Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government formally approved a plan on August 5 to reduce the consumption tax rate on food and nonalcoholic beverages from 8% to 1% for two years beginning in April 2027, setting the stage for a difficult parliamentary battle over how to cover an estimated 10 trillion yen revenue shortfall and whether the politically sensitive tax can be restored afterward. (News On Japan)

A knife-wielding man died after a police sergeant shot him in the chest on a street in Kawachinagano, Osaka Prefecture, after he continued advancing toward five officers despite repeated warnings and a warning shot fired into the air. (News On Japan)

Japan’s latest defense white paper has sparked controversy by presenting the country’s expanding military buildup not only as a national security necessity but also as a potential engine of economic growth, drawing criticism from China and raising fresh domestic questions over how far Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government is prepared to link defense, industry and fiscal policy. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s food-tax cut plan cleared a major ruling party hurdle on August 5, intensifying debate over whether her government can deliver household relief without weakening fiscal credibility or drawing the Bank of Japan deeper into the administration’s economic agenda. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks rebounded strongly on August 5, with the Nikkei 225 rising to about 66,300 in late-session trading as investors bought back artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares, while lower oil prices and a steadier yen helped ease concern over imported inflation. (News On Japan)

A 41-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after allegedly stabbing a 16-year-old high school girl in the neck with a mechanical pencil at a store in Hakodate, Hokkaido, around noon on August 4. (News On Japan)

Nine days after the Kumamoto earthquake, a supermarket in Hikawa, where the strongest seismic intensity of 7 was recorded, is moving toward reopening while providing free groundwater to residents as about 3,200 households remain without running water. (News On Japan)

Children with freshly shaved heads walked slowly through the corridors of Higashi Honganji in Kyoto as they took part in a Buddhist ordination ceremony marking their formal entry into the priesthood. (News On Japan)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed diplomatic officials on August 3 to strengthen relations with Japan, expressing disappointment with the results achieved so far and raising speculation that Kyiv is seeking Japanese weapons supplies. (News On Japan)

Japan's exports of agricultural, forestry and fishery products and food reached a record 897.7 billion yen in the first half of 2026, rising 10.9% from a year earlier as global demand for green tea surged, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said on August 4. (News On Japan)

A former nurse has been indicted on a murder charge for allegedly killing a 75-year-old hospital patient by injecting fecal matter into his intravenous drip at a hospital in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture. (News On Japan)

A former member of Japan's weightlifting team at the Tokyo Olympics was arrested after allegedly stealing eggs and other items from a convenience store and injuring an employee who confronted him, investigative sources said. (News On Japan)

Six boys aged 15 and 16 have been arrested on suspicion of obstructing official duties after allegedly riding motorized bicycles and throwing raw eggs at police officers in Kasugai, Aichi Prefecture. (News On Japan)

A correctional officer at Kyoto Prison has been indicted on suspicion of agreeing to accept 200,000 yen from three inmates in return for providing them with unspecified favors, raising concerns about staff-inmate relations one year after Japan introduced its new imprisonment system focused on rehabilitation. (News On Japan)

Schools, universities, and EdTech companies in the United States are shifting from legacy systems and off-the-shelf tools to custom learning management systems. (News On Japan)

Japanese elementary and junior high school students are spending more time on social media and watching videos while devoting less time to studying, according to a nationwide government survey released on August 4. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government faced a widening policy test on August 4 as officials tried to calm inflation concerns after rare U.S.-Japan yen intervention, while the latest defense white paper framed Japan’s military buildup as part of a broader strategy for economic growth and national resilience. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks edged higher on August 4, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 63,957.53, up 202.63 points, or 0.32%, as buybacks in artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares helped offset caution over further yen-buying intervention and a weaker tone in some exporters. (News On Japan)

The operators of cosmetics and apparel stores at Aeon Mall Kumamoto disclosed new details on August 4 about how five employees who had initially evacuated the building later returned inside before being killed in an explosion following the earthquake. (News On Japan)

A Tokyu train struck a truck that had been forced onto the tracks by a road collision in Yokohama on the morning of August 4, temporarily suspending all services on the Kodomonokuni Line, although none of the roughly 100 passengers and crew aboard the train were injured. (News On Japan)