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. (News On Japan)

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. (News On Japan)

Japanese stocks rose for a second straight session on Friday, July 10, with the Nikkei Stock Average climbing 813.88 points to close at 68,557.73 after strong gains in U.S. technology and semiconductor stocks fueled renewed buying of AI-related shares. (News On Japan)

Japan’s domestic Corporate Goods Price Index, which measures prices charged for goods traded between companies, rose 7.1% from a year earlier to 135.4 in June, the Bank of Japan said on July 10. (News On Japan)

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. (News On Japan)

A credit card payment processor with liabilities of about 125.9 billion yen has become Japan’s largest bankruptcy so far in 2026, disrupting card payments at restaurants and shops across the country and forcing many businesses to accept cash only. (News On Japan)

Japan's planned rollout of mobile phone numbers beginning with 060 has been postponed after telecom carriers said they need more time to complete system preparations. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks fell for a third straight session on July 8 as selling in semiconductor and AI-related shares continued, while rising Japanese government bond yields, Middle East tensions and concern over the Bank of Japan’s policy independence added pressure to the broader market. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks fell sharply on July 7 as a selloff in South Korean chip shares triggered fresh concern over the sustainability of the AI boom, dragging the Nikkei 225 lower while banks and other value shares resisted the decline. (News On Japan)

Japan’s long-term interest rate briefly rose to 2.83% on July 6, its highest level in nearly 30 years, as investors grew more cautious over inflation, the pace of Bank of Japan rate hikes and the government’s fiscal stance. (News On Japan)

Tesla has begun full-scale landings of its electric vehicles at Mikawa Port in Aichi Prefecture, choosing a major auto import hub in Toyota’s home region as a new base for shipments to western Japan. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks ended mixed on July 6 as profit-taking in AI and semiconductor-related shares kept the Nikkei 225 nearly flat, while broader buying in banks, value stocks and domestic demand names lifted the TOPIX to a fresh record high. (News On Japan)

Internet communication through smartphones and computers has become indispensable to daily life, and the facilities known as data centers that support ordinary actions such as watching videos online and sending messages are now expanding rapidly as demand for artificial intelligence grows. (News On Japan)

The yen has weakened to the 162 range against the dollar for the first time in about 40 years, but the latest market environment differs sharply from the period four decades ago, when Japan was still climbing toward the height of its economic power. (News On Japan)

Business expansion creates pressure on finance teams before it creates visible growth. (News On Japan)

Gold prices remain under pressure after spot bullion briefly fell below 4,000 dollars per troy ounce last week, marking the lowest level in seven months since early November, as investors reassess the outlook for US interest rates and the dollar. (News On Japan)

Japan is seeking to turn economic security into diplomatic leverage as the United States deepens its America First approach, with policymakers focusing on semiconductors, critical minerals, energy, shipbuilding and advanced technology as areas where Japan can make itself indispensable to Washington. (News On Japan)

Workers inspecting screws are a familiar sight in Tokyo’s Ota Ward, where small factories line the streets, but manufacturers say rising costs are squeezing operations despite signs of strength elsewhere in the economy. (News On Japan)

Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund said its investment operations for fiscal 2025 generated a surplus of more than 41 trillion yen, lifted by gains in domestic and overseas stock markets. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks staged a sharp intraday reversal on July 3, with the Nikkei 225 rebounding from an early drop of more than 1,100 points to close more than 1,000 points higher as investors bought back semiconductor and AI-related shares while rotating into lagging value stocks. (News On Japan)