1. Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako have begun a two-day visit to the atomic-bombed city of Hiroshima to pay their respects to the war dead, s 2025 marks 80 years since the end of World War Two. The Imperial couple flew in to Hiroshima Airport before noon on Thursday. This is the first visit to the city since the Emperor ascended the throne in 2019.
2. A heatwave has continued to grip much of Japan. The mercury reached 35 degrees Celsius or higher on Thursday for the third consecutive day in some places. The Meteorological Agency says a high pressure system prevailed over a wide area.
3. NHK has obtained what is believed to be an operation manual written in the Russian language for a self-propelled artillery piece made in North Korea. Pyongyang continues to assist Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by providing Moscow with large amounts of weapons and ammunition.