Yakuza-related police investigations hit three-decade low

A medical examiner testified that a university student who died after being assaulted in Ebetsu, Hokkaido, suffered repeated blows to the face and head, telling the court that the victim was likely struck dozens of times.

A fire broke out at a temple in Kameoka, Kyoto Prefecture, on June 1st, leaving a resident monk with minor burns, destroying his home, and spreading into a nearby mountainside.

Emperor Naruhito visited the Iwabuchi Floodgate on Tokyo's Arakawa River by boat on June 1st, inspecting one of the capital's most important flood control facilities.

A week has passed since police publicly named and sought the arrest of a suspect in the murder of a mother and daughter in Tatsuno, Hyogo Prefecture, yet his whereabouts remain unknown despite more than 350 tips from the public. Investigators continue an extensive search of the area surrounding the crime scene as efforts to locate the suspect intensify.

A driver was left in critical condition after being thrown from his vehicle and struck by a following car in an accident on the outbound lanes of the Tohoku Expressway in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, on May 31st.

Cosplayers gathered in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district on May 30th to promote environmental conservation by taking part in a large-scale cleanup campaign aimed at reducing marine plastic waste and other litter.

A series of false bear sighting reports posted to an online alert system operated by Aomori Prefecture has disrupted schools, prompted a police investigation, and raised concerns about the growing impact of misinformation on public safety.

A major transformation is underway in Osaka's Juso district, where the area's first large-scale tower condominium has opened in a neighborhood long known for its retro downtown atmosphere and entertainment district. While the development is bringing new conveniences and attracting new residents, concerns are also emerging over rising rents and the future character of the community.