What are the latest news in Japan?

Severe Weather and Flooding Torrential rains have struck north-central prefectures, notably Ishikawa and Toyama, triggering Level 5 emergency warnings, flash flooding, and landslides that stranded vehicles and prompted widespread evacuation orders. This followed record rainfall earlier in August across Chiba Prefecture, which caused severe transport disruptions around Tokyo’s Narita Airport. -iNFOnews.ca+ 1———Demographic and Labor Shifts Government data released by the Health Ministry showed that births in Japan rose by 0.8% during the first half of 2026, marking the first year-over-year increase for the period in 11 years. However, overall natural population numbers continue to decline, while the registered foreign resident population reached a record high to help address ongoing labor shortages. -Anadolu Ajansı+ 1———Economy and Monetary Policy The Bank of Japan and financial regulators continue monitoring core inflation and wage growth trends. Policymakers remain focused on managing currency stability, real wage growth, and household cost-of-living impacts alongside gradual monetary policy adjustments. Fair Observer———Major Sports and Preparations Preparations are in their final stages for the 2026 Asian Games in the Aichi-Nagoya region, while national teams in rugby and football compete in international qualification and friendly fixtures ahead of major tournaments.