A 12-year-old British girl who disappeared while visiting Japan with her family was found safe in Yokohama on Saturday night, about 59 hours after leaving their private lodging in Tokyo, with police saying there was no indication that she had been involved in a crime.
More than 1,200 vehicles are believed to have been left stranded on roads across Chiba Prefecture after torrential rain caused widespread flooding, with authorities confirming eight deaths and investigating a drainage pump failure at an underpass where a man died.
A fire that broke out in grassland at a fishing port in Tomamae, northern Hokkaido, spread to an adjacent warehouse and workshop on August 15, burning for about six hours before being brought under control.
An Akita prefectural official has been suspended for six months and demoted two ranks after an investigation found he had joined an online media interview from a love hotel while with a woman who was not his wife, despite initially claiming he was at home because he was unwell.
A 39-year-old father was taken to a hospital in cardiac arrest on August 15 after entering the sea to rescue his two young sons who appeared to be in difficulty off the coast of Toyoura, Hokkaido.
Young people continue to gather at "Gurishita" in Osaka's Minami entertainment district despite persistent risks of drug abuse, prostitution and violent crime, while a nearby support center is operating around the clock during the summer vacation period to help those with nowhere else to turn.
Donguri Village, an interactive tourist attraction in Saga city that has welcomed visitors for nearly four decades, is expected to close as early as autumn 2027 because of aging facilities and a decline in visitor numbers.
Bear sightings are increasing across Japan as the animals become more active during their summer breeding season, with encounters reported near major tourist destinations, campsites and fishing areas, including an attack that left a man injured in Gunma Prefecture.
The return rush at Kansai International Airport peaked on August 14 as travelers who spent the Obon holiday overseas arrived back in Japan, with 39,300 international passengers expected to land at the airport during the day.
Osaka police have arrested or referred 38 men and women in their 20s to 40s over suspected dangerous group driving and other offenses on Hanna Road, a mountain route linking Daito in Osaka Prefecture with Nara, as illegal street racing continues to disturb residents despite years of enforcement.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on August 13 condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to the Northern Territories, saying it was "absolutely unacceptable," while Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned Russia's ambassador to Japan and lodged a strong protest.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited Etorofu Island, marking his first trip to the Russian-held islands claimed by Japan as the Northern Territories, according to the Kremlin.
Reports that a man posing as an employee of Russian airline Aeroflot conducted intelligence operations in Tokyo have renewed attention on Russian espionage in Japan, a country former Soviet intelligence officers have described as unusually easy for spies to operate in because of weaknesses in its legal and counterintelligence framework.
Mahjong is shedding its long-standing image as a smoke-filled gambling pastime for adults and emerging as a "brain sport" enjoyed by university students and children, with cleaner venues, professional competition and regulatory changes helping broaden its appeal.
Security camera footage captured the moment part of the Hinagu Fault Zone broke through the ground during the Kumamoto earthquake on July 28, as strong shaking lifted the surface of a rice field and moved a nearby light truck violently.
Skylark Holdings is preparing to introduce "ghost restaurants" that operate without dining areas and specialize in delivery and takeout as Japan moves toward lowering the consumption tax rate on food.
STAGE:0, one of Japan's largest esports tournaments for high school students, has opened in Osaka, bringing together more than 2,000 teams from across the country to compete for the title of national champion.
Commercial and industrial damage from the Kumamoto earthquake has already reached 117.6 billion yen, while continuing water outages are preventing many businesses from reopening.
An Okinawa dairy farming family is working to protect local milk production as soaring feed and utility costs, extreme summer heat and reduced demand during the school vacation place growing pressure on an industry that has seen the number of farms fall sharply over the past four decades.
Tokyo stocks rose on August 14, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 68,714, up 0.59%, as investors continued buying semiconductor, artificial intelligence and earnings-backed shares, while the broader TOPIX gained 0.51% to 4,197 and reached another record high.
Rakuten Securities held an event for parents and children at the Tokyo Stock Exchange on August 13 to teach families about building assets ahead of the launch of the new Junior NISA program in January 2027.