Japan Digest: Nuclear abolition call, quake myths, corporate earnings and sports calendar shift

Hiroshima urged nuclear disarmament on the 81st bombing anniversary, while false claims about a recent quake spread online; Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi faced criticism for a music-backed disaster-visit video, NHK disclosed a sexual assault case, Honda reported record profit, Rakuten announced AI store managers, Kyodo warned of a data leak, and the J.League adjusted its season start.

On the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing, Hiroshima’s mayor called on global leaders to abolish nuclear weapons, describing them as tools of intimidation that could spark another tragedy. After the July 28 magnitude-7.1 quake in Kumamoto, a social-media user claimed the seismic waves were from an explosion, a theory experts said lacks any technical feasibility. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent video of her helicopter tour of the quake-hit area, set to piano music, was labeled a PR stunt by some netizens.

NHK announced that one of its employees was sexually assaulted by a program cast member; the victim’s request for a workplace transfer was denied for three years. Honda Motor Co. posted a record quarterly net profit of 450.92 billion yen, driven by strong North American demand and a weak yen, while excluding EV-related losses. Rakuten Group said it will develop AI avatars to act as store managers on its e-commerce platform, with a prototype expected by year-end.

One outlet warned that unauthorized access may have exposed contact details for roughly 6,000 individuals. Finally, the J.League will start its season in August, bringing Japanese football in line with top European leagues, with Sanfrecce Hiroshima strengthening its squad ahead of the new schedule.