Environmental and Natural Disasters:

Environmental and Natural Disasters:

• Heatwave Alert: A "once-in-a-decade" heatwave has prompted heatstroke alerts in 19 prefectures across Japan, leading to increased sales of cooling goods.

• Earthquake Swarm and Doomsday Hype: Over 1,000 earthquakes have rattled the Tokara island chain since June 21st, leading to evacuations. This has coincided with a resurgence of a 1999 manga's prediction of a mega-earthquake, though seismologists have dismissed it as scientifically impossible.

• Bear Incidents: Japan has released guidelines on shooting bears in urban areas, indicating an increase in such encounters.