Foreign Minister Kamikawa has retracted her comment made on May 18 during an election campaign speech, where she stated, 'What is a woman without giving birth?' Kamikawa acknowledged that her words could be taken in a way that differs from her true intention. (News On Japan)

A 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 19-year-old woman was found dead with multiple stab wounds on Saturday in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture. A blood-stained knife was discovered near the body. (News On Japan)

An estimated 68,000 elderly people die alone in Japan each year, according to recent data. From January to March this year, about 17,000 people aged 65 and over were found deceased in their homes. (News On Japan)

or as long as Shohei Ohtani plays for the Dodgers -- which will be at least for the next decade -- May 17 will be known as “Shohei Ohtani Day” in Los Angeles County. (MLB)

The Umeda area in Osaka is seeing a surge in high-rise apartment construction, including a 49-story residential skyscraper south of JR Osaka Station. (News On Japan)

Two residents of Sapporo who died earlier this month likely succumbed to food poisoning caused by mistakenly consuming toxic autumn crocus, according to the Sapporo City Health Department. The department confirmed on May 17 that the deaths were indeed due to poisoning from this plant. (News On Japan)

A next-generation vertical take-off and landing aircraft took to the skies of Tokyo for the first time on Friday. (NHK)

A pilot in his 80s explained that he 'forgot to lower the landing gear,' leading to a belly landing of a small propeller plane at Fukui Airport on May 15. The incident has been classified as a "serious incident" by national authorities. (News On Japan)

Japan's National Police Agency revealed on May 16 that the amount of money lost to impersonation investment scams on social media totaled 21.9 billion yen in just three months from January to March this year. (News On Japan)

A revised Civil Code introducing 'joint custody' for children after divorce has been passed by the Diet. This marks the first time in 77 years that Japan has reviewed the approach to post-divorce custody. (News On Japan)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested three leaders of the political group 'Tsubasa Party' on suspicion of violating the Public Offices Election Act by disrupting the speeches of other candidates during a House of Representatives by-election in Tokyo's 15th district. Investigators view this as a "challenge to democracy" and plan to pursue a thorough investigation. (News On Japan)

An event allowing visitors to experience life in 2050 has launched in Tokyo, including an elevator which enables transportation to space via a cable extending from a satellite to Earth. (News On Japan)

Shohei Ohtani's bobblehead dolls were distributed to the first 40,000 fans at Dodger Stadium, for free! (News On Japan)

A ranking of the 'most livable places' in the Tokyo metropolitan area has been announced. While the top three remained unchanged from last year, Katase-Enoshima Station made its debut at fourth place in this year's survey. (News On Japan)

Tennis in Japan has seen a fascinating evolution, driven by a host of players who have not only dominated domestically but have also made significant marks on the world stage. (News On Japan)

A protest was held at the University of Tokyo on Thursday, coinciding with "Nakba Day" on May 15, with about 500 students advocating for Palestinian liberation and condemning Israel's actions as "massacres." (News On Japan)

An explosion in central Kyoto on Thursday morning has left two injured and caused significant disruptions. The scene immediately after the fire was captured on video, with loud sirens blaring and the area filled with thick smoke, reducing visibility to less than 20 meters. (News On Japan)

There are many different ways to educate students. Teachers and professors try to look for the best approaches to encourage students to study effectively and be involved in classroom activities. (News On Japan)

Police in Tochigi Prefecture have arrested two Vietnamese men. They are investigating whether the two men were involved in a series of robberies that have taken place over the past month in Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo, and the nearby prefectures of Nagano, Gunma and Fukushima. (NHK)

Honda Motor says it will invest 10 trillion yen or roughly 65 billion dollars in electric vehicles and software for self-driving technology through fiscal 2030. (NHK)