Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department held a review ceremony for its riot police units at Meiji Jingu Gaien in Tokyo on May 20th, with around 1,700 officers marching in formation as part of a large-scale demonstration of security preparedness.
A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.
Two women were found dead with stab wounds at a house in Tatsuno, Hyogo Prefecture, on May 19th, with police suspecting they were victims of a violent crime.
Bear attacks continue to occur across Japan, while a new problem has emerged as false reports of bear sightings flood local alert systems, placing growing pressure on municipal authorities and emergency responders.
A man in his 30s was referred to prosecutors after allegedly feeding a chocolate snack to a marmot at an animal cafe in Osaka Prefecture, despite the risk that the treat could cause poisoning or even death in the squirrel-family animal.
Flames tore through a temple in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture, on May 16th, destroying the main hall of Daioji Temple, which has a history dating back around 570 years, while nearby gravestones glowed red in the intense blaze.
Two intruders claiming to be Americans climbed into Punch the monkey's compound on Sunday morning, one wearing a yellow costume while the other filmed, causing a disturbing scene at Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba.