World Rally Championship Starts in Toyota City, Aichi

Nov 07, 2025 | News On Japan

NAGOYA - The World Rally Championship (WRC), one of the world's premier motorsport events held on public roads with drivers competing for the fastest combined times over multiple stages, is ready to roar in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture.

The championship features 14 rounds worldwide, and this 13th round, the Forum8 Rally Japan 2025, marks the return of the event to Japan.

At the opening ceremony held in front of Meitetsu Toyota City Station, Aichi-born driver Takamoto Katsuta, who competes in the top Rally1 class for Toyota, joined other participants in a parade of rally cars to greet cheering fans.

"I can really feel the number of spectators increasing year by year, and the excitement keeps growing," Katsuta said. "I want to deliver strong results and help build even more enthusiasm for the event."

The Forum8 Rally Japan 2025 will be held over four days from November 6th, with competitive stages taking place across various locations in Aichi and Gifu prefectures.

Source: Nagoya TV News

Woman Dies After Car Flooded in Underpass

A woman in her 60s died after her car was submerged in a flooded underpass in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, as record rainfall caused widespread flooding, landslides and transport disruption across Kanto and surrounding areas on September 7, with authorities warning that further rain was expected during the evening commute.

All of Ishinomaki City Ordered to Evacuate as Rain Pounds Tohoku

An evacuation order has been issued for the entire city of Ishinomaki and parts of Marumori in Miyagi Prefecture as heavy rain caused by the autumn rain front disrupts transportation across the region, with a linear rainband potentially forming along the Pacific side of Tohoku through the evening.

Yokohama Mayor Resigns Over Power Harassment Allegations

Yokohama Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka resigned on September 7 after the city assembly unanimously approved his request to step down over allegations of workplace power harassment, setting the stage for a mayoral election in October.

Typhoon No. 24 Nears Minami-Daito Before Weakening Into Tropical Depression

Typhoon No. 24 (Krovahn) was near Minami-Daito Island, about 300 kilometers southeast of Okinawa, as of 3 a.m. on September 7, moving east-northeast at about 10 kilometers per hour and expected to weaken into a tropical depression by the afternoon, although strong winds and high waves were forecast to persist before its remnants move north and potentially intensify the autumn rain front over western and eastern Japan later in the week.

Tokyo Unveils Design for Symbol Tree at Shinjuku Station

Tokyo has unveiled the design for a major redevelopment of the plaza outside Shinjuku Station's west exit, with a landmark tree, water-play area and event space planned as part of a transformation centered on "greenery, light and people" that is scheduled for completion in 2035.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Sports NEWS

Asian Games Athletes Begin Arriving in Aichi Ahead of September 19 Opening

Athletes competing in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games began arriving in Japan in greater numbers on September 6, with competitors from countries including Jordan and South Korea entering through Chubu Centrair International Airport in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, ahead of the September 19 opening.

From Sydney to Berlin: The Rise of Women's Basketball on the Global Stage

The 20th FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup will be held in Berlin from September 4 to 13, 2026.

Imperial Palace Running Boom Sparks Calls for Better Manners

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.

Aonishiki Returns to Ozeki as Autumn Grand Sumo Rankings Announced

The Japan Sumo Association announced the rankings for the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on August 31, with last tournament's champion Aonishiki returning to ozeki after two tournaments and taking the second position on the east side of the rankings.

Japan U-18 Baseball Team Begins Training for Asian Championship

Japan's high school baseball national team began preparations for the U-18 Asian Baseball Championship with a training session in Yokohama on August 28, as the squad looks to capture the continental title at the tournament opening in Taiwan on September 7.