Flooding in parts of southern Japan caused by torrential rain has inundated many residential areas. Authorities say over 15 people have no vital signs and others are missing. (NHK)

Photos and videos of submerged houses and cars in torrential rain in southwestern Japan inundated social media on Saturday, with trapped people calling for help and others assuring families and friends of their safety. (Kyodo)

A long-time plan to develop Tokyo as a major international financial center is getting a new twist -- prompting skeptics to reassess their views. (Nikkei)

The top J1 division of Japan's professional soccer league, J.League, which postponed all official matches in February in response to the coronavirus outbreak, has resumed play without spectators. (NHK)

Major Japanese wireless carriers recently launched a service to provide foreign tourists with disaster relief information via mobile phone short message service in the event of an earthquake or typhoon. (Kyodo)

Alpine plants have come under threat of extinction from the sudden expansion of a species of dwarf bamboo in mountainous regions of Japan. (Kyodo)

Panasonic is leaving the cash register business within the fiscal year ending March 2021, Nikkei has learned. (Nikkei)

The Tokyo metropolitan government says 131 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the capital on Saturday. That's the highest since the state of emergency was lifted on May 25. It marks the third straight day with over 100 cases and brings Tokyo's total to 6,654. (NHK)

Japanese researchers say recent volcanic activity on Nishinoshima has caused the remote island in the Pacific to increase in size. (NHK)

Officials in Tokyo are reporting 124 new cases on Friday. It's the highest daily tally since a national state of emergency was lifted in late May. (NHK)

Business sentiment improved for the first time in nine months in June, thanks to the resumption of economic activity nationwide, credit research company Teikoku Databank Ltd. said Friday. (Japan Times)

Japan is considering a package of law revisions to step up its fight against the coronavirus by strengthening the authorities of central and prefectural governments, such as introducing punishment for those refusing to follow business suspension or quarantine orders, government sources said Thursday. (Japan Times)

The Japanese government on Friday unveiled a draft growth strategy that promotes cashless payments and diverse workstyles, responding to the needs of the post-coronavirus era. (Kyodo)

Many countries would welcome an unemployment rate of “only” 4 percent, with the luxury of having more jobs than jobseekers. (Japan Times)

Japan's industry minister says his ministry plans to study drawing up a roadmap to reduce coal-fired power generation, while aiming to accelerate a shift toward renewable energy. (NHK)

Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund says it posted a record loss for the January-March quarter as share prices plummeted worldwide due to the coronavirus pandemic. (NHK)

Single mothers and women with less secure jobs in Japan have seen their employment opportunities upended as the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage. (Japan Today)

A Turkish judge on Friday released pending trial the four pilots and an aviation company manager accused of aiding former Nissan Motor Chairman Carlos Ghosn's escape from criminal custody in Japan. (Nikkei)

Recent reports have it that Enteractive has dived into the already booming iGaming market of Japan. (newsonjapan.com)

The number of corporate officers in Japan earning at least 100 million yen ($930,000) annually fell for the first time in eight years in fiscal 2019 as the coronavirus pandemic eroded performance-based compensation packages. (Nikkei)

The Japanese government will urge the closure or suspension of about 100 low-efficiency coal-fired power plants in the country by fiscal year 2030 in the face of international pressure for a transition to greener alternatives. (Nikkei)

Tokyo confirmed 107 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, its highest daily tally in two months, but Japan’s chief cabinet secretary said there was no need to reintroduce a state of emergency. (Reuters)

It’s clear that with tourism everywhere having been brought to a standstill from COVID-19, Beppu is wasting no time and sparing no effort to get people back as soon as possible. (soranews24.com)

Night sky watchers say what appeared to be a fireball was seen streaking over wide areas of Japan. (NHK)

Japan's labor ministry says that since late January, more than 30,000 people across the country have lost or will lose their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. (NHK)