Japan's space agency has proposed to a government panel a plan to send Japanese astronauts to the moon after 2025. (NHK)

Japan's Environment Minister Koichi Yamamoto has criticized US President Donald Trump, saying his decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement defies the intelligence of mankind. (NHK)

As part of efforts to promote women's active participation in society, the government is considering allowing them to put their maiden names alongside their married names in passports from around fiscal 2019, according to government sources. (the-japan-news.com)

The US military is dispatching the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier to the Western Pacific Ocean as a response to North Korea's repeated missile launches and the increased maritime activities by China. (NHK)

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sought China's cooperation in dealing with North Korea. (NHK)

The Japan Coast Guard has arrested 5 Japanese and 3 Chinese men on suspicion of smuggling what appears to be over 200 kilograms of gold bullion into the country. (NHK)

The launch of a rocket carrying a satellite that's part of Japan's version of a global positioning system was a success. (NHK)

Struggling Japanese electronics giant Toshiba will again postpone its earnings report. (NHK)

US Defense Department officials say the USS Ronald Reagan has entered the Sea of Japan for a joint drill with another aircraft carrier. (NHK)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tuesday he had been listed as an executive member of a school operator run by his friend and received a salary, as opposition parties intensified their offensive against him alleging he favored the operator in connection with a plan to establish a new university department. (Japan Today)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the mission accomplished by the Ground Self-Defense Force engineering units in South Sudan was historically significant. (NHK)

Amazon Japan will do away with a contract clause that has required e-book and other suppliers to guarantee prices lower than those offered on rival e-commerce sites, in response to an antitrust probe that began last year. (Nikkei)

An amateur historian has unearthed compelling evidence that the first Australian maritime foray into Japanese waters was by convict pirates on an audacious escape from Tasmania almost two centuries ago. (theguardian.com)

A committee of Japan's Lower House has reached a broad agreement on a supplementary resolution to be attached to a bill paving the way for abdication by the country's Emperor. The resolution would urge the government to study establishing female branches of the Imperial family after marriage by its female members. (NHK)

A record number of foreign tourists visited Japan last year, but they stayed mainly in big cities. Government officials now plan to boost inbound tourism further by attracting more travelers into the countryside. (NHK)

Japanese companies are increasing hiring of full-time employees as they scramble to secure workers amid a labor shortage, raising hopes that the tight demand will translate to higher wages. (Nikkei)

Summer temperatures have pushed up demand for icy treats in Osaka. (NHK)

In professional sumo, wrestler Takayasu has officially been promoted to Ozeki, the second highest rank in Japan's traditional sport. (NHK)

The lengthy, multi-syllabic nature of Japanese vocabulary means that words used in discussing social phenomena often evolve into abbreviated versions in order to streamline conversations. A prime example is "JK." (Japan Today)

A 36-year-old woman was found dead in a Niigata City love hotel room on Monday night, police said, adding that a man in his 40s was found lying on the floor near the bed, unconscious after apparently having cut his wrists. (Japan Today)

A 23-year-old Chiba University medical student was sentenced to four years in prison Monday for his role in the gang rape of a woman during and after a party in September last year. (Japan Today)

"Omotenashi" is a Japanese term signifying the traditionally correct way to treat a guest, and it's the guiding principle for much of the country's hospitality industry. (cnbc.com)

Free nursery school and kindergarten for families nationwide as well as tighter control of ballooning medical costs highlight Japan's newest strategies to achieve growth, The Nikkei learned Monday. (Nikkei)

McDonald's Japan and Rakuten Inc on Monday announced that the two companies have formed a partnership around the Rakuten Point Card service to improve customer convenience by enabling Rakuten Point Card cardholders to use their card at approximately 2,900 McDonald's restaurants across Japan from June 1. (Japan Today)

A Japanese rock guitarist has demonstrated a practical use for fuel cells at a concert at Budokan in Tokyo. (NHK)