

Torrential rain exceeding 100 mm per hour hit Kyushu early Tuesday morning, prompting the Meteorological Agency to issue warnings for landslides and floods, NHK reported Tuesday. (Japan Times)

Legoland Japan is struggling to dispel the notion that its admission fees are too expensive. (Japan Times)

Japanese supermarket chains are trying to lure elderly shoppers, by offering mahjong parlors, health counseling, and other services specifically for these customers. (NHK)

A small aircraft crashed in a mountainous area of Nara Prefecture, western Japan, on Monday afternoon. (NHK)

The government has drafted legislation for regulating passive smoking that will ban smoking basically at all frequently used public spaces, but left undecided how small restaurants should be for the exception to the rule, sources close to the matter said Sunday. (Japan Times)

Shinnosuke Abe, a key member on seven pennant-winning Yomiuri Giants teams and the Central League's 2012 MVP, reached Japan's iconic 2,000-hit milestone on Sunday. (Japan Times)

A 21-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault after he beat a 55-year-old man unconsciousness following a dispute outside JR Kameido Station in Tokyo's Koto Ward. (Japan Today)

Nine people died and around 30 sustained injuries while engaging in leisure activities at sea, on mountains or at other spots Sunday, when people were taking advantage of the Bon holiday season, according to a tally compiled by Kyodo News. (Japan Times)

One man was killed and another was seriously injured over the weekend when they were hit by a roller coaster that was being tested at Kijima Kogen Park in Oita Prefecture, the police said. (Japan Times)

Three workmen fell to their deaths at a building construction site in Tokyo's Marunouchi district on Friday. (Japan Today)

The bodies of a father and his 7-year-old son were found Saturday at a beach in Fukuoka Prefecture after they were swept out to sea with another boy and their would-be rescuer a day earlier, police said. (Japan Times)