Immigration & Mobility: Japan approved a sharp five-fold hike in visa fees starting July—single-entry from ¥3,000 to ¥15,000 and multiple-entry from ¥6,000 to ¥30,000—while noting visa-exempt travelers won’t pay the new rates (but JESTA, an ESTA-style pre-approval system, is set for 2028–29). Budget & Governance: Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama laid out budget reform for FY2027 onward, creating a new “investment allotment” that lets ministries request growth-linked spending without upper limits, while aiming to avoid surprise debt issuance. Women in Tech: The government approved a women’s empowerment basic policy targeting a jump in female engineering students from 18% (2025) to 36% by 2040, plus support for childcare/housekeeping and maiden-name use in official documents. Security & Diplomacy: Japan rejected China’s claims of harassment during distant-water drills; meanwhile, former foreign/defense minister Taro Kono urged a stronger Japan–South Korea security alliance as U.S. commitment feels less certain. Disaster Response: A powerful 7.2 quake struck off Japan’s northern coast (Iwate/Aomori area), with no tsunami warning and Tokyo reporting mild shaking. Corporate Power Struggle: Kadokawa’s CEO saw shareholder support fall to about 59.7% at the AGM after an activist push to oust him. Energy/Industry Watch: Japan’s multiyear budget framework is also positioned to fund economic security and crisis preparedness, while China–Taiwan patrol tensions continue to draw international alarm.