The Emperor and his family are spending time at the Nasu Imperial Villa in Tochigi Prefecture as the retreat marks 100 years since its establishment, with the visit coming as debate in the Diet over revisions related to the Imperial House Law enters a critical stage. (News On Japan)

Hokkaido's minimum wage is expected to rise by 56 yen to a record 1,131 yen per hour in October, entering the 1,100-yen range for the first time, but workers and business owners are concerned that tax and social insurance thresholds could lead employees to limit their hours. (News On Japan)

Two kappa statues that served as symbols of a bridge in Ebina, Kanagawa Prefecture, have been stolen after being cherished by local residents for 34 years, with police investigating whether the thieves targeted the sculptures for their copper. (News On Japan)

A 63-year-old man from Shizuoka Prefecture has been arrested on suspicion of selling 10 stolen metal plaques, including nameplates bearing the names of bridges, to a scrap metal dealer in Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture. (News On Japan)

The average summer bonus paid by major Japanese companies rose above 1 million yen for the first time, reaching a record 1,042,537 yen as strong corporate earnings and substantial wage increases lifted employee compensation. (News On Japan)

A proposal to allow children to decide whether to view graphic photographs and other harrowing materials at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum has sparked debate as the city marks the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing. (News On Japan)

Requests for rapidly constructed "instant houses" are growing across areas of Kumamoto Prefecture devastated by the recent earthquake, providing air-conditioned temporary shelter for residents who have been sleeping in tents and vehicles beside their damaged homes. (News On Japan)

Japan is one of those countries that people visit once and then return to again and again and again, because it is unlike any other place on the planet. (News On Japan)

Hiroshima marked the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombing on August 6 with a peace memorial ceremony at Peace Memorial Park, where Mayor Kazumi Matsui warned of the growing danger that nuclear weapons could be used and called for renewed action toward their abolition. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks diverged on August 6, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 65,683.26, down 617.18 points, or 0.93%, as selling in artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related heavyweights outweighed broad gains across the wider market. (News On Japan)

All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines are expected to lower fuel surcharges on international tickets issued in September and October after a decline in the fuel prices used to calculate the additional fees. (News On Japan)

A 32-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of repeatedly placing massive orders for merchandise from popular manga series through Shueisha's online store and then canceling the purchases without payment, causing disruption to the retailer's operations. (News On Japan)

University students in Shizuoka have designed a future lunar city using the globally popular game Minecraft and educational materials supervised by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, combining programming and spatial design to explore how people could live safely and sustainably on the moon. (News On Japan)

Toyota Motor has begun recruiting residents of Shizuoka Prefecture to live in Woven City, its experimental community for developing future technologies, with about 25 households expected to move into the site for two years from March 2027. (News On Japan)

A 49-year-old man has been rearrested on suspicion of injuring six people after driving a Bentley into seven vehicles stopped at a traffic light on National Route 16 in Hachioji, western Tokyo, in March. (News On Japan)

The Bank of Japan's latest economic outlook has strengthened expectations that another interest rate increase could come as early as September after the central bank kept its policy rate at around 1.0% at its July meeting following a June hike, while placing greater emphasis on the risk that inflation will rise above its 2% target. (News On Japan)

Wakana Uchikoshi, a 27-year-old recruitment professional at Ajinomoto AGF, has built a demanding but rewarding life that combines her weekday corporate career with twice-weekly practices as a cheerleader for a company-affiliated American football team. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government formally approved a plan on August 5 to reduce the consumption tax rate on food and nonalcoholic beverages from 8% to 1% for two years beginning in April 2027, setting the stage for a difficult parliamentary battle over how to cover an estimated 10 trillion yen revenue shortfall and whether the politically sensitive tax can be restored afterward. (News On Japan)

A knife-wielding man died after a police sergeant shot him in the chest on a street in Kawachinagano, Osaka Prefecture, after he continued advancing toward five officers despite repeated warnings and a warning shot fired into the air. (News On Japan)

Japan’s latest defense white paper has sparked controversy by presenting the country’s expanding military buildup not only as a national security necessity but also as a potential engine of economic growth, drawing criticism from China and raising fresh domestic questions over how far Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government is prepared to link defense, industry and fiscal policy. (News On Japan)