Japan

After their landmark 34-32 win against South Africa in 2015, the Brave Blossoms went on to produce even more incredible victories on home soil by beating Ireland and Scotland in 2019. They went through to the knockouts for the first time in their history.

This time out they face 2019 finalists England, and a feisty Argentina in their pool. Will they be able to produce more thrilling performances?

Coach Jamie Joseph – who is leaving Japan to return to the Highlanders next season – has named an initial 30-man squad ahead of the official 33-man squad deadline of 28 August.

Teresa Abelleira opened the scoring in the ninth minute before Hermoso and Redondo converted their respective braces for Spain.

Hermoso scored in the 13th and 70th minutes, and Redondo tallied in the 69th and 85th minutes.

Misa Rodriguez made two saves for Spain, who will battle Japan, also with two wins, on Monday for the top spot in Group C.

Eunice Sakala finished with eight saves for Zambia, who will clash with Costa Rica on Monday for third place.

Japan 2, Costa Rica 0

The alleged assailant was said to have stabbed a woman, before firing a hunting rifle to kill two policemen in the city of Nakano, Nagano prefecture. A fourth death was later confirmed.

BBC reports the suspect is the son of the city assembly's speaker, local media say.

Gun violence remains extremely rare in Japan, despite the killing of ex-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July last year.

The local council in Kakogawa placed a piano inside the area's main railway station in November.

Authorities hoped residents would respond to a global trend that has seen a huge rise in street pianos.

But officials were disappointed by apparent rule-breaking, such as people playing for too long or singing.

In law-abiding Japan, some directives were laid out for the piano's use. Officials insisted that users should disinfect their hands before playing, that performances should be kept to 10 minutes and that people should avoid voice accompaniment.

The tournament returns for the first time since 2020 due to the Covid-19 lockdowns.

RNZ Pacific reports National 'A' teams of Fiji, Japan, Tonga and Samoa will battle for the title.

It is the first time in 13 years that Samoa has hosted a World Rugby tournament - the last being the Pacific Nations Cup in Apia in 2010.

"We are excited to be hosting this event in Samoa after the last three years of the pandemic but also a start on what is an exciting year for rugby in our region heading towards Rugby World Cup in France.

The species - a type of snailfish of the genus Pseudoliparis - was filmed swimming at 8,336m (27,349ft).

It was filmed by an autonomous "lander" dropped into the Izu-Ogasawara Trench, south of Japan.

The lead scientist said the snailfish could be at, or very close to, the maximum depth any fish can survive.

BBC reports the previous deepest fish observation was made at 8,178m, further south in the Pacific in the Mariana Trench. This discovery therefore beats the depth record by 158m.

The Government of Japan, through its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP), will provide fund assistance of AU$208,844 to procure a crane truck.

“I am very pleased to assist Nauru Fisheries and Marine Resources Authority. By implementing this project, their daily operation’s safety and efficiency will be meaningfully enhanced,” Ambassador Kawakami said.

This comes as incoming Forum chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown travelled to Japan as part of the PIF delegation in an effort to convey their concerns.

He requested a deferral of Japan's plans which will see over one million tonnes of wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant dumped into the ocean.

Brown, as the incoming Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, will be joined by the Republic of the Marshall Islands Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kitlang Kabua at their high level meeting with the Japan leader.

“Plans by Japan to begin discharging over a million tonnes of treated Fukushima nuclear wastewater into the Pacific in 2023 are a core reason for the Forum visit. Talks may also include the Japan-Pacific Forum nations dialogue partner relationship and ongoing priorities set by Forum Leaders, particularly related to Oceans and the Blue Pacific 2050 Strategy”, said SG Puna.

Fumio Kishida said it was a case of "now or never."

Japan - population 125 million - is estimated to have had fewer than 800,000 births last year. In the 1970s, that figure was more than two million.

Birth rates are slowing in many countries, including Japan's neighbours.

But the issue is particularly acute in Japan as life expectancy has risen in recent decades, meaning there are a growing number of older people, and a declining numbers of workers to support them.