'Very, very hot': Japanese backpacker nears Cairns after travelling 3,000km across Australia on a scooter

Japan’s newest luxury cruise ship, Asuka III, offers passengers the experience of a high-end hotel at sea, combining private balconies, fine dining, Japanese-style bathing and personalized service on voyages around the country.

The rainy season ended in the Kanto-Koshin and Tokai regions on July 20 as strengthening high pressure brought intense heat across Japan, with temperatures forecast to reach 38 C in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, and Kofu.

Severe heat spread across Japan on July 20 as a Pacific high-pressure system covered much of the country, pushing the temperature in central Tokyo to 35 degrees Celsius for the first time this year.

Nagashima Jumbo Seawater Pool in Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, was packed with visitors on Marine Day, the final day of a three-day weekend, as families sought relief from intense summer heat following the end of the rainy season in the Tokai region.

A beach where visitors can swim alongside whales has opened in Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, drawing families and children eager to see the animals at close range.

An interactive exhibition recreating the world of Studio Ghibli will open at Osaka's ATC complex on July 18, offering visitors of all ages the chance to experience famous scenes and characters from the studio's animated films.

Heavy rain flooded railway tracks in Hokkaido, forcing the cancellation of 32 trains, including limited express services linking Sapporo and Hakodate.

Japan is likely to face increasingly long and dangerously hot summers as global temperatures continue to rise, with advanced climate simulations also pointing to more frequent torrential rain, rising seas and accelerating ice loss by the end of the century.