Japan’s Golden Week holiday period got fully underway on April 29, drawing large crowds to major tourist destinations and airports, where long lines formed as overseas travel surged.
A series of sightings involving unusually large brown bears in Hokkaido has heightened concerns among local residents, with one 330-kilogram animal captured in Tomamae and another 280-kilogram bear attacking a hunter in Shimamaki.
A man in his 40s is on the run after allegedly attacking two teenage boys with a hammer, injuring police officers and his mother by spraying what is believed to be agricultural chemicals, and then escaping from his home during a police standoff in Tokyo's Fussa on April 29.
A male zoo keeper in his 50s was seriously injured after being attacked by a rhinoceros at the Kumamoto City Zoo and Botanical Gardens on April 26.
A Japanese serow, a species designated by the government as a Special Natural Monument, entered a bank in Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture, on the afternoon of April 27.
A viral social media video showing a man believed to be a foreign national being restrained by police in Tokyo has sparked widespread debate, with claims that officers had begun deporting troublesome tourists by wrapping them 'like sushi.'
International passenger traffic at Kansai Airport reached a record high of 27.08 million in fiscal 2025, up around 2 million from the previous year and highlighting strong demand for overseas travel across western Japan.
Residents of Okinawa were given an early preview on April 27 of a new thrill ride at theme park JUNGLIA OKINAWA in Nakijin Village, Okinawa Prefecture.
A rare spring mirage appeared over Toyama Bay on April 26, creating a striking optical illusion in which a bridge seemed to transform into a flattened diamond shape floating above the water.
Regular service by an electric passenger ferry linking Tokyo's Nihonbashi and Toyosu began on April 26. It marks Japan's first scheduled service using a fully electric passenger vessel operated by a private company.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attended the central May Day rally organized by the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, known as Rengo, and called for cooperation in achieving sustained wage increases that outpace inflation, as concerns grow over rising prices amid worsening tensions in the Middle East.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi met Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on April 28, confirming the importance of stable natural gas supplies from Australia, one of Japan's key energy suppliers, against the backdrop of rising tensions involving Iran.
Japan has many themed restaurants, but this one really surprised us. (TabiEats)
A body-make competition showcasing the results of months of training was held in Ginowan, marking the first time the 'Muscle Gate' contest has taken place in Okinawa.
Generative AI chatbot ChatGPT would have ranked first in this year's entrance examinations for both the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University, according to research by AI startup Life Prompt.
Hokkaido Electric Power Co. said the restart of its Tomari nuclear power plant may be delayed from its original schedule after announcing on April 28 that completion of a seawall under construction at the plant is now expected to be around four months later than the initial target of three years from now.
The Bank of Japan decided to leave interest rates unchanged, opting against an additional rate hike for now, after its monetary policy meeting concluded earlier with a majority vote to maintain the policy rate at 0.75%, marking the third consecutive meeting at which rates were left unchanged.
Shizuoka City said it will shorten operating hours at three municipally run hot spring facilities from May 7 for the time being, after instability in heavy oil supplies linked to the situation in Iran.
Prolonged tensions in the Middle East are beginning to affect everyday vegetables in Japan, with tomato farmers facing higher costs and shortages of packaging materials.
The impact of the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz is spreading to Japan's export industries, dealing a fresh blow to automakers and other companies reliant on Middle East trade routes.