SoftBank Group announced that it will acquire the robotics business of ABB, a Swiss company known for developing industrial robots, in a deal valued at approximately 800 billion yen. The acquisition is scheduled to be completed in 2026, as the company aims to accelerate its robotics operations using artificial intelligence (AI).

Typhoon No. 22 has brought severe weather to the Izu Islands, especially around Hachijo Island, with strong winds and heavy rain continuing to affect the region. Although the rain and wind have peaked, authorities urge continued caution against violent gusts, high waves, and potential landslides due to saturated ground conditions. While most of the Kanto region, including the Tokyo metropolitan area, has avoided major transportation disruptions, some services along the coasts of Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures may still be affected.

Typhoon No. 22, classified as a very strong system, made a direct hit on the Izu Islands, leaving widespread damage across the region. On Hachijo Island, located about 300 kilometers south of Tokyo, the storm brought record-breaking rainfall and violent winds, leaving residents stunned by the destruction.

A first-of-its-kind cloud-based solar power plant in Japan has been established in Tokyo’s Setagaya Ward, utilizing the rooftop pool area of a closed school. An event was held to celebrate the naming of the facility, where local elementary school students were invited to choose its official name.

Prices continue to squeeze businesses across Japan, with the number of bankruptcies caused by rising costs reaching a record 488 cases in the first half of this fiscal year, according to data compiled by Teikoku Databank.

Japan and Indonesia have signed an agreement aimed at facilitating trade by simplifying customs procedures. Under the deal, both countries will apply the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) system to companies that are officially recognized as trustworthy by customs authorities.

Elementary and junior high school teachers in Japan still work the longest hours among their peers worldwide, according to an OECD report released on Tuesday. While the 2024 results by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development showed working hours had fallen by around four hours per week compared with the previous survey in 2018, Japan’s teachers still far exceeded their global counterparts.

Nissan, currently in the midst of rebuilding its business, has unveiled a new model of its world-first mass-produced electric vehicle, the Leaf, as part of efforts to revive the company’s fortunes. The automaker will begin domestic sales of the third-generation Leaf on October 17th.

Characters such as Tarepanda, Kogepan, Nakamura-kun, and Rilakkuma — all born in Japan’s Heisei era — are once again capturing the hearts of the Reiwa generation, sparking a wave of nostalgia and renewed popularity among young people.

The Tokyo District Court on October 6th sentenced former Mitsubishi UFJ Bank assistant branch manager Yukari Yamazaki to nine years in prison for stealing about 400 million yen worth of gold bars and cash from a bank safe deposit vault.

Footage filmed near the Harumi Flag Apartments in Tokyo shows groups of motorcycles revving their engines loudly into the night at a nearby intersection, disrupting the peace of families living in the new residential complex built on the former site of the Tokyo Olympic Athletes’ Village.

Amid growing expectations for Liberal Democratic Party leader Sanae Takaiichi’s economic policies, stock and bond markets have seen significant movements. The question now is how her inflation-relief measures will shape people’s daily lives once implemented.

Household spending in Japan rose 2.3% in August from a year earlier, marking the fourth consecutive month of increase, according to data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) under President Takaichi has finalized its executive appointments, marking the start of a new leadership structure. In the afternoon, the party is scheduled to begin coalition talks with its junior partner, Komeito.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) is set to acquire the naming rights to Japan’s National Stadium starting in January 2026, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The Nikkei Stock Average climbed again on October 7th, setting another record high amid growing expectations surrounding the Liberal Democratic Party’s new leader, Sanae Takaichi. The benchmark index at one point rose more than 500 yen, marking the second consecutive day it reached an intraday record.

A hotel construction plan in the rural wasabi-growing area of Azumino City, Nagano Prefecture, has sparked strong opposition from local residents who fear it will damage the landscape and threaten the region’s iconic wasabi fields.

Train services on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line remained suspended throughout the day on October 6th following a derailment the previous night, leaving commuters and students stranded and forcing many to queue for hours for replacement buses. In areas along the line, long lines formed at bus stops, and rental electric kick scooters quickly ran out as residents searched for alternative transport options.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump took to social media to congratulate Japan following the selection of its first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, writing that "Japan has just elected its first female Prime Minister, a highly respected person of great wisdom and strength.” While Trump did not name Takaichi directly, his post came as she assumed leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and was set to be formally elected as prime minister.

Police have arrested a 43-year-old former employee of Tsuda College in Kodaira, western Tokyo, on suspicion of property damage after he allegedly took a female student’s shorts from a locker and defiled them with bodily fluid.

A tearful Kusama Richard Keita of the idol group Aぇ! Group was released from the Mita Police Station in Tokyo on October 6th around 2 p.m., wearing a black suit and bowing deeply as he apologized. With his voice trembling, he said, “I sincerely apologize for the trouble I have caused,” lowering his head for about ten seconds.

A collision occurred on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line on the night of October 5th when a local train attempting to arrive at Kajigaya Station in Kawasaki City struck a stationary out-of-service train, causing several cars of the latter to derail. Investigators from the Japan Transport Safety Board arrived at the scene on the morning of October 6th to begin examining the cause of the accident.

A future where people control machines simply by thinking may be closer than science fiction suggests. At the forefront of this research is Masayuki Hirata, a neurosurgeon and specially appointed professor at Osaka University’s Graduate School of Medicine, who is developing a brain-computer interface (BCI) that allows high-tech devices such as smartphones or robotic arms to be operated by thought.

Nikkei stock prices soared on October 6th after Takaichi was elected as the new president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), with the benchmark index surging more than 2,100 yen at one point and surpassing the 47,000 range for the first time in history.

Japan byFood and Shizuka are on a quest to try out the best bakeries in Tokyo, proving how the town won the Pastry World Cup in Lyon earlier this year. It’s not a secret how Japan is at the top tier of the food game, but to secure the gold medal for the second time in a row?