JR East has unveiled three finalists to become the new image character for its Suica transportation IC card, as the long-serving Suica Penguin prepares to "graduate" in March next year after more than 20 years as the face of the service. (News On Japan)

Japan's sporting calendar moved deeper into its busy autumn season on September 8, with the professional baseball pennant races tightening, Shohei Ohtani indicating that his pitching season is probably over, Japan completing an unbeaten preliminary round at the Asian Men's Volleyball Championship, and preparations accelerating for the Asian Games, the September Grand Sumo Tournament and a succession of major international events. (News On Japan)

Ticket sales for the Asian Games are gathering pace with less than two weeks until the competition begins, with more than 60% of tickets sold for the opening ceremony and 31 sports as of September 7, although organizers say seats remain readily available for events including soccer and baseball. (News On Japan)

A man in his 40s who went to collect overdue rent at an apartment in Nishitokyo, Tokyo, was repeatedly stabbed on September 7, with police arresting a 66-year-old resident who was three months behind on rent and was scheduled to vacate the property that day. (News On Japan)

Police investigating a fire that killed three people at a cake shop in Motosu, Gifu Prefecture, have found a gasoline container and multiple knives in the burned-out building and are examining whether a 70-year-old company executive who died after the incident brought the fuel to the scene. (News On Japan)

Kyoto is preparing to effectively prohibit new private lodging operations in residential areas and other parts of the city as complaints over noise, smoking, garbage and operators ignoring existing rules intensify, even as some traditional townhouse owners say tourist accommodation can help preserve the city's historic architecture. (News On Japan)

South Korean semiconductor giant Samsung Electronics has begun full-scale operations at a new semiconductor research center in Yokohama, seeking to accelerate development and strengthen cooperation with Japanese suppliers as demand for chips used in artificial intelligence continues to grow. (News On Japan)

Prolonged heavy rain linked to the autumn rain front and other weather systems has transformed tourist destinations across Japan, swelling waterfalls, damaging flower fields and disrupting travel as record rainfall continues in several regions. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi entered the final stretch before the Bank of Japan’s September policy meeting facing a new version of the currency problem that has shaped her summer: the yen is no longer collapsing, but its sharp rebound is now forcing her government to explain how far it is prepared to tolerate higher interest rates to restore market confidence. (News On Japan)

Torrential rain caused widespread flooding across central Japan on September 8, inundating roads in central Nagoya and other cities as linear rainbands formed over Aichi and Gifu prefectures and authorities warned that similar conditions could develop in the Kanto region through September 9. (News On Japan)

Emperor Naruhito carried out the annual rice harvest at a paddy field within the Imperial Palace on September 8, cutting two varieties of rice that will be used in ceremonies including the Niinamesai harvest festival. (News On Japan)

Japanese 15-year-olds spend an average of 2.3 hours browsing social media during their weekday free time, the shortest amount among 24 countries surveyed, according to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. (News On Japan)

Tokyo stocks fell sharply on September 8, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 65,269, down 1,130.51 points, or 1.70%, as a sudden surge in the yen hit exporters and forced investors to reassess the impact of faster Bank of Japan tightening on corporate earnings, equity valuations and the broader economy. (News On Japan)

The yen strengthened to around 152 against the dollar on September 8, reaching its strongest level in about six months after gaining nearly 7 yen in roughly a week as investors focused on prospects for a narrowing interest-rate gap between Japan and the United States. (News On Japan)

Japan's inflation-adjusted real wages rose 2.4% in July from a year earlier, marking a seventh consecutive monthly increase as higher base salaries and easing price pressures improved workers' purchasing power. (News On Japan)

Tokyo police detained 39 minors during a two-day nighttime operation around the "Toyoko" area of Kabukicho in Shinjuku, with 17 of them, or roughly 40%, found to have previously overdosed on medication. (News On Japan)

The first hearing in a lawsuit seeking the return of 279 sets of Ainu ancestral remains from the Japanese government was held on September 4, marking the first time an Ainu group has taken the state to court over the return of human remains. (News On Japan)

Renovation work has begun at a hospital in Izumisano, Osaka Prefecture, as the city prepares to introduce a baby hatch for parents unable to raise their children and a confidential birth system that allows pregnant women to give birth without publicly disclosing their identities. (News On Japan)

A school-based torch relay for the Asian Games began in Aichi Prefecture on September 7, with students and other runners set to carry the flame through 14 schools before it reaches the main venue on September 16. (News On Japan)

To From Yaesu Tower, a large-scale mixed-use complex directly connected to Tokyo Station, is set to open on September 10, with developer Tokyo Tatemono unveiling part of the 51-story building to the media on September 7 ahead of its launch. (News On Japan)