A plan to open an international school at a former elementary school in Sapporo has been scrapped after the company selected as the preferred buyer withdrew, citing risks posed by misinformation and protest activity. (News On Japan)

Osaka Prefecture and the city of Izumisano held their first coordination meeting on July 27 over plans to establish Japan's third so-called baby hatch, with discussions focusing on securing facilities and caregivers for children left in its care. (News On Japan)

Foreign students in Japan are taking on demanding part-time jobs to cover rising living costs and finance their education, with convenience stores emerging as one of the most desirable workplaces because they offer valuable language training, exposure to Japanese culture and experience that could lead to future business opportunities. (News On Japan)

One in five public junior high schools in Japan has stopped offering swimming lessons, raising concerns about declining swimming ability as schools struggle with extreme heat, aging pool facilities and the growing burden on teachers. (News On Japan)

Hokkaido saw a marked shift toward private high schools among students entering in fiscal 2026 after tuition at private institutions became effectively free from April, according to an analysis by the Hokkaido Board of Education. (News On Japan)

The Japanese government is considering new rules to protect children from the risks of social media and plans to compile concrete measures by the end of 2026, but officials and experts remain cautious about introducing a blanket age restriction like those pursued in Australia and the European Union. (News On Japan)

Japanese elementary and junior high school students continue to struggle with written-response questions in Japanese, while average accuracy rates in arithmetic and mathematics remained in the 50% range, according to nationwide academic test results released by the education ministry on July 16. (News On Japan)

Japan’s relationship with intimate goods is far older than the modern online adult shop. Long before discreet packaging, digital payments, and private home delivery, Japanese artists, writers, merchants, and townspeople were already exploring the boundaries between desire, humor, privacy, and everyday life. (News On Japan)

A growing number of young doctors in Japan are moving directly into cosmetic medicine after obtaining a medical license and completing their initial clinical training, raising concern that the trend may be worsening staff shortages in insurance-covered medical care. (News On Japan)

Foreign drivers seeking to convert overseas licenses into Japanese ones are increasingly turning to driving schools after tougher rules introduced last October sharply reduced pass rates for both written and practical checks. (News On Japan)

Foreign-born sumo wrestlers are often praised for speaking remarkably natural Japanese, a sharp contrast to many overseas athletes in other professional sports. (News On Japan)

Police in Isehara, Kanagawa Prefecture, presented letters of appreciation to two first-year junior high school students on July 10 after they chased a suspected shoplifter for about 250 meters and helped detain the person. (News On Japan)

Noboribetsu in Hokkaido conducted a drill to cull a brown bear under emergency gun-hunting procedures, based on a scenario in which a bear appeared at a park near schools and residential areas in the city, with local hunters taking part as bear sightings continue to be reported across Japan. (News On Japan)

An event designed to help nurses think about future career paths while building practical skills opened in Tokyo on July 8, offering hands-on training sessions alongside sales of colorful uniforms and stethoscopes. (News On Japan)

Job hunting for high school students due to graduate next spring has entered full swing, with 84 companies and about 400 students taking part in a joint corporate briefing session in Osaka as employers intensify efforts to secure young workers. (News On Japan)