The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency says its analysis of data collected by a weather satellite shows downpours that devastated a wide area in western Japan in early July were the heaviest in 20 years.
The agency's analysis shows the rainfall during the first 7 days of July in Kyushu and some parts of Chugoku and Shikoku hit a 20-year high for this time of the year.
Shogi prodigy Fujii Sota has clinched his first major title in the Japanese board game, similar to chess.
The 17-year-old defeated the Kisei champion Watanabe Akira in the fourth match of the best-of-five title series on Thursday, becoming the youngest player ever to clinch a major shogi title.
17-year-old Fujii Sota has become the youngest professional player to win one of the major titles in the Japanese board game of shogi, similar to chess.
Officials of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government say a record-high 286 new cases of coronavirus infection were confirmed in the Japanese capital on Thursday.
The figure exceeds the past daily high of 243 cases reported on July 10.
Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward has seen sharp rises in the number of coronavirus tests and the percentage of those testing positive.
Health officials and workers are concerned that a further rise in infections could overwhelm the ward's testing capacity.
Business leaders in Japan have met to debate ways to simultaneously kick-start the economy and rein in the coronavirus.
Members of the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, say they want to expand testing for the virus. At the same time, they want to streamline immigration procedures to help revive global economic activity.
Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko says the Japanese capital is expected to confirm more than 280 new cases of the coronavirus on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters at the metropolitan government building, Koike said officials have told her that the figure is likely to top 280, although the final tally is still uncertain.
Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko says the Japanese capital is likely to report more than 280 new cases of the coronavirus on Thursday.
This would be a new daily record for Tokyo. The highest figure so far has been the 243 cases confirmed on July 10.
The Japanese government plans to seek opinions from experts on a package of measures to stimulate consumption for an economic recovery from the coronavirus outbreak.
The government plans to launch its "Go To" campaign on Wednesday next week. It covers tourism, restaurant and other industries hit by the outbreak.
The family of a TV star who died in a suspected suicide due to cyber-bullying has filed a complaint with Japan's Broadcasting Ethics and Program Improvement Organization, known as the BPO.
Kimura Hana, a 22-year-old professional Japanese wrestler, was one of the stars of "Terrace House," a reality show produced by Fuji Television. She is believed to have taken her own life in May after being cyber-bullied by anonymous online users.
A trial has begun in Osaka involving the widow of a former Finance Ministry official who committed suicide after being forced to falsify documents. The widow is seeking damages from the state and a former senior ministry official.
Akagi Toshio, who worked for the Finance Ministry's regional bureau in Osaka, killed himself in 2018. He had been pressured to falsify official documents pertaining to the sale of state-owned land to school operator Moritomo Gakuen at well below market value.
Tokyo has been put on the highest level of alert for the coronavirus after a string of triple-digit new daily cases. Officials are urging people to take precautionary measures.
Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko said, "We decided that we need to raise the alert level to warn residents that infection is spreading."
Foreign researchers have called on the Japanese government to ease its entry restrictions to allow foreign students to re-enter the country.
The researchers who have been studying in Japan for many years made the appeal at an online news conference on Wednesday. They took part from the prefectures of Hiroshima and Fukuoka, and elsewhere.
Tokyo officials say they've confirmed 165 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday.
Tokyo had reported more than 200 new cases for four straight days through Sunday.