Torrential rain caused widespread flooding across central Japan on September 8, inundating roads in central Nagoya and other cities as linear rainbands formed over Aichi and Gifu prefectures and authorities warned that similar conditions could develop in the Kanto region through September 9.
Prolonged heavy rain linked to the autumn rain front and other weather systems has transformed tourist destinations across Japan, swelling waterfalls, damaging flower fields and disrupting travel as record rainfall continues in several regions.
To From Yaesu Tower, a large-scale mixed-use complex directly connected to Tokyo Station, is set to open on September 10, with developer Tokyo Tatemono unveiling part of the 51-story building to the media on September 7 ahead of its launch.
Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward, which has more than 3,900 short-term rental facilities, the highest number of any municipality in Japan, plans to generally prohibit new properties in residential areas and around schools as complaints over noise, trespassing and other problems continue to increase.
Japanese customs authorities blocked a record 19,568 shipments suspected of infringing intellectual property rights in the first half of 2026, up 12% from a year earlier, as the expansion of cross-border e-commerce drove an increase in imported parcels.
Hikone Castle in Shiga Prefecture has been formally selected as Japan's candidate for nomination as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, advancing a campaign that has continued for more than 30 years and aims to secure inscription in the summer of 2028.
Highway service areas around the Kanto region are becoming destinations in their own right, offering travelers everything from freshly harvested vegetables and popular regional restaurant dishes to baths, observation decks and family events during the busy summer vacation season.
Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry raised subsidies for aviation fuel used on domestic flights from September 3, doubling the support rate while ending subsidies for international flights.