The rainy season ended in the Kanto-Koshin and Tokai regions on July 20 as strengthening high pressure brought intense heat across Japan, with temperatures forecast to reach 38 C in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, and Kofu.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has criticized moves by Japanese and Ukrainian companies to cooperate on drone technology, warning that such ties would be regarded by Moscow as a "clear hostile act."

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi entered the week of July 20 with her government facing a shortened but politically important stretch before the extended Diet session ends, as debate continued over Bank of Japan independence, domestic investment policy, the revised Imperial House Law and the ruling coalition’s unfinished legislative agenda.

More than 40,000 engineers, business leaders and technology enthusiasts gathered at Makuhari Messe in June for AWS Summit Japan 2026, one of Japan’s largest artificial intelligence events, where new systems included an AI platform that has cut the time FC Tokyo staff spend selecting match photographs to roughly one-third of the previous level.

Severe heat spread across Japan on July 20 as a Pacific high-pressure system covered much of the country, pushing the temperature in central Tokyo to 35 degrees Celsius for the first time this year.

The Japanese government is considering new rules to protect children from the risks of social media and plans to compile concrete measures by the end of 2026, but officials and experts remain cautious about introducing a blanket age restriction like those pursued in Australia and the European Union.

A tiny aquatic plant known as wolffia is emerging as a potential next-generation protein source, offering rapid growth, high nutritional value and a significantly smaller environmental footprint than soybeans or beef.

Apple has raised prices for iPhones sold in Japan, with the top-end iPhone 17 Pro Max now costing more than 210,000 yen, as the prolonged weakness of the yen increases the local cost of products priced and managed in US dollars.

Seven & i Holdings is considering investing several hundred billion yen in Zabka Group, Poland's largest convenience store operator, as the Japanese retailer seeks to expand its presence in Europe.

Japan's revised Imperial House Law was enacted after clearing the House of Councillors with majority support, allowing female members to retain royal status after marriage and male-line descendants of former imperial family branches to enter the Imperial Household through adoption.

A tanker carrying about 1 million barrels of Mexican crude oil arrived off Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, on the morning of July 17, marking Japan's first such delivery since the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed.

Tokyo stocks plunged on July 17 as a global selloff in semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related shares pushed the Nikkei 225 into correction territory, while Middle East tensions, higher oil prices and persistent yen weakness added to pressure on investors.

Nissan Motor unveiled a fully redesigned Elgrand minivan on July 17, marking the model's first complete overhaul in 16 years, while introducing a new brand message as the automaker seeks to rebuild its business and revive sales.

Japan is likely to face increasingly long and dangerously hot summers as global temperatures continue to rise, with advanced climate simulations also pointing to more frequent torrential rain, rising seas and accelerating ice loss by the end of the century.

A single bunch of Ishikawa Prefecture's premium Ruby Roman grapes sold for 1 million yen at the season's first auction in Kanazawa on Friday, putting the price of each grape at about 30,000 yen.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi closed the Diet session on July 17 under pressure from both parliament and financial markets, as lawmakers enacted a revised Imperial House Law while the government moved to clarify that monetary policy tools remain under the sole authority of the Bank of Japan.

Two Taiwan-born suspects believed to be members of a Taiwanese fraud ring have been arrested on suspicion of using AI-generated videos featuring prominent figures to defraud a woman in her 80s of 17 million yen.

Japan is famous for its temples and cherry blossoms. It is known for incredible food and futuristic cities. The country is also a fantastic destination for sports fans and outdoor adventurers.

Many beginner forex traders often frown upon the Tokyo trading session because of its low trading volume and liquidity levels. However, it can be a gold mine if you know which currencies to trade.

The average cost of preparing curry rice at home fell for the first time in two months as lower rice prices offset rising pork costs, while potatoes and onions are also expected to become cheaper.

A bill to revise the Imperial House Law was approved by an Upper House special committee on July 16, paving the way for its expected enactment on July 17.

Japanese manufacturers including Fanuc, Yaskawa Electric, Fujitsu, Hitachi, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Komatsu announced new artificial intelligence initiatives on July 16 as Nvidia expanded its partnerships with Japan's robotics and industrial sectors.

Japanese kitchen knives are selling rapidly among foreign tourists, who are drawn not only to their exceptional sharpness but also to Japan's highly specialized knife-making culture.

Japan’s content market has reached a record high as companies increasingly transform popular characters and stories into immersive experiences that allow fans to step inside the worlds of their favorite works.

Japanese elementary and junior high school students continue to struggle with written-response questions in Japanese, while average accuracy rates in arithmetic and mathematics remained in the 50% range, according to nationwide academic test results released by the education ministry on July 16.