Japan Swelters as Severe Tropical Storm Krosa Approaches

In this week’s news roundup we report on the recent heatwave in Japan and Severe Tropical Storm Krosa, which is forecast to approach the Kanto region on Friday night. The JMA lifts all tsunami advisories in Japan following Wednesday’s earthquake off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. Maki Takubo decides to continue as Ito city mayor. Saori Araki becomes a viral sensation after tweeting a “good morning” message in a gray suit. Momoka Tojo can finally stop tweeting “good night.” Ichiro Suzuki steals the show at the 2025 Hall of Fame Ceremony. And Liverpool defeat Yokohama F. Marinos at the Nissan Stadium.

Severe Tropical Storm Krosa Nears the Izu Islands

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) is warning of high waves and possible disasters due to heavy rain as Severe Tropical Storm Krosa nears the Izu Islands. It is currently moving north-northwest at a speed of around 15 kilometers per hour. The storm could approach Japan’s Kanto region from Friday night through Saturday morning. Waves are expected to reach between 6 and 7 meters and very strong winds are predicted. Thunderstorms could hit the Kanto region starting on Friday afternoon.

Temperatures are forecast to drop over the next few days after a record-breaking heatwave. On Wednesday, Japan saw its hottest day on record, with the mercury reaching 41.2 degrees Celsius in Tanba city, Hyogo Prefecture. The cities of Fukuchiyama and Nishiwaki also recorded temperatures over 40 degrees. The following day, the mercury hit 40.4 degrees Celsius in Takahashi city, Okayama Prefecture. NHK reported that heatstroke alerts were issued for 34 of Japan’s 47 prefectures on Thursday.

Tsunami Advisories Lifted in Japan

On Thursday afternoon, the JMA lifted all tsunami advisories it issued for a huge stretch of the country following Wednesday’s earthquake off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, which is around 1,500 kilometers from Hokkaido. With a massive magnitude of 8.8, it was the most powerful quake worldwide since the 2011 Tohoku disaster. Tsunami warnings were subsequently issued for the coasts of Hokkaido and Honshu. Later in the day, they were downgraded to advisories.

The first waves in Japan reached Nemuro on Hokkaido’s east coast at around 10:30 a.m. A 1.3-meter tsunami was later observed at Kuji Port in Iwata Prefecture. According to the Japanese government, more than 2 million people nationwide were given instructions to evacuate at one point. A 58-year-old woman in Mie Prefecture, who was trying to get to a safe zone, died after her car fell from a cliff-side road.

Disgraced Ito City Mayor Retracts Resignation

Earlier this month, a city council committee in Shizuoka Prefecture submitted a resolution urging Ito city mayor Maki Takubo to resign after it was revealed she falsely claimed that she graduated from Toyo University, when she had, in fact, been expelled. Following the news, Takubo, who was only elected in May, said she planned to quit before the end of July. At a press conference on Thursday, however, she made it clear that she plans to continue as mayor.

“There were many people telling me, ‘Keep up the good work,’ ‘Don’t give up,’ and ‘See it through to the end,” said Takubo. “Along with the encouragement, people have also expressed their disappointment and been very critical… There are many problems that need to be addressed, and that the path to reform has only just begun.” A special investigative committee has been set up to look into allegations that she intentionally falsified information about her background.

Saori Araki’s Salarywoman Picture Goes Viral

It began with a simple “good morning” message on X last Friday. Saori Araki posted the greeting alongside a picture of herself in a gray suit while holding a laptop. Taken during a visit to the Japanese design and manufacturing company Takeda, it didn’t seem particularly noteworthy. Yet a week on and the picture has now garnered more than 77 million views. One reason for that is another tweet that compared her photo to Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad campaign.

The person who posted that then conducted a poll, asking who would win out of the “sexpot jeans supermodel” and the “random Japanese salarywomen.” That description of Araki is somewhat misleading, though. While she does work in an office, on the side she’s active as a model and actress. Also, until earlier this year, she was a member of the idol group Tokyo Girls Bravo. Capitalizing on her newfound fame, Araki this week launched a YouTube channel.

Japanese Idol Finally Free After Being Made To Say ‘Good Night’ to Fans for Entire Year

For a whole year, Momoka Tojo, a former member of the female idol group Katacoto＊Bank, posted one “good night” selfie every day to fans on X. Her management demanded that she do it as a way of apologizing for a picture she uploaded alongside her boyfriend in July 2024. The idol was given a “severe warning” by her management and told to keep a distance from her boyfriend. She also had to complete a year of “purification” posts.

Tojo complied with the demand and even continued to post the selfies after it was announced in May that she was leaving the group. Her management revealed that the “oyasumi” messages would continue until the deadline. She tweeted her final one shortly before midnight on Sunday. It was followed by a picture of a handwritten letter in which she apologized for the “great inconvenience” she caused. The post garnered more than 11 million views.

Ichiro Steals the Show at Hall of Fame Ceremony

On Sunday, Ichiro Suzuki was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025. The first Asian-born player elected to the hall, he gave his speech in English, speaking for just under 20 minutes. The Japanese superstar delivered several memorable lines, including a cheeky dig at the one writer who didn’t vote for him. He fell just shy of unanimous selection, earning 393 of 394 votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

In men’s soccer news, Liverpool defeated Yokohama F. Marinos 3-1 in a friendly at the Nissan Stadium on Wednesday. Asahi Uenaka gave the home side a shock lead on 55 minutes. The Premier League champions came back strongly, though, with goals from new signing Florian Wirtz, 18-year-old midfielder Trey Nyoni and 16-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha, who was the standout player in the second half. The biggest cheer of the night came when Wataru Endo was handed the captain’s armband.