As candidates in the upcoming House of Councillors election increasingly emphasize policies targeting foreign nationals, social media has seen a surge in claims—denied by the government—that foreigners are unfairly benefiting from Japan's welfare system. (News On Japan)

Two university students previously arrested for stealing around 70 items from the Osaka-Kansai Expo site have been rearrested on suspicion of stealing additional merchandise, including the highly sought-after black version of the Myakumyaku mascot. (News On Japan)

Japan welcomed 21,518,100 foreign visitors in the first half of 2025, exceeding 20 million at the fastest pace ever, according to data released by the Japan National Tourism Organization on July 16th. The surge was driven by increased travel during the Chinese New Year holiday and cherry blossom season, resulting in a 21% year-on-year increase. (News On Japan)

The video features mainly the latest Gran Class seating and service in 2025. (Solo Travel Japan)

For the first time in 27 years, since the 118th prize in 1998, both the Akutagawa Prize and Naoki Prize were left without a recipient, marking only the sixth instance in the prize’s history that such a decision has been made. (News On Japan)

Saitama Prefectural Police have discovered several million yen in cash during a search of the home shared by the wife and second son of Chizuo Matsumoto, the former Aum Shinrikyo cult leader who was executed in 2018, according to interviews with people involved in the investigation. (News On Japan)

A host club operator in Nagoya has been arrested for allegedly threatening a female customer at her home in an attempt to collect about 1 million yen in unpaid club bills. This marks the first such arrest in Japan following the enforcement of revised regulations on the adult entertainment industry. (News On Japan)

A teacher who spent four months conducting research at Japan's Showa Station in Antarctica shared her experience with students during a special lesson held at Seisho Prefectural Elementary, Junior High, and High School. (News On Japan)

The number of people who stayed overnight in Nara City in 2023 reached approximately 2.04 million, the highest figure in the past 15 years. (News On Japan)

Japan’s first new luxury cruise ship in 34 years, the Asuka III, operated by the NYK Group, is 230 meters long and can accommodate up to 744 passengers, and made its inaugural port call at Hakata Port on Monday morning. (News On Japan)

Japan’s first new luxury cruise ship in 34 years, the Asuka III, operated by the NYK Group, is 230 meters long and can accommodate up to 744 passengers, and made its inaugural port call at Hakata Port on Monday morning. (News On Japan)

The government has launched a new command organization under the Cabinet Secretariat to oversee foreign resident policies, aiming to strengthen responses to crimes and nuisance behavior involving foreigners. (News On Japan)

A new pair of works by Leonardo da Vinci are now on display at the Italy Pavilion of Expo 2025 Osaka–Kansai, drawing strong attention as one of the venue’s most talked-about exhibits. These newly revealed pieces, part of the renowned "Atlantic Codex," were unveiled on July 14th. (News On Japan)

The annual Nachi Fire Festival lit up the stone steps of Kumano Nachi Taisha on Monday in Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Prefecture, with a dramatic procession of blazing torches and sacred mikoshi shrines. (News On Japan)

In Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, a traditional thread-spinning craft used to produce strings for the koto and shamisen continues to be practiced using silk drawn directly from cocoons. (News On Japan)

About 300 railway enthusiasts gathered near JR Ōmiya Station in Saitama City around 3 a.m. on July 13th, creating chaos that escalated to the point of police intervention. (News On Japan)

Typhoon No. 5 made landfall near Cape Erimo in Hokkaido in the early hours of July 15th, marking the first time in nine years that a typhoon has struck the northernmost of Japan’s main islands. (News On Japan)

A Tokyo court has sentenced Manabu Wakui to 15 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of a woman on the grounds of a high-rise condominium in Shinjuku Ward in May 2024. The Tokyo District Court ruled that Wakui carried out the attack to satisfy a personal grudge without first exhausting legal channels, stating that his actions could not be justified as revenge. (News On Japan)

In Tokyo’s Shibuya district, the issue of people drinking alcohol outside convenience stores—known as “konbini drinking”—has already erupted into a full-fledged summer spectacle. Foreign visitors have begun gathering in Center Gai, bottles in hand, despite a ban on nighttime street drinking in place since October 2024. (News On Japan)

The ruling coalition is facing an increasingly difficult battle to retain its majority in Japan’s House of Councillors, according to a mid-campaign opinion poll by FNN ahead of the July 20th election. Meanwhile, the minor party Sanseitō is showing strong momentum and could see a significant boost in its number of seats. (News On Japan)