An abandoned concrete arch bridge deep in the forests of Kamishihoro in Hokkaido's Tokachi region is slowly being reclaimed by nature, its exposed reinforcing bars and weeds marking the passage of time. (News On Japan)

Two men died on July 11 in separate water accidents in Aichi and Gifu prefectures, including an Indonesian man who apparently drowned after jumping into a waterfall basin and a fisherman swept away while trying to recover his fishing gear. (News On Japan)

Osaka’s Minami district, now entering another period of major change with the planned opening of the Naniwasuji Line, the redevelopment of Midosuji and improvements around Nankai Namba Station, has transformed from an area once described as "scary" and "dirty" into one of Japan’s leading tourist destinations. (News On Japan)

A 10-ton hoko float was pulled through central Kyoto on July 12 in a trial run ahead of the Yamahoko Junko procession during the Gion Festival's early parade. (News On Japan)

A growing number of young doctors in Japan are moving directly into cosmetic medicine after obtaining a medical license and completing their initial clinical training, raising concern that the trend may be worsening staff shortages in insurance-covered medical care. (News On Japan)

Foreign drivers seeking to convert overseas licenses into Japanese ones are increasingly turning to driving schools after tougher rules introduced last October sharply reduced pass rates for both written and practical checks. (News On Japan)

Small supermarkets offering lower prices than convenience stores and closer access than full-size supermarkets are expanding rapidly across the Tokyo metropolitan area, as retailers race to meet demand from older consumers, single-person households and shoppers under pressure from rising prices. (News On Japan)

The Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly is facing mounting scrutiny over its use of public funds after revelations that assembly members spent about 45 million yen in one year on overseas inspection trips, including a Hawaii visit that cost nearly 12 million yen for four members. (News On Japan)

A welfare facility in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto Prefecture, has begun preparations to sell about 220 giant stag beetles, one of Japan’s largest species, from July 13. (News On Japan)

An unauthorized Islamic prayer hall has been built on land in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, where new construction is generally prohibited, prompting the city to order the landowner to remove the structure. (News On Japan)

JAXA successfully landed a small experimental vehicle for a reusable rocket on July 11, marking a step toward technology that could increase the frequency of space launches while helping reduce costs. (News On Japan)

Large Typhoon No. 9 (Bavi) was over central China at 9 p.m. on July 12 and moving north-northwest, with the storm expected to weaken as it continues northwest before turning into an extratropical cyclone that will merge with the rainy season front and bring rain mainly to areas along the Sea of Japan coast. (News On Japan)

A mobile battery in a passenger's carry-on luggage began emitting smoke aboard an international flight before departure from New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido, delaying the plane by one hour and 40 minutes but causing no injuries. (News On Japan)

Foreign-born sumo wrestlers are often praised for speaking remarkably natural Japanese, a sharp contrast to many overseas athletes in other professional sports. (News On Japan)

Waseda Jitsugyo held off a ninth-inning rally by Hachioji to win a first-round showdown between two schools with Koshien experience in the West Tokyo high school baseball tournament on July 10. (News On Japan)

Japanese stocks rose for a second straight session on Friday, July 10, with the Nikkei Stock Average climbing 813.88 points to close at 68,557.73 after strong gains in U.S. technology and semiconductor stocks fueled renewed buying of AI-related shares. (News On Japan)

Japan welcomed a record 42.68 million foreign tourists in 2025, while spending by overseas visitors also reached an all-time high of 9.5 trillion yen, according to the 2026 Tourism White Paper approved by the Cabinet on July 10. (News On Japan)

Japan’s domestic Corporate Goods Price Index, which measures prices charged for goods traded between companies, rose 7.1% from a year earlier to 135.4 in June, the Bank of Japan said on July 10. (News On Japan)

Neyagawa in Osaka Prefecture has approved Japan's first citywide tax on vacant homes, imposing a new municipal levy at a rate of 35% on owners in addition to existing fixed-asset taxes from fiscal 2029. (News On Japan)

Large numbers of deer are appearing in residential neighborhoods around Nara, raising concerns over traffic accidents, crop damage and the spread of ticks and fleas as the animals move farther beyond Nara Park in search of food. (News On Japan)