Overview

• The Gifu District Court on July 11 ordered a fresh psychiatric evaluation of the former JGSDF recruit accused in the June 2023 training-ground shooting after defense lawyers challenged the initial review.
• Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested seven men on suspicion of abducting and assaulting a business partner’s employee over three months while Aichi Prefectural Police detained a 32-year-old man on attempted murder charges in an alleged domestic violence case.
• DeNA confirmed on July 16 the signing of pitcher Shintaro Fujinami, who will wear jersey number 27 after being released from the Seattle Mariners organization.
• Shimane Governor Tatsuya Maruyama formally requested that the Japan Sports Association spread out the 2030 National Sports Festival schedule to ease logistical and lodging pressures on host communities.
• In Tochigi’s July 20 Upper House race, LDP incumbent Katsuhiro Takahashi and CDP newcomer Yuka Itsutsu remain locked in one of this election cycle’s tightest contests.