Asian Games in Japan: The 20th Asian Games kick off Sept. 10 in Nagoya and Aichi, with beIN SPORTS promising 1,700+ hours of live coverage across 16 channels and five new sports making their debut: padel, MMA, surfing, freestyle BMX, and teqball. Yen carry trade jitters: Japan’s yen strength is rattling global markets as expectations grow for faster Bank of Japan rate hikes, raising questions about how long the yen carry trade can keep going. BOJ rate path: A Reuters poll says the BOJ could lift rates to 1.25% on Sept. 18 and 1.75% in 2027’s second quarter, with U.S. pressure and yen volatility now in the spotlight. Local governance shake-up: Yokohama’s anti-IR mayor Takeharu Yamanaka resigned after an investigation found bullying and abuse of power; a new mayor election is expected by end of October. Tech & industry: NTT-AT and EV Group say UV-curable high-refractive-index resins work with EVG’s SmartNIL process for AR waveguides, with results to be presented at CIOE 2026. Culture & outdoors: A hiker’s death at Nishizawa Gorge near Tokyo has reignited debate over bringing dogs into mountain trails where there’s no national ban. Health: Japanese experts warn that sunglasses and UV-blocking lenses can help protect children’s eyes, but they stress correct selection and use. Gaming pop culture: Nintendo Direct announced new Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force GX updates for Switch 2/Switch/PC and more Tokyo Revengers DLC for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. Science & medicine: Japanese sleep researcher Masashi Yanagisawa and hemophilia drug developers at Chugai won the Lasker Awards in medicine. Sports trend: Japan’s ultramarathons are booming as runners chase the journey, not just the finish line.