Capital of Aichi Prefecture, Japan; major port and industrial hub
Six nations teams start the Nations Championship by facing off against southern teams in July, with Scotland playing Argentina in Córdoba and a slate of matchups that will define the tournament’s early tone. The inaugural event will be broadcast on ITV and STV in the UK, with daily live coverage.
Three female lions die at Tama Zoological Park in Tokyo amid a record heatwave. Ten lions have fallen ill since mid-July, and staff are treating several others while air-conditioned enclosures and cooling measures are being deployed.
A seven-year-old boy on Mount Fuji was found sitting on a bench near a mountain hut after his father left him to continue the ascent with his older son. The child, from Nagoya, was rescued by staff and police with no injuries reported. Authorities urge groups to pace themselves to protect all climbers.
A magnitude 5.8–5.9 earthquake struck southern Ibaraki and rattled Tokyo, injuring dozens across five prefectures. Trains faced delays; Shinkansen service remains normal. Authorities set up a task force to assess damage as residents brace for possible aftershocks.
Japan’s Earthquake Research Committee has updated risk projections for the Kinki region, including Osaka and Kobe, citing a 50–60% chance of a magnitude 6.8+ quake over the forecast period. The assessment, based on 45 active faults, places Kinki’s risk on par with Tokyo’s region, amid broader concerns about a Nankai Trough megathrust event that could devastate coastal areas.
The Nagoya-Aichi Asian Games are proceeding from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4 with more than 17,000 athletes from 45 countries. Officials report some venues faced rain and flooding, but organizers say the program is intact and athletes are staying in a mix of cruise-ship cabins, wooden containers and hotel rooms.