Several Bank of Japan policymakers have signaled support for accelerating interest rate increases, with one member warning that the pace of hikes could become faster than financial markets currently expect as the central bank pays greater attention to upside inflation risks. (News On Japan)

Japan's dating scene has its own vocabulary, its own etiquette, and — for the arrangement style commonly known abroad as sugar dating — its own dedicated clubs. (News On Japan)

Authorities in Kyoto and Osaka have arrested three men in separate drug cases involving so-called zombie cigarettes containing the designated drug etomidate, as investigators step up efforts against the illegal trade in the Kansai region. (News On Japan)

Raccoons are increasingly invading homes across Japan, damaging roofs and wiring, contaminating buildings with large amounts of urine and feces, and raising concerns over agriculture, native wildlife and the spread of disease as their population continues to expand. (News On Japan)

A repeat of the sharp yen appreciation seen in the summer of 2024 is unlikely under current conditions, with persistently high U.S. interest rates and continued structural pressure on Japan's currency making another rapid surge difficult, according to UBS wealth management chief investment officer Daiju Aoki. (News On Japan)

Nagasaki marked the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing on August 9 with a memorial ceremony near the hypocenter, where Mayor Shiro Suzuki declared nuclear weapons an "absolute evil" and called on the Japanese government to uphold its Three Non-Nuclear Principles. (News On Japan)

Nara Park's famous deer are increasingly spilling into residential areas and farmland as their population reaches a record high, creating new problems for residents even as the animals remain a major attraction for visitors to the ancient capital. (News On Japan)

Libraries across Japan are evolving far beyond traditional places for reading and study, adding everything from 3D printers and children's play areas to health-check equipment, music studios and towering bookshelves as they seek to become new centers for their communities. (News On Japan)

Disney On Ice opened its Osaka run on August 8, bringing Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters to the rink for a special production celebrating the show's 40th anniversary in Japan. (News On Japan)

Maids from Akihabara maid cafes joined shrine maidens from Kanda Myojin and members of the public on August 8 to sprinkle water across the shrine grounds in Tokyo, calling out "Cool down!" as they took part in a summer tradition aimed at easing the midsummer heat. (News On Japan)

Japan marked August 8, 2026, with a wave of weddings, special discounts and commemorative events as the date produced a rare alignment of three eights - the eighth day of the eighth month in Reiwa 8 - a combination regarded as especially auspicious because the character for eight is traditionally associated with expanding prosperity. (News On Japan)

Japan's government and the Bank of Japan conducted a record 6.2787 trillion yen yen-buying, dollar-selling intervention on April 30, the Finance Ministry said on August 7. (News On Japan)

Japanese companies delivered a wave of strong earnings on August 7, with Fujikura, Recruit Holdings, INPEX and several other major groups raising forecasts as artificial intelligence investment, higher resource prices and resilient consumer demand lifted profits. (News On Japan)

A 41-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of fatally assaulting her brother-in-law at her home in Shibukawa, Gunma Prefecture, after allegedly telling emergency services that he had fallen from a roof. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s economic strategy faced renewed pressure on August 7 as attention shifted toward the Bank of Japan’s September policy meeting, with central bank officials preparing a series of public appearances that could signal whether another interest-rate hike is becoming likely after recent yen turmoil and fiscal concerns. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks ended slightly lower on August 7, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 65,606.71, down 76.55 points, or 0.12%, as selling in chip-related and artificial intelligence-linked shares outweighed solid buying in the broader market and a late recovery led by Fujikura. (News On Japan)

Major sporting goods retailer Alpen is opening Alpen OSAKA, one of the largest sports and lifestyle stores in the Kansai region, at the former Uniqlo site in Osaka's Chayamachi district, with six floors offering everything from running shoes and golf equipment to hands-on product testing. (News On Japan)

On August 3, 2026, Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) and the New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced the launch of the "Thoroughbred Championship Series" to determine the top 3-year-old thoroughbred, starting next season, as reported by Sponichi Annex. (News On Japan)

Nippon Steel has completed a new production line at its Nagoya Works after investing about 300 billion yen, as Japan's largest steelmaker seeks to expand production of high-performance steel products primarily for automakers. (News On Japan)

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)