Japan confirmed on Saturday 1,512 new coronavirus infections, topping the 1,000 mark for the fourth straight day, as authorities in large cities have been forced to reimpose restrictions on some businesses to address the resurgence of the virus. (Japan Today)

Companies racing to introduce the successor to the batteries that power everything from our smartphones to drones to electric cars are closing in on their goal. But they are not alone. Startups have joined the fray to develop technologies for higher-performance power packs that can relegate today's lithium-ion batteries to an earlier stage along the march of progress. (Nikkei)

As the rainy season ends, Japan is entering summer without its typical scenes of festivals, fireworks and open beaches this year as the novel coronavirus continues to spread in the country. (Kyodo)

The shocking revelations contained in the report "I Was Hit So Many Times I Can't Count," released by Human Rights Watch on July 20 exposing the abuse of child athletes in Japan, came as no surprise to those of us close to the world of Japanese sports administration. (Nikkei)

Kabukicho, a 1-kilometer square commercial area on the northern side of Tokyo’s JR Shinjuku Station, is reputed to be Asia’s largest adult entertainment zone, with an estimated nighttime working population of 23,000 (based on 2014 figures). (Japan Times)

Japan’s Okinawa island region has declared a state of emergency from August 1 to August 15, because of increasing COVID 19 cases. (republicworld.com)

A remote Tokyo island is applying for recognition of its starry night skies by an international organization. (NHK)

Former ozeki Terunofuji completed a stunning comeback to the top division Sunday by clinching the July Grand Sumo Tournament with a final-day victory over sekiwake Mitakeumi. (Kyodo)

A staff member for the Sapporo Regional Taxation Bureau was dismissed after he was accused of working with an accomplice in the sale and cultivation of marijuana, reports Kyodo News (Aug. 1). (tokyoreporter.com)

Japan has hit a record high in daily coronavirus infections for a third day in a row. Officials say more than 1,500 cases were confirmed on Friday. (NHK)

Kabukiza Theater in Tokyo reopened Saturday for public performances for the first time in five months after taking measures against the novel coronavirus that had prompted its closure. (Kyodo)

The rainy season finally ended in Tokyo and neighboring areas of the Kanto-Koshin region in east and central Japan after an unusually long spell, the Meteorological Agency said Saturday. (Japan Times)

If you would like to work in Japan, here are 5 Japanese business taboos. (Ask Japanese)

An expert advisory panel to Japan's health ministry has warned that coronavirus infections are rapidly picking up in some regional cities. (NHK)

Leading Japanese universities and corporations have joined hands with IBM to develop practical quantum computing applications in finance, materials development and the broader business scene. (Nikkei)

The coronavirus continues to spread across Japan. About 1,300 cases were reported on Thursday, setting a new daily record. Tokyo also hit another record with 367 newly confirmed infections. (NHK)

An adviser for a health division at Minato Ward this week provided guidance to bar hostesses in the Roppongi entertainment quarter about how to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus, reports TBS News (July 27). (tokyoreporter.com)

Earlier this month, Saitama Prefectural Police arrested a 58-year-old man on suspicion of attempting to kill the daughter of his girlfriend. (tokyoreporter.com)

The power of words is being tested in Japan, where efforts to fight the novel coronavirus — bound by a law tailored to a different disease — remain strictly voluntary. (Japan Times)

Mongolian-born yokozuna Hakuho withdrew from the July Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday with three days remaining in the relocated event, which is now missing both grand champions. (Kyodo)

Former Nissan executive Greg Kelly, who was arrested in connection with the financial scandal of his ex-boss Carlos Ghosn, will soon face trial in a Tokyo court. Both cases had been in limbo after Ghosn fled to Lebanon. (autoblog.com)

Japan's badminton governing body announced the cancellation Wednesday of the 2020 Japan Open because of difficulties stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. (Kyodo)

Health experts are calling the case of two doctors arrested last week on suspicion of assisting in the death of a 51-year-old woman with ALS "fundamentally different" from past euthanasia cases that led to other doctors' convictions for murder in Japan, because she allegedly asked them to kill her for money on Twitter. (Kyodo)

The Japan Meteorological Agency early Thursday morning issued an early warning for an earthquake that was expected to hit Tokyo and other neighboring areas. (Japan Times)

The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in Japan on Wednesday topped 1,200. It's the highest daily total and the first time the symbolic 1,000 threshold has been crossed. (NHK)