JR West has unveiled a new blue-based design for Kodama trains on the Sanyo Shinkansen, intended to evoke the relaxed pace of an all-stations journey and the calm waters of the Seto Inland Sea. (News On Japan)

Retail prices for imported beef and pork in Japan have climbed to their highest levels on record, driven by the weak yen and tighter overseas supplies. (News On Japan)

Japan's finance minister signaled the government is prepared to intervene in the foreign exchange market after the yen briefly weakened into the 163 range against the dollar, its lowest level in about 40 years. (News On Japan)

Kuwana in Mie Prefecture recorded 40.6 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature anywhere in Japan this year, as a powerful high-pressure system and hot downslope winds combined to produce dangerous heat across a wide area. (News On Japan)

Mount Tokachidake in central Hokkaido experienced its first confirmed eruption in 22 years on July 22, sending a column of black smoke about 200 meters above the crater, although authorities said there were no signs that volcanic activity was intensifying. (News On Japan)

The flight from Narita lands just after sunset, and by the time the taxi clears the terminal the air has already made its point: warm, salt-tinged, a shade heavier than the one you left behind that morning. (News On Japan)

One in five public junior high schools in Japan has stopped offering swimming lessons, raising concerns about declining swimming ability as schools struggle with extreme heat, aging pool facilities and the growing burden on teachers. (News On Japan)

An unexploded U.S.-made bomb believed to date from World War II has been discovered at a housing construction site in a residential district of Minoh, Osaka Prefecture, potentially requiring the evacuation of nearly 5,000 people during its disposal. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s economic agenda came under sharper pressure on July 22 as the yen fell to its weakest level in about 40 years, forcing the government to warn of possible currency action while the Bank of Japan signaled growing concern that inflation risks could require faster interest-rate hikes. (News On Japan)

A 55-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly capturing an endangered butterfly in the Norikura Highlands of Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, marking Japan's first arrest involving the protected species. (News On Japan)

Large numbers of climbers headed to Mount Fuji on July 22 despite disaster-level heat that pushed temperatures to 40 degrees Celsius or higher in parts of Japan, while a series of rescues highlighted the risks of exhaustion, inadequate footwear and hypothermia during the peak summer climbing season. (News On Japan)

Japanese companies and the government are stepping up efforts to develop domestically produced humanoid robots as Chinese manufacturers dominate the rapidly expanding physical AI market, with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang predicting that the next industrial revolution will take place in Japan. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks ended mixed on July 22, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 66,115.60, down 116.59 points, or 0.17%, as early buying in semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related shares faded in the afternoon while a weaker yen and higher oil prices kept inflation concerns in focus. (News On Japan)

The hacker group known as RansomHouse has claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on frozen food giant Nichirei that delayed shipments and disrupted restaurants and supermarkets across Japan. (News On Japan)

Disaster-level heat gripped much of Japan on July 22, with temperatures of 40 C forecast in parts of the Kanto and Tokai regions and heatstroke alerts issued for 41 prefectures from Okinawa to Tohoku. (News On Japan)

A Russian nuclear-capable long-range strategic bomber flew over international waters in the Sea of Japan for more than 11 hours, accompanied by an escort that included Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets, Russia's Defense Ministry said on July 21 as it released footage of the flight. (News On Japan)

Nerima Ward has allowed handheld fireworks in selected public parks for the first time, joining a growing number of Tokyo wards seeking to provide residents with designated places to enjoy the traditional summer activity. (News On Japan)

PorMedTec, a Meiji University startup, has begun producing genetically modified pigs for a clinical trial that could start in Japan in 2028 and transplant pig kidneys into patients with kidney failure. (News On Japan)

Haneda Airport is emerging as a destination where visitors can spend an entire day, offering aviation-themed attractions, distinctive restaurants, unusual vending machines and observation decks with sweeping views of aircraft taking off and landing. (News On Japan)

A 27-year-old police officer arrested after crashing into a utility pole in Hiroshima was found to have been driving under the influence, with a blood test detecting nearly three times the legal alcohol limit. (News On Japan)