Strong Typhoon No. 13, known internationally as Dolphin, continued to intensify over the Marshall Islands on July 28 and is forecast to reach violent strength by July 30, with possible effects on Japan in early August.
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on July 28, registering the maximum intensity of 7 on Japan's seismic scale and causing collapsed buildings, fires, widespread utility failures and major transport disruption as emergency crews raced to reach people trapped at a shopping center and a paper factory.
The Japan Coast Guard has searched Doshisha International High School on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in death and injury following a boat accident off Henoko in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture, that killed a female student and a boat captain.
Keigo Higashino, the Naoki Prize-winning author whose prolific career produced such bestsellers as Journey Under the Midnight Sun and The Devotion of Suspect X, died of colon cancer in the early hours of July 23, his publisher said. He was 68.
A wave of pear thefts has prompted police and farmers to strengthen patrols as growers warn that stolen fruit is likely being resold online or from roadside vehicles.
Kozo Okamoto, a member of the Japanese Red Army who took part in a 1972 mass shooting at an Israeli airport, has died at age 78 in Lebanon, where he had lived for decades under political asylum.
UNESCO has formally added the Asuka-Fujiwara capital sites in Nara Prefecture to its World Cultural Heritage list, bringing the number of World Heritage properties in Japan to 27.
The Sumida River Fireworks Festival, a summer tradition in Tokyo's historic downtown districts, was held across Taito and Sumida wards on July 25, with about 20,000 fireworks lighting up the night sky following a day of intense heat.
Two elaborately decorated boats sailed along the Kozagawa River in Wakayama Prefecture on July 26 as the annual Kochi Festival was held under scorching summer heat.
A Japan Airlines flight attendant suffered a broken rib after sudden turbulence shook an aircraft during its descent to Tokyo's Haneda Airport, prompting authorities to investigate the incident as an aviation accident.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi entered the final week of July facing the sharpest political test of her administration so far, as a fall in public support exposed growing unease over the weak yen, rising living costs and doubts about whether her growth strategy can reassure both households and financial markets.
Artificial intelligence could bring changes equal to or greater than the Industrial Revolution, reshaping the role of government, society and policymaking, Mirai party leader Takahiro Anno said in an interview broadcast on July 26.
The Trump administration imposed new additional tariffs on Japan and 59 other countries and regions at 1:01 p.m. Japan time, shortly after President Donald Trump praised Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto during a White House ceremony honoring the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Osaka Prefecture and the city of Izumisano held their first coordination meeting on July 27 over plans to establish Japan's third so-called baby hatch, with discussions focusing on securing facilities and caregivers for children left in its care.
Sekiwake Aonishiki said he will target sumo’s highest rank after winning his third career championship at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament and securing an immediate return to ozeki.
Small "marker charms" attached to umbrellas, plastic bottles and other everyday items are becoming a major capsule toy trend in Japan, attracting not only younger consumers but also adults drawn to their practicality, affordability and collectible appeal.
Multiple rare earth elements essential for high-tech products have been confirmed in mud extracted from the deep seabed off Minamitorishima, Japan's easternmost island.
The Nikkei Stock Average plunged 2,566.27 yen, or 3.9%, to close at 62,364.92 on July 28 as a sharp fall in South Korean stocks and growing concerns over intensifying competition in the global semiconductor industry triggered heavy selling in artificial intelligence and chip-related shares.
Japan is unlikely to end its heavy reliance on Middle East crude oil, even as geopolitical tensions expose the risks of depending on the region for more than 90% of its imports, leaving the country to pursue a gradual mix of diversification, electrification, renewable energy and technological innovation.
Tokyo stocks rebounded on July 27, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 64,931.19, up 320.04 points, or 0.50%, as easing concern over the Middle East conflict supported broad buying across domestic-demand and value shares, although semiconductor weakness continued to cap the market’s recovery.
Honda Motor and Nissan Motor have entered final-stage negotiations to jointly develop an operating system that will serve as the core software for their next-generation vehicles, with an agreement targeted by the end of August.