A massive tornado-like phenomenon was observed late in the morning of October 2nd off the coast of Tsuruoka in Yamagata Prefecture’s Shonai region, with thick swirling clouds rising high into the sky as seawater was drawn upward. (News On Japan)

The Okinawa region experienced record-breaking heat in September, with average temperatures 1.6 degrees Celsius above normal, the highest since records began. (News On Japan)

A new study has shed light on the lingering condition known as brain fog, one of the most troubling aftereffects of Covid-19. Researchers at Yokohama City University found that patients experiencing this symptom showed higher levels of a key brain protein compared to healthy individuals, suggesting a potential pathway for future treatment. (News On Japan)

Across Japan, water rates are being raised as aging infrastructure and population decline place mounting pressure on municipal waterworks, with a survey by Tokai TV revealing that many operators see no path forward without structural change, prompting new approaches that go beyond conventional frameworks to address what is being called a water crisis. (News On Japan)

Saudi Arabia is advancing its national project Vision 2030 to achieve a post-oil society by the end of the decade, with the Riyadh Expo positioned as its grand culmination, and Japan is aiming to secure a foothold in the initiative by providing technologies such as decarbonization systems and expertise in hosting world expos, while also looking to translate this involvement into domestic economic growth. (News On Japan)

Ishikawa Prefecture has surpassed Fukui Prefecture in total land area after a significant increase caused by coastal uplift triggered by the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake, according to the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan. (News On Japan)

Japan’s Earthquake Research Committee has revised its assessment of the probability of a massive Nankai Trough earthquake occurring within the next 30 years, raising the range from the previous estimate of about 80 percent to between 60 and 90 percent or higher. (News On Japan)

In the scenic fishing village of Ine, famous for its traditional boathouses, fishermen are facing a rare phenomenon: an exceptional haul of Pacific bluefin tuna. (News On Japan)

The Sapporo Regional Meteorological Observatory announced that Mount Meakan in eastern Hokkaido, where eruption alert level 2 is in place, had experienced an eruption. (News On Japan)

Aichi Prefectural Police have begun testing the use of small body-worn cameras to record enforcement activities. (News On Japan)

Japan’s digital life moves at lightning speed. With one of the world’s highest rates of internet penetration, a dense public Wi-Fi network, and a tech-savvy population, millions of people log into bank accounts, stream media, shop, and work remotely every day. (News On Japan)

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has approved making the erectile dysfunction drug Cialis available without a prescription, opening the way for its sale as Japan’s first over-the-counter treatment for the condition. (News On Japan)

A Japanese team has won the Ig Nobel Prize for the 19th consecutive year, with this year’s Biology Prize awarded to research demonstrating that painting stripes on cows helps repel insects. (News On Japan)

A research group including Okayama University of Science announced in the British scientific journal Nature on September 17th that they have discovered the world’s oldest fossil of a pachycephalosaur, a dinosaur recognized for its thick, dome-shaped skull and often called the “headbutting dinosaur.” (News On Japan)

Japan has confirmed its first domestic case of a more severe strain of the mpox virus, which has been spreading rapidly in Africa. (News On Japan)