Aichi prefectural police arrested 29 Japanese men and women on Wednesday on suspicion of attempted fraud, following their detention at a facility in Cambodia believed to be a hub for organized scams. (News On Japan)

Sculptures of nude women, once a common sight in parks and public squares, are now at the center of growing debate. In Takamatsu, a port city on Japan’s Shikoku Island, two statues of naked girls in a park are scheduled to be removed this month as part of a renovation project. (News On Japan)

Three people living in Hokkaido, including a restaurant operator from Niseko, have been arrested and indicted at New Chitose Airport for attempting to import cannabis seeds. (News On Japan)

Japan recorded a trade deficit of 117.5 billion yen in July as exports to the United States fell by more than 10 percent, marking a fourth consecutive monthly decline and underscoring the impact of so-called Trump tariffs. (News On Japan)

A glowing object was seen streaking across the sky in western Japan on Tuesday night, with multiple reports of a bright flash followed by a trail of light. Observers suggested it may have been a particularly bright meteor, known as a fireball, or possibly a meteorite. (News On Japan)

A breakin competition was held on August 16th at Granship in Shizuoka City, where participants engaged in heated dance battles. Breakin, also known as breakdancing, was added as a new sport at the Paris 2024 Olympics, drawing growing attention worldwide. (News On Japan)

Mitsui Fudosan Group has renovated a 250-year-old traditional Japanese house in Tokyo’s Setagaya Ward to make it earthquake resistant and opened it to the public on August 19th. The small residence, built in the late Edo period, has been preserved with much of its original character intact. (News On Japan)

Prime Minister Ishiba held a 30-minute meeting with Microsoft founder and global philanthropist Bill Gates at the Prime Minister’s Office on August 19th, where the two exchanged views on global health issues. (News On Japan)

Vandals have attacked Midorimachi Park in Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture -- where around 5,000 roses bloom each year -- with graffiti resembling the letters 'Rizz.' (News On Japan)

Osaka Prefecture has projected that the number of its prefectural high schools should be reduced by about 32 over the next 15 years, leaving around 104 schools, as the decline in the student population shows no sign of stopping. The prefecture currently operates 136 schools. (News On Japan)

Mercari, Japan’s leading flea market app, has banned the sale of empty cartridges from July after a request from the National Police Agency, citing concerns that they could be reused to make live ammunition. (News On Japan)

Rakuten Group and Amazon.com are preparing to enter Japan’s satellite communications market as early as 2026. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has begun discussions on frequency bands, transmission power, and other regulatory frameworks necessary for new entrants. (News On Japan)

SoftBank Group announced it will invest about 300 billion yen in U.S. semiconductor giant Intel, which has been struggling in the competitive chip industry. (News On Japan)

Japan's Imperial Household Agency began Monday sharing updates on Princess Aiko’s solo duties and the activities of the Akishino family and other imperial members on its official Instagram account. (News On Japan)

A fire broke out in a building in Osaka’s Dotonbori district on Monday morning and was largely extinguished by shortly before 1 p.m., but two firefighters lost their lives while battling the blaze. (News On Japan)

Scenes of everyday life in Japan in the 1960s in 4K. Restored 35mm footage: Some of these clips come from everyday life, others from documentaries, and others from films, but they capture much of the country's reality at that time, as confirmed by our Japanese distributors. (TRNGL)

The entrepreneurs who continue to challenge themselves to change the world are now attracting even greater attention as they push into the unknown frontiers of quantum computing. (News On Japan)

With the AI development race intensifying and Meta announcing a trillion-yen investment, data centers are gaining increasing attention. (News On Japan)

A summer tour of professional sumo was held in Sapporo on August 17th, drawing large crowds who enjoyed the powerful matches up close. (News On Japan)

The 26th Scarecrow Festival has opened in Tamba City, Hyogo Prefecture, where rows of hand-made scarecrows keep the location alive as a cultural landmark even after the loss of its original educational role. (News On Japan)