1. Japan posted a current account surplus for the seventh straight month in August. That’s largely due to a drop in prices for energy imports, such as crude oil and natural gas.
2. NHK has learned that a hacker group has claimed responsibility for the theft of data from Japanese beer and beverage giant Asahi Group Holdings. Asahi has been suffering a major system outage since September 29 due to a ransomware cyberattack. Its group companies in Japan became unable to process orders, ship their products or handle inquiries from customers.
3. Children on an island in Nagasaki Prefecture, southwestern Japan, have been going door to door collecting sweet potatoes and treats in a local custom to mark the mid-autumn harvest moon. The tradition has been passed down for many years in Tomiemachi in Goto City. Children visit homes chanting “Imowa-mandakana”, which means “Are the potatoes ready?”