Large Sinkhole Opens On Tokyo Road

A man in his 40s was arrested in Tokyo’s Akabane area for leading a group that organized illegal rides on heavily modified motorcycles. The group, active on social media, would gather and ride together using bikes equipped with flashing tail lights, exaggerated seat designs, and slogans referencing rebellion and anti-social behavior.

The Emperor sowed rice seeds on April 15th in a paddy near the Biological Laboratory on the Imperial Palace grounds, marking the start of this year's rice cultivation.

A fire broke out on April 14th at an abandoned ryokan in Hannan City, Osaka Prefecture, which has become known online as a "ghost spot." Authorities suspect arson, possibly by trespassers.

A Peruvian man detained at the Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau has been awarded 110,000 yen in compensation by the Osaka District Court, which ruled on April 16th that keeping him handcuffed for an extended period was illegal.

A bear attacking a live deer outside a hotel in Kamikawa, Hokkaido, has shocked onlookers and prompted heightened alert from local authorities.

An 80-year-old man who calls himself an Expo enthusiast was arrested on April 14th for obstructing operations at the entrance gate of the Osaka-Kansai Expo after falsely claiming that he had a bomb in his backpack.

A group of teenagers were taken into custody by police in a late-night sweep in Tokyo's Kabukicho district, including a runaway girl who had traveled from Hyogo Prefecture.

Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has released its latest population estimate, showing that Japan's total population, including foreign residents, stood at 123,802,000 as of October 1st last year, a decrease of 550,000 from the previous year. This marks the 14th consecutive year of population decline.