Osaka’s Minami district, now entering another period of major change with the planned opening of the Naniwasuji Line, the redevelopment of Midosuji and improvements around Nankai Namba Station, has transformed from an area once described as "scary" and "dirty" into one of Japan’s leading tourist destinations.
A 10-ton hoko float was pulled through central Kyoto on July 12 in a trial run ahead of the Yamahoko Junko procession during the Gion Festival's early parade.
A 37-year-old gang member known in Tokyo's Kabukicho district by the nickname "Crazy" has been arrested on suspicion of robbing and injuring a teenage girl near Shinjuku Station after threatening her with what appeared to be an ice pick.
A wild boar repeatedly charged at a man on the grounds of a food service company in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, on July 13, injuring two people before being captured about an hour and a half later.
Two men died on July 11 in separate water accidents in Aichi and Gifu prefectures, including an Indonesian man who apparently drowned after jumping into a waterfall basin and a fisherman swept away while trying to recover his fishing gear.
An unauthorized Islamic prayer hall has been built on land in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, where new construction is generally prohibited, prompting the city to order the landowner to remove the structure.
Large Typhoon No. 9 (Bavi) was over central China at 9 p.m. on July 12 and moving north-northwest, with the storm expected to weaken as it continues northwest before turning into an extratropical cyclone that will merge with the rainy season front and bring rain mainly to areas along the Sea of Japan coast.
A wave of bear sightings across Japan has forced the cancellation of traditional summer events, while one animal entered a home and came within inches of a sleeping resident's face.
Large numbers of deer are appearing in residential neighborhoods around Nara, raising concerns over traffic accidents, crop damage and the spread of ticks and fleas as the animals move farther beyond Nara Park in search of food.
Plans to extend the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tsuruga in Fukui Prefecture to Shin-Osaka have been narrowed from eight proposals to two main options, the Obama-Kyoto route and the Maibara route, as concerns grow over construction costs and the potential impact on Kyoto's groundwater and cultural heritage.
Neyagawa in Osaka Prefecture has approved Japan's first citywide tax on vacant homes, imposing a new municipal levy at a rate of 35% on owners in addition to existing fixed-asset taxes from fiscal 2029.
Taro Yamamoto, leader of Reiwa Shinsengumi, announced on July 10 that he will resign as party leader and retire from politics, citing both a speeding violation that resulted in criminal penalties and ongoing health problems.
Japan’s breakfast market is gaining new momentum, with Starbucks launching morning offerings at some locations in May and a growing number of newcomers entering the increasingly lively sector.
A growing number of young doctors in Japan are moving directly into cosmetic medicine after obtaining a medical license and completing their initial clinical training, raising concern that the trend may be worsening staff shortages in insurance-covered medical care.
Fires involving lithium-ion batteries, including those used in mobile battery packs, are occurring at a record pace in Japan this year, with 179 incidents reported by the end of May, according to the Tokyo Fire Department.
Demand for next-generation power semiconductors is expected to grow as artificial intelligence servers place heavier loads on power infrastructure, raising interest in technologies once viewed mainly as a component for electric vehicles.
A 65-year-old man who spent 40 years working for a company was shocked to learn that his pension would amount to 168,000 yen a month, raising fresh concern over whether retirees in Japan can live on public pension payments alone.
Small supermarkets offering lower prices than convenience stores and closer access than full-size supermarkets are expanding rapidly across the Tokyo metropolitan area, as retailers race to meet demand from older consumers, single-person households and shoppers under pressure from rising prices.
A welfare facility in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto Prefecture, has begun preparations to sell about 220 giant stag beetles, one of Japan’s largest species, from July 13.
NTT Docomo will begin offering banking services under the new "Docomo Bank" brand in August, with plans to build a network of more than 1,500 locations by fiscal 2030, far exceeding the branch networks of Japan's major banks.