Tokyo stocks rose on August 26, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 66,262.16, up 405.73 points, or 0.62%, as investors bought back selected semiconductor and financial shares, although trading was thin ahead of Nvidia’s earnings and uncertainty remained over artificial intelligence valuations, the yen and Bank of Japan policy. (News On Japan)

Two men who stole four luxury watches worth a combined 200 million yen from a store at Tokyo's Nakano Broadway may have carefully planned the 10-second theft, with one suspect renting an electric kick scooter shortly before the crime and investigators examining whether the other man's escape on foot was intended as a decoy. (News On Japan)

A 9-minute, 13-second drone video filmed inside Aeon Mall Kumamoto two days after the deadly explosion has provided a detailed view of the destruction, showing collapsed ceilings, heavy dust and widespread damage that may have affected between one-third and nearly half of the shopping center. (News On Japan)

A series of cases involving foreign substances being placed in personal water bottles at workplaces and schools has raised concerns over drink safety in Japan, driving demand for bottles that can only be opened using a registered fingerprint and prompting schools to strengthen measures against tampering. (News On Japan)

A series of mysterious illegal dumping incidents involving about 39 kilograms of sliced bread has been reported around Mount Daisen and other parts of Tottori Prefecture in August, with officials investigating whether the food may have been deliberately placed to attract wild animals. (News On Japan)

Japan's Digital Agency launched a new smartphone app on August 25 that combines identity verification and administrative procedures, allowing users to access both government and participating private-sector services through a single application. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Takaichi said the government will continue using subsidies to keep the nationwide average gasoline price at around 170 yen per liter, drawing on reserve funds set aside to respond to developments in the Middle East. (News On Japan)

A 23-year-old man died after his car overturned and was badly damaged in Nemuro, Hokkaido, early on August 24, with police investigating whether the vehicle may have collided with a brown bear or another wild animal after black fur was found attached to the wreckage. (News On Japan)

ANA Holdings' All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines will begin coordinating departure times on the Haneda-Okayama route from October 25, an unusual move by Japan's two largest airline groups as weak business travel, a weaker yen and rising fuel and labor costs put increasing pressure on domestic operations. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks fell on August 25, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 64,980.53, down 0.8%, as investors sold semiconductor and electronics shares ahead of Nvidia’s earnings while a weak yen, elevated bond yields and renewed U.S. pressure on Iran kept risk appetite subdued. (News On Japan)

An 18-year-old male high school student died after being trapped between a festival lantern and a pillar during a traditional event in Agano, Niigata Prefecture, on the evening of August 24. (News On Japan)

Nine people were injured, including two seriously, after a pleasure boat carrying 10 people ran aground near the mouth of the Tama River close to Haneda Airport on the evening of August 24. (News On Japan)

Haneda Airport has unveiled a new boarding area at Terminal 1 that will begin operations in September, featuring extensive wood interiors and self-driving transportation within the facility. (News On Japan)

The Japanese government plans to reuse low-radioactivity soil generated by decontamination work after the Fukushima nuclear accident at government office complexes in Saitama and Sendai, marking the first such reuse outside Tokyo. (News On Japan)

An 85-year-old couple have donated a combined 400 million yen to Osaka City with a request that the money be used to create a giant Myaku-Myaku statue about 20 meters tall at the former site of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, envisioning a landmark that could become a lasting symbol of the event and of renewed prosperity for Kansai and Japan. (News On Japan)

A new 220-meter pedestrian suspension bridge has been completed at Biwako Valley in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, offering visitors sweeping views of Lake Biwa from mountains about 1,100 meters above sea level. (News On Japan)

Authorities in Tottori Prefecture are stepping up patrols after large quantities of bread were repeatedly dumped near Daisen National Park and more loaves were found on a beach about an hour's drive away, raising concerns that discarded food could attract wild animals. (News On Japan)

Japan's traditional neighborhood public baths are struggling with rising fuel, labor and operating costs, but unlike most businesses they cannot freely raise prices because admission fees remain regulated under a postwar price-control law introduced in 1946. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks fell on August 24, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 65,528.09, down 488.27 points, or 0.74%, as global bond-yield pressure and caution ahead of Nvidia’s earnings triggered selling in artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares, even as the broader TOPIX edged higher. (News On Japan)

Residents in Minoh, Osaka Prefecture, have asked the city to take a more active role in explaining and reviewing plans for a large data center to be built on the former site of Osaka University's Minoh Campus, citing concerns over low-frequency noise, loss of sunlight and other potential effects on daily life. (News On Japan)