Tokyo Gas Engineering Solutions announced on July 2nd that it will promote the adoption of power generation systems using city gas for data centers. Unlike traditional systems, these generators can be installed directly within data center premises, eliminating the need to wait for power grid development and enabling quicker startup. (News On Japan)

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed doubts about reaching a trade agreement with Japan and hinted at the possibility of imposing tariffs of 30% to 35%. (News On Japan)

Hokkaido's land price growth rankings have revealed Furano City as the top performer in the region, driven by a surge in foreign tourists. According to roadside land value data released on July 1st, Furano’s Kitanomine district saw a 30.2% increase over 2024 levels, reaching 82,000 yen per square meter. (News On Japan)

Japan’s first fully unmanned mini store operated by major discount retailer Don Quijote opened on July 1st inside Osaka Electro-Communication University in Neyagawa City, Osaka Prefecture. (News On Japan)

In Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture, a rice field artwork featuring Decopin—the pet dog of Shohei Ohtani from Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers—has drawn attention, with the image created using green rice plants and ornamental varieties that turn white and red. (News On Japan)

A man being held in detention has filed a lawsuit against Osaka Prefecture, claiming police violated his right to remain silent by confiscating a T-shirt bearing the phrase "I refuse to be interrogated." (News On Japan)

Japan’s ambitions to become a rare earth powerhouse are gaining attention as China tightens its grip on global supply chains. Despite a mid-June agreement between the U.S. and China, rare earth supplies remain constrained, and Japan’s enterprises—alongside global manufacturers—continue to face uncertainty. (News On Japan)

China has announced the partial resumption of Japanese seafood imports for the first time in nearly two years, following a suspension imposed in response to the discharge of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. (News On Japan)

Japan is home to a thriving language services industry, with companies offering world-class translation and interpretation solutions across diverse fields such as business, academia, gaming, and government. From innovative AI-driven platforms to long-established localization experts, these firms support global communication in one of the world’s most demanding linguistic markets. (News On Japan)

U.S. President Donald Trump has once again voiced strong dissatisfaction with Japan over automobile tariffs, a key issue in ongoing trade talks between the two countries, criticizing Japan for not importing American cars and calling the situation unfair. (News On Japan)

A next-generation neutrino observation facility, the Hyper-Kamiokande, was unveiled to the media on June 28th in Hida City, Gifu Prefecture. Located 600 meters underground in the Kamioka area, it is a new experimental facility of the University of Tokyo's Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, designed to detect neutrinos emitted from a research center 295 kilometers away in Ibaraki Prefecture. (News On Japan)

As Japan enters a full-fledged "mass-death society," even cremation may be delayed by days. In Sapporo, the number of annual cremations is expected to reach approximately 32,800 by fiscal 2054. Meanwhile, demand is growing for easier-to-manage burial methods such as tree burials at cemeteries. (News On Japan)

A growing wave of fraudulent restaurant bookings is raising alarm among small eateries across Japan, with multiple cases now reported beyond Tokyo. The scam involves a man falsely claiming to be a school employee and reserving tables under the name "Koga," before canceling at the last minute and demanding that restaurants pay for expensive wine. (News On Japan)

H2A Rocket No. 50, the final unit of Japan’s long-running flagship launch vehicle series, was successfully launched in the early hours of June 29th from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture. (News On Japan)

A woman identifying herself as a pianist has spoken out after losing her entire savings to a sophisticated scam involving fake arrest warrants and impersonated officials. (News On Japan)

SoftBank announced on June 26th that it will begin pre-commercial services next year for its airborne mobile base station known as HAPS (High Altitude Platform Station), with plans to expand the service nationwide by 2026. (News On Japan)

Some of Japan’s leading companies are stepping up efforts to tackle the gender pay gap, even as the country continues to rank the lowest among G7 nations on this issue. A new corporate ranking published by Nikkei Cross Woman highlights firms that are actively working to reduce disparities—not by listing companies with zero wage gaps, but by evaluating how seriously they are addressing the root causes and disclosing detailed strategies for change. (News On Japan)

A man convicted of murdering nine people in one of Japan's most disturbing serial killing cases was executed on June 27th. Takahiro Shiraishi, 34, had been sentenced to death for robbery, rape, and murder in a case that came to light in October 2017 after police discovered nine dismembered bodies stored in coolers in his apartment in Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture. It marks the first execution under the Ishiba administration, following an order by Justice Minister Keishu Suzuki. (News On Japan)

A Lamborghini sports car modified to shoot flames from its exhaust was fraudulently passed through vehicle inspection without proper testing, leading to the arrest of six people including a custom shop owner and a senior inspector. (News On Japan)

Fuji Media Holdings convened its annual shareholders meeting on Wednesday morning, as the company moves to rebuild governance and restore advertiser confidence after a series of scandals involving former executive Masahiro Nakai. Shareholders approved the slate of eleven directors proposed by current management, while rejecting all twelve candidates put forward by major shareholder Dalton Investments. (News On Japan)