Chiba heavy rain leaves 8 dead, 1 missing; 7,000 stranded at Narita in record downpour

Chiba heavy rain: 8 dead, 1 missing; 7,000 stranded at Narita Airport From the 13th to the early hours of the 14th, record heavy rain triggered extreme rainfall emergency warnings in 22 municipalities in Chiba Prefecture. Eight people died, some after being trapped in vehicles, and evacuation orders at one point covered more than 400,000 people, with about 7,000 spending the night at Narita Airport. The Japan Meteorological Agency named the event 'August 2026 Chiba Heavy Rain.' With JR services suspended and roads closed, Prime Minister Takaichi said on X, 'We will devote all our efforts to crisis management.' 1234

Takaichi Cabinet's approval rating falls to 53%, sharp drop among independents and those in their 30s In an Asahi Shimbun opinion poll, support for the Takaichi Cabinet, which stood at 68% at its launch, fell to 53% in the July survey. Support among respondents in their 30s fell 22 percentage points from the previous survey to 50%, while support among independents hit a record low of 36%. The percentage citing 'policies' as the reason also halved from 25% to 13%. 5

Former PM Ishiba uncomfortable with junior lawmakers' 'relying on numbers' stance on consumption tax cut Former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on the 13th criticized first-term lawmakers who echoed Prime Minister Takaichi in a party leadership debate, saying, 'It's like they are relying on numbers. I find it uncomfortable.' Noting that a food tax cut is a pledge to 'accelerate consideration,' he called for discussion of stable revenue sources, including corporate tax and taxes on financial income. 6

Three LDP executives to visit Yasukuni on war-end anniversary; PM likely to refrain On the 15th, the anniversary of the end of the war, LDP Secretary-General Suzuki, General Council Chairman Arimura, and Election Strategy Committee Chairman Nishimura are expected to visit Yasukuni Shrine together. Policy Research Council Chairman Kobayashi will not participate because of response efforts for the heavy rain damage in his home district of Chiba. Prime Minister Takaichi is seen as likely to refrain, saying she is 'not prepared.' 7

Prince Akishino on revised Imperial House Law: 'I certainly have various thoughts' At a press conference ahead of his official visit to Paraguay, Prince Akishino said of the revised Imperial House Law, which takes effect in October, 'I think what the Emperor said is absolutely right.' He also said, 'I am also a flesh-and-blood human being' and 'It is important for society to keep progressing,' marking the first time a member of the Imperial family has publicly commented on the law since its enactment. 8

Resident tax delinquency rate among foreigners who left Japan is 18.6%, highlighting collection gaps According to a survey by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the rate of unpaid resident tax among foreigners who worked in Japan and then departed in fiscal 2024 was 18.6%, far exceeding the 4.6% for all departures, including Japanese nationals. The lack of a mechanism for compulsory collection after their return and insufficient awareness of the system are believed to be behind this, and countermeasures are needed. 9

Vietnamese man rearrested in disposal of 91-year-old woman's body; no residence status Saitama Prefectural Police have rearrested a Vietnamese national, Pham Cao Lien Cong (33), on suspicion of abandoning the body of Kinuko Maruyama (91) of Iruma City in a mountain forest in Hannō City. He is believed to be a former technical intern trainee and has reportedly told investigators that he entered the home with the intent to steal and 'strangled her.' 10

Family of Henoko capsizing accident victim urges Doshisha school corporation to disclose verification framework On the 14th, the parents of Chika Takeishi (17), a second-year student at Doshisha International High School who died, submitted an urgent request to the Doshisha school corporation. Noting that the third-party committee's report excluded the appropriateness of educational activities from its scope of investigation, they are calling for a neutral and fair verification, full clarification of the facts, and prevention of recurrence. 11

Jichiro chief expects three-party merger of Centrist Reform League, CDP, and Komeito to enable government change In an interview with Jiji Press, Chihiro Ishigami, chairman of All Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers' Union (Jichiro), said a vehicle for a change of government should be created and expressed expectations for a merger of three parties: the Centrist Reform League, the Constitutional Democratic Party, and Komeito. 12

Defense White Paper emphasizes defense production; Defense Minister Koizumi: 'It is deterrence itself' The 2026 Defense White Paper, released on August 4, emphasizes the importance of defense production and the industrial base in light of the severe security environment. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said, 'No matter how advanced a defense system is, if it cannot be produced, it is meaningless.' 13