Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s economic agenda came under fresh pressure on August 18 after weaker-than-expected growth figures exposed the fragility of Japan’s recovery, sharpening the political stakes around the Bank of Japan’s next rate decision, the weak yen, and the government’s plan to cut the consumption tax on food. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks rose on August 17, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 69,220.25, up 506.45 points, as buying in artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares outweighed weaker-than-expected economic growth, rising bond yields and renewed concern over household spending. (News On Japan)

Severe disruption continued across Chiba Prefecture after the holiday period, with rail closures forcing some commuters into three-hour journeys while more than 2,700 vehicles remained immobilized by flooding caused by last week's torrential rain. (News On Japan)

Spanish soccer powerhouse Real Madrid held its first official soccer school in Hokkaido in August, bringing about 90 young players from across Japan to Urakawa, a town of roughly 11,000 people in the Hidaka region, with organizers now considering opening a permanent residential academy there as early as 2028. (News On Japan)

A Turkish national has been arrested on suspicion of performing illegal drift driving on a public road in Yatomi, Aichi Prefecture, as police prepare to strengthen enforcement around facilities linked to the Asian Games and Asian Para Games. (News On Japan)

Nagoya's municipal subway will introduce a contactless credit card payment service at all 87 stations from September 3, allowing passengers to pass through ticket gates simply by tapping a compatible card. (News On Japan)

A 77-year-old hunter from Sunagawa, Hokkaido, who won a Supreme Court ruling overturning the revocation of his firearms license, filed a damages lawsuit against the national government and Hokkaido on August 17 after discovering that one of four seized hunting rifles had been destroyed years earlier without being returned to him. (News On Japan)

Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways are preparing to coordinate schedules on some domestic routes as the longtime rivals seek ways to maintain air services. (News On Japan)

Japan's economy expanded for a third consecutive quarter in the April-June period, with real gross domestic product rising 0.3% from the previous three months, equivalent to an annualized increase of 1.1%, according to preliminary data released by the Cabinet Office. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks rose on August 17, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 69,220.25, up 506.45 points, as buying in artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares outweighed weaker-than-expected economic growth, rising bond yields and renewed concern over household spending. (News On Japan)

Kyoto's traditional Gozan Okuribi bonfire ceremony was held on the night of August 16, lighting the skies above the ancient capital as residents marked the end of the Obon season by sending off the spirits of their ancestors. (News On Japan)

The United States dropped 49 mock atomic bombs across Japan in the closing weeks of World War II, killing around 400 people as American air crews practiced the techniques later used in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. (News On Japan)

Japanese researchers are developing a lithium-air battery that uses oxygen from the atmosphere to store and generate electricity, promising nearly five times the capacity of conventional lithium-ion batteries at less than half the weight and potentially opening the way to far longer electric vehicle driving ranges. (News On Japan)

BYD is making its most ambitious push yet into Japan with the Racco, a purpose-built electric kei car developed in roughly two years for a segment unique to the Japanese market, as the Chinese automaker seeks to turn three years of difficult sales growth into a durable presence in one of the world’s most demanding auto markets. (News On Japan)

Train stations, airports and expressways were crowded on August 16 as travelers returned from vacations and hometown visits on the final day of the Obon holiday. (News On Japan)

A 12-year-old British girl who disappeared while visiting Japan with her family was found safe in Yokohama on Saturday night, about 59 hours after leaving their private lodging in Tokyo, with police saying there was no indication that she had been involved in a crime. (News On Japan)

A new Japanese-made high-speed train developed for Taiwan arrived in the southern city of Kaohsiung on August 15, with commercial operations scheduled to begin in July 2027. (News On Japan)

Mahjong is shedding its long-standing image as a smoke-filled gambling pastime for adults and emerging as a "brain sport" enjoyed by university students and children, with cleaner venues, professional competition and regulatory changes helping broaden its appeal. (News On Japan)

The Miyazu Lantern Floating and Fireworks Festival, a traditional summer event said to have a history of more than 400 years, illuminated the waterfront in Miyazu, Kyoto Prefecture, as lanterns carrying prayers drifted across the sea and fireworks lit the night sky. (News On Japan)

Osaka's Nishinari Ward, long known as a working-class neighborhood that accepted people from diverse backgrounds, is being rapidly reshaped by Chinese-led property development and a surge in special-zone private lodgings, bringing new business and tourism while displacing some longtime elderly residents. (News On Japan)