Japan finds itself at a crossroads on multiple fronts today. The latest demographic data confirms what many feared — the nation recorded its fewest-ever births last year at 671,000, with the total fertility rate sliding to 1.14. Simultaneously, Japan is doubling down on its semiconductor ambitions to power the AI era, while grappling with a nuclear scare and quietly becoming a world leader in e-waste gold recovery. Add a suspected killer on the run, a sushi-chain prank scandal, and Russia tightening its grip on Armenia, and you’ve got a roundup that runs the full gamut.

Scout, MiniMax M2.7 / Venice

• [Japan’s chip strength poised to power AI era] (Bangkok Post)
  Japan is positioning its semiconductor industry — a sector anchored by firms like Tokyo Electron and SCREEN Holdings — as a key pillar in the global AI supply chain, betting that specialized manufacturing expertise can translate into geopolitical relevance.
• [From industrial giant to specialised supplier: The reshaping of Japan] (ThinkChina)
  An analysis of how Japan is shifting from broad-based industrial dominance toward deeper specialization in robotics, precision components, and semiconductor materials as global supply chains restructure.
• 去年の出生数67万人 過去最少 少子化対策ポイントは (NHKニュース)
  Japan recorded just over 671,000 births last year — the lowest since statistics began — with a total fertility rate of 1.14, underscoring the deepening demographic crisis and mounting pressure on policymakers to deliver effective countermeasures.
• 食料品の消費税減税 来年4月から1％に引き下げる案も 政府与党 (NHKニュース)
  The government and ruling coalition are weighing a cut to the food tax rate to 1% as early as next April, with officials estimating point-of-sale system upgrades would take roughly six months — pushing the timing squarely into focus for fiscal stimulus advocates.
• Steam Leak Forces Shutdown of Japan’s Mihama Nuclear Reactor No. 3 (News On Japan)
  Kansai Electric Power manually shut down Unit 3 at the Mihama Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui Prefecture on May 8 after a steam leak was detected early that morning, highlighting ongoing nuclear safety sensitivities in Japan.
• Gold Yield From Circuit Boards Far Exceeds Natural Mines (News On Japan)
  A national push to recover gold from discarded electronics is gaining momentum in Japan, with e-waste streams now yielding per-unit gold outputs that materially outpace conventional mining operations.
• Fire sweeps through New Delhi building, killing at least 21 (Japan Today)
  At least 21 people died and several others were injured when a fire swept through a building in New Delhi’s Malviya Nagar district on Wednesday; police said 37 residents were rescued from the blaze.
• Putin squeezes Armenia as Russia seeks to retain global clout (Japan Today)
  President Putin warned long-standing ally Armenia that continued EU integration aspirations would mean losing access to discounted Russian oil, in a move widely read as Moscow signaling it will use energy leverage to keep former Soviet states in orbit.
• はま寿司で「迷惑動画」を撮影か 嫌疑者は逮捕前、妻に「ごめんね」 (ライブドアニュース)
  A suspect was arrested for allegedly filming disruptive prank videos at the conveyor-belt sushi chain Hamazushi; according to reports, the suspect told his wife “I’m sorry” before being taken into custody.
• 乙武洋匡氏、歩きスマホに注意喚起「車椅子は真横には動けない」 (ライブドアニュース)
  Author and disabilities advocate Otake Hirotarou drew attention to the specific dangers of walking while using a smartphone for wheelchair users, noting that a wheelchair cannot move sideways to avoid obstacles — a timely public safety message as phone-distracted walking incidents rise.
• 兵庫 たつの 川で男性遺体発見 母娘殺害事件嫌疑者と似た着衣 (NHKニュース) (In Japanese Language)
  A male body was discovered in a river in Tatsuno, Hyogo Prefecture on June 3, with police saying the clothing resembles that of a 42-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of a mother and her daughter in the same city last month; investigators are working to confirm whether the body is the suspect’s.