Japan's Finance Ministry says the country's current account surplus for the first half of 2017 was the highest in 10 years. (NHK)

When cat cafes started showing up in Japan, no one was really sure how long they'd last. Sure, the idea of sipping on drinks and munching on light fare while surrounded by felines had a definite appeal, but some wondered if it might be nothing more than a passing fad. (rocketnews24.com)

The Democratic Party's former secretary-general has formally entered the race to lead Japan's main opposition party, laying the groundwork for a battle over whether the Democrats can offer viable alternatives to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's economic policies, known as Abenomics. (Nikkei)

The owner of one branch of the Mini Stop convenience store chain has had it with non-customers parking in his store's parking lot. (rocketnews24.com)

Mazda Motor Corp said Tuesday it would become the world's first automaker to commercialise a much more efficient petrol engine using technology that deep-pocketed rivals have been trying to engineer for decades, a twist in an industry increasingly going electric. (Japan Today)

This week marks the 72nd anniversary of the two US atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On Wednesday, people gathered at a ceremony held at Nagasaki's Peace Park, close to where the bomb hit, to reflect in a moment of silence. (NHK)

About 270,000 puffer fish farmed in a bay off Nagasaki Prefecture have died due to the outbreak of red tide, resulting in damage of around 400 million yen, a local fisheries cooperative said Tuesday. (Japan Today)

New Foreign Minister Taro Kono made his debut on the world stage with his fluent English, showing his presence during a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations-related meetings in Manila lasting through Monday. (Japan Times)

The city of Kyoto aims to introduce a lodging tax in 2018 at the earliest to cope with issues stemming from a surge in the number of tourists, based on a recommendation Monday from an advisory panel. (Japan Today)

A tropical storm is ripping through Japan`s main island of Honshu, bringing heavy rain to wide areas. Two people have died and 47 others injured. (NHK)

Hideki Matsuyama warmed up poorly and then turned in the best round of his career at the Bridgestone Invitational, a 9-under 61 that tied the course record and gave him another blowout victory in a World Golf Championship. (Japan Times)

A storm is ripping through the Japanese archipelago, bringing heavy rains to wide areas. 2 people are dead and 17 others are injured. (NHK)

A train stopped before striking a woman who had just been pushed onto the tracks from a station platform by her intoxicated boyfriend in Soka City early Sunday, reports TBS News. (tokyoreporter.com)

The government may review how money allocated for developing Okinawa is spent, after some of this year's money was used to pay for an event by the all-girl idol group AKB48. (Japan Today)

Tens of thousands of people gathered Sunday in Hiroshima to reflect on a tragedy that changed the course of history. They're marking the 72nd anniversary since the US detonated an atomic bomb over the city in 1945. (NHK)

Japan is fretting about running out of hotel rooms as foreign tourist numbers surge and as the capital prepares to host the 2020 Olympics. (Nikkei)

A Kuroshio limited express train led by a car with a panda face debuted Saturday in Osaka to lure tourists to Adventure World, the giant wildlife theme park in Wakayama Prefecture where the popular animals are on show. (Japan Times)

People in western Japan are bracing for another violent storm. Typhoon Noru is bringing powerful winds and heavy rain. Two people have died, and 12 others have been injured. (NHK)

Twelve window panes were found smashed at a junior high school in Yaita, Tochigi Prefecture, on Friday night, police said Saturday. It was the fifth such case of school vandalism in the prefecture since early July, Fuji TV reported. (Japan Today)

Actress Mariko Ishihara is not expected to be indicted for allegedly shoplifting food at a Tokyo supermarket after investigators referred her to prosecutors Friday with a recommendation of leniency, police said. (Japan Today)

The Bank of Japan and the Hong Kong central bank plan to link their settlement systems, informed sources said Thursday. (the-japan-news.com)

While allowing female employees to take maternity leave is becoming increasingly the norm in Japan's private sector, women in politics can still face a storm of criticism even for getting pregnant. (Kyodo)

In a bid to put the brakes on his tumbling popularity, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe engineered a make-or-break reshuffle of his scandal-tainted Cabinet on Thursday, gravitating toward veterans to avoid further trouble. (Japan Times)

Japan's prime minister says he has formed a new cabinet to regain the people's trust and push forward his policies. (NHK)

Japan's labor ministry says the average wage has declined for the first time in 13 months. (NHK)