Rice paddies in Hyogo Prefecture are coming into harvest with a new threat on their margins: dense mats of the designated invasive species known in Japan as Nagaetsurunogeitou. Often described as one of the world’s worst invasive plants, the aquatic weed invades irrigation ponds and canals, saps nutrients, and wraps around rice stems, hindering growth. (News On Japan)

A man arrested on suspicion of killing a resident in a Kobe apartment had tailed her for more than 30 minutes before the attack, including boarding the same train, according to investigators. (News On Japan)

A three-year-old girl died after falling from the sixth-floor balcony of an apartment building in Fukuoka City’s Sawara Ward on August 24th. (News On Japan)

Japan is changing faster than ever. Tourism is reshaping daily life, immigration debates are intensifying, and the quiet balance between harmony and exclusion feels more fragile than before. (Retro Japan)