Water accidents left 242 people dead or missing nationwide in July and August, marking a third consecutive year-on-year increase, the National Policy Agency said; accidents at sea, in rivers and other waters rose to 488, up 35 from a year ago

Japan Sumo Association announced the tearing down and manual rebuilding of the ring in Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan, with 40 tons of clay and the work of dozens of yobidashi (ring-announcers); dohyō matsuri, the ring purification ceremony, is set for 7 Sept

Unable to get married legally in Japan, LGBTQ couples are celebrating their special bond by donning traditional kimonos and fashionable formal wear for "photo weddings"; still, these choreographed images are often kept hidden in the conservative society

Bullet train services between Tokyo and Osaka were halted for hours on Saturday afternoon due to a power failure, as a sweltering heat wave hit the Pacific side of the Japanese archipelago; the stop affected around 97.000 travelers

The number of people who required assistance on Japanese mountains hit a record 3.568 cases in 2023, police remind at the start of this summer season, as climbers return to Mount Fuji and other popular peaks after the full easing of COVID-19 restrictions