Japan's exports declined 14.8 percent in August from a year earlier, preliminary trade data released by the Finance Ministry on Wednesday showed.
Imports also decreased sharply, falling 20.8 percent year on year. That left the country with a trade surplus of about 248 billion yen, or approximately 2.4 billion dollars.
Weather officials in Japan say the country's sea surface temperatures in August were the highest on record.
The Meteorological Agency says the average water surface temperatures of the Pacific side of eastern and western Japan, as well as the southern islands of Okinawa and Amami, were around 30 degrees Celsius last month.
Officials in Tokyo say 28 people died of heatstroke in the city during the eight-day period from August 12 to August 19. That brings the total number of fatalities this month to 131.
The Medical Examiner's Office says that 11 of the 28 victims were in their 70s. Ten were in their 80s. It says about 80 percent of the victims were at least 70 years old.
THE ORAL CIGARETTES' new album "SUCK MY WORLD" will drop on April 29. To coincide with this release, the band will be setting out on a Zepp tour this summer.
For the upcoming tour, the band is scheduled to perform at Zepp Nagoya, Zepp DiverCity, Zepp Osaka Bayside, Zepp Fukuoka, and Zepp Sapporo in August and September. You can check out the schedule below.
You know that 2020 Lexus GS 350 F Sport Black Line Special Edition we told you about yesterday? As it turns out, it'll be the last gasp for the midsize luxury sedan, as Lexus plans to cut the nameplate from its lineup.
Lexus announced in Japan that it will discontinue the entire remaining GS lineup, including the 467-horsepower GS F performance sedan, after production there ends in August. It also follows the brand's decision last year to not offer the entry-level GS 300 in the U.S. for 2020.