A fossil discovered in Osaka has led to Japan’s first finding of its kind, raising the possibility that a giant marine predator believed to have swum in the seas around the Kansai region about 70 million years ago was a previously unknown species.
Former Nissan Motor Chairman Carlos Ghosn said the automaker is in a "state of emergency" and signaled he would be willing to return as chief executive officer, arguing that only a true decision-maker in the CEO role could rescue the company.
An Indian restaurant in a shopping street in Yokohama's Nishi Ward was destroyed by fire on Saturday morning, with 34 fire engines and other emergency vehicles sent to the scene.
Recent symptoms such as fatigue and irritability may be signs of menopause, a condition often seen as a women’s health issue but one that also affects many men, especially those in their 40s and 50s who face growing responsibilities, declining recognition and physical changes that are difficult to discuss.
A female music teacher at a municipal elementary school in Tokyo’s Kita Ward has told officials she was drying private clothing in a music preparation room where a fire broke out last month, injuring 11 pupils and others.
A 10-year-old boy who went missing from a special needs school in Komatsu, Ishikawa Prefecture, was found submerged in a waterfall on July 2 and later confirmed dead.
A bear was seen walking openly through a residential street in Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture, on the morning of July 3, appearing in a popular hot spring area with a history of 1,200 years that attracts many tourists.
Mount Fuji’s Yoshida Route on the Yamanashi Prefecture side opened for the climbing season on July 1, with favorable weather at the 3,776-meter summit giving visitors a clear view of the sunrise at around 4:30 a.m. as sunlight broke through gaps in the clouds.
A man in his 70s was injured early on June 30 after being attacked by a bear near an elementary school in Tochigi Prefecture, as bear-related incidents continue to rise across Japan ahead of the full onset of summer heat in July.
Japan’s tourism recovery has entered a new phase in 2026, marked not just by rising visitor numbers but by a deeper structural shift in how the country manages entry procedures.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s political agenda faced pressure on several fronts on July 3, as the government kept open the possibility of currency intervention to support the yen, opposition parties continued to challenge the ruling bloc’s management of the Diet, and Japan moved to extend its security diplomacy through India and NATO-related talks.
Reiwa Shinsengumi said its leader, Taro Yamamoto, was fined 90,000 yen and had his driver’s license suspended for 90 days after being caught speeding on an expressway in Oita City.
Mos Food Services, operator of the Japan-born hamburger chain Mos Burger, is riding a strong recovery, with sales surpassing 100 billion yen for the first time in the year ended March 2026 and both revenue and profit reaching record highs.
The education ministry said July 3 that it plans to certify Kyoto University as an International University for Research Excellence, a government-backed designation aimed at fostering research institutions capable of competing at the highest global level.
Two yokozuna seeking to rebound after time away from the ring drew loud cheers from about 5,000 spectators on July 4 as they performed the traditional ceremonial ring entry at Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya ahead of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament.
Haruki Murakami’s first new book in about three years went on sale on July 3, drawing large crowds of fans to bookstores in Tokyo from late at night, even as neighborhood bookstores across Japan continue to struggle with a shrinking market.
Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund said its investment operations for fiscal 2025 generated a surplus of more than 41 trillion yen, lifted by gains in domestic and overseas stock markets.
Gold prices remain under pressure after spot bullion briefly fell below 4,000 dollars per troy ounce last week, marking the lowest level in seven months since early November, as investors reassess the outlook for US interest rates and the dollar.
Workers inspecting screws are a familiar sight in Tokyo’s Ota Ward, where small factories line the streets, but manufacturers say rising costs are squeezing operations despite signs of strength elsewhere in the economy.
Business expansion creates pressure on finance teams before it creates visible growth.