Bear sightings and attacks have been reported across Japan throughout the summer, with animals damaging sheds, attacking livestock and injuring people, while experts warn that autumn is the most dangerous season as bears expand their range in search of food.
Japan's Environment Ministry will conduct its first survey of animal cafes, where customers can interact with animals including exotic species, as concerns grow over infection risks, injuries and the welfare burden placed on animals.
A 17-year-old high school girl was arrested in Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture, on September 2 after allegedly stabbing her 49-year-old father in the neck with scissors during an altercation at their home, with the father later dying at a hospital.
Three men have been arrested on suspicion of attempting to defraud a flood victim in Chiba Prefecture of 3.2 million yen by falsely claiming that his electrical breaker panel and flooring needed urgent repairs, in a type of scam that has surged nationwide in recent years.
A large fire that swept through a shopping district near Ise Jingu in Mie Prefecture was extinguished at 11 a.m. on September 2, about 44 hours after it broke out, after damaging 58 buildings across an area of approximately 4,300 square meters.
Okinawa police have arrested a 32-year-old U.S. citizen on suspicion of setting fire to a lodging facility in Chatan and attempting to kill 18 guests who were staying inside, following a blaze that left one man seriously injured on August 15.
Haneda Airport introduced two major changes on September 2, opening a new boarding facility at Terminal 1 while moving the checked-baggage deadline for all domestic flights to 30 minutes before departure.
Universal Studios Japan is considering its first expansion since opening in 2001, with plans to use about 60,000 square meters of former Nippon Steel factory land adjacent to the park and potentially increase its total area by roughly 10%.
Officials in Nara are urging visitors to treat the city's famous deer with care and respect as tourist numbers rise and the autumn mating season approaches, when male deer can become particularly aggressive.
Osaka Metro began testing an artificial intelligence-powered humanoid robot at Umeda Station on August 31, using the machine to provide passengers with transfer directions and information on nearby tourist attractions as the railway operator explores ways to ease staffing shortages.
The leaders of the Centrist Reform Alliance, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito have agreed to abandon plans to merge their three parties, leaving the Centrist Reform Alliance effectively split.
Japan is moving to strengthen its defenses against mass drone attacks after Terra Drone became the sole company to advance through a Defense Ministry program for a Japanese-made interceptor drone, drawing on battlefield technology and production methods developed in Ukraine while pushing for domestic production of critical components.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi moved on August 28 to contain market concern over her government’s spending plans, saying Japan will aim to cap new government bond issuance at around 40 trillion yen in the fiscal 2027 budget while still pursuing food-tax relief, growth investment and measures to support households facing higher prices.
Japan byFood and Shizuka are back with Worth The Trip the series where we will discover food spots in Japan that are actually worth traveling for! This time we are going to award-winning eats around Tokyo under one rule – we can only eat for $10 or around ¥1,600 yen.
Running around the Imperial Palace has become one of Tokyo's most popular fitness activities, but growing numbers of runners and pedestrians sharing narrow sidewalks are raising safety concerns and prompting calls for stronger rules and better infrastructure.
A herd of an estimated 200 to 300 deer has been filmed in the Southern Alps, highlighting a rapidly expanding population that experts warn is damaging mountain ecosystems, stripping vegetation, increasing landslide risks and creating problems across Japan ranging from crop losses to traffic accidents.
Nearly 60% of Japanese high school students consider learning about different cultures "very important," the highest proportion among Japan, the United States, China and South Korea, according to a survey released by the National Institution for Youth Education.
Interest rates on Japanese government bonds for individual investors offered in September have risen to record-high levels, with the 10-year floating-rate bond reaching 1.95%, according to figures announced on September 2.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda that he strongly supports decisive market intervention and monetary policy measures by Japan to address excessive yen weakness, saying the currency's depreciation is contributing to inflationary pressure.
Tokyo stocks ended mixed on September 1, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 66,215.34, down 96.59 points, or 0.15%, as rising bond yields and weakness in semiconductor shares weighed on the index, while the broader TOPIX rose 25.57 points, or 0.62%, to 4,181.86 for its ninth straight gain.
Japan's benchmark long-term interest rate reached 3% on September 1, its highest level since 1996, as government bond selling accelerated on expectations of a possible Bank of Japan rate hike, rising U.S. yields and growing concerns over Japan's fiscal outlook.