Japan’s high exposure to a variety of geographical, meteorological and man-made risks ranks it third in the world. Major emergencies over the past three decades — including the 1995 Kobe earthquake and the 11 March 2011 triple disaster — have taken tens of thousands of lives and required hundreds of billions in recovery costs. (News On Japan)

China's fishing ban in the East China Sea, including the waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture and the Taiwan Strait, ended on August 16. (News On Japan)

The race to determine the successor to Prime Minister Kishida within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is intensifying. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi has reportedly conveyed his intention to run for the LDP presidency to his close associates. Meanwhile, former Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato has also begun preparations for his candidacy. (News On Japan)

Several key figures in Japan's main ruling Liberal Democratic Party are signaling they'll throw their hats in the ring for the party's upcoming leadership election. The winner is expected to become the country's new prime minister. (NHK)

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has announced his decision not to run in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election next month. It means Japan will soon have a new prime minister. (NHK)

Shinjiro Koizumi, the former Minister of the Environment, has become a focal point within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) as speculation grows about his potential candidacy in the upcoming party leadership election. Voices of both support and caution can be heard in his hometown. (News On Japan)

A Japanese employee of the Aeon Group, who had been detained in Myanmar for over 40 days after being convicted of violating rice price controls, has been released. (News On Japan)