Princess Aiko, the only daughter of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, arrived in Mie Prefecture on August 1 to attend a traditional event connected with the periodic rebuilding of Ise Jingu. (News On Japan)

A former gang member believed to have held a senior position in Tokyo's illegal drug trade has been arrested on suspicion of selling about 10 grams of methamphetamine to a customer for 150,000 yen. (News On Japan)

Osaka's Tenjin Festival, one of Japan's three major festivals and a tradition dating back more than 1,000 years, drew about 1.29 million visitors this year, close to a record high, even as organizers struggled with extreme heat, growing numbers of foreign tourists, waste and mounting safety concerns. (News On Japan)

The proportion of working men in Japan taking parental leave rose to a record 50.9% in the last fiscal year, exceeding 50% for the first time, according to a Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry survey. (News On Japan)

International flight bookings for Japan's Obon holiday period have lost momentum for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, with airlines pointing to global uncertainty and the weak yen as factors discouraging overseas travel. (News On Japan)

Authorities ended the five-day search and rescue operation at Aeon Mall Kumamoto on August 1 after confirming that all people reported missing had been accounted for, leaving seven dead and five others injured in an explosion that devastated the shopping complex shortly after the powerful Kumamoto earthquake. (News On Japan)

A doctor who evaluated the man accused of leading a fatal group assault on a university student in Hokkaido testified that feelings of rejection had developed into a destructive cycle of anger and violence. (News On Japan)

Police searched the Sapporo office of a Yamaguchi-gumi-affiliated crime syndicate on July 31 after nine people, including gang members, were arrested on suspicion of illegally harvesting sea cucumbers off Wakkanai in northern Hokkaido. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks surged on July 31, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 64,362.02, up 2,494.59 points, as a sharp rebound in Asian semiconductor shares and strong U.S. technology earnings outweighed caution over the Bank of Japan’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged while warning that inflation risks remain tilted to the upside. (News On Japan)

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the yen is undervalued, making an unusually direct assessment of the currency and signaling that Washington is unwilling to accept excessive weakness. (News On Japan)

The yen surged in foreign exchange trading on July 30, briefly strengthening into the 157 range against the dollar, as Japan's top currency official declined to rule out the possibility of coordinated intervention with the United States. (News On Japan)

The Bank of Japan kept its policy rate unchanged at around 1.0% on July 31, warning that higher crude oil costs and the weaker yen could push up prices across a broad range of consumer goods. (News On Japan)

The Kego Fault Zone running through central Fukuoka could produce an earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of 7, leaving 1,800 people dead, 800 disaster-related deaths and 319,000 evacuees, according to prefectural damage estimates, as experts warn that an unruptured section may remain under stress. (News On Japan)

A fraud group accused of causing about 650 million yen in losses nationwide allegedly purchased popular social media accounts, impersonated their former influencer owners and used the trust built with followers to sell fraudulent side-job programs. (News On Japan)

Universal Studios Japan launched its annual One Piece Premier Summer event on July 30, offering live battle performances and new festival-themed food inspired by the popular anime series. (News On Japan)

Oriental Land, the operator of Tokyo Disney Resort, posted record net profit for the April-June quarter as Tokyo DisneySea's 25th anniversary event increased attendance and sales of paid priority access services. (News On Japan)

The Bank of Japan is expected to keep its policy interest rate unchanged at around 1.0% at its monetary policy meeting concluding July 31 as it assesses the effects of last month's rate increase on the economy and prices. (News On Japan)

A consortium formed by Hitachi and Toshiba shipped a new high-speed train to Taiwan on July 30, marking the first delivery under a 124 billion yen order placed to meet growing passenger demand on the island's high-speed rail network. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced that Japan will cut the consumption tax rate on food and beverages to 1% from April 2027, pledging to secure the necessary funding without relying on deficit-financing bonds and to restore the rate to 8% after two years. (News On Japan)

An elderly woman was rescued from a collapsed home by five Vietnamese workers as the death toll from the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake rose to 34 on July 30, while severe water shortages disrupted daily life and hampered firefighting across the disaster zone. (News On Japan)