ohpner Co., Ltd. handled a nationwide taxi commercial broadcast for Kuon Co., Ltd.'s community cultivation cloud "IKURA AI System," which uses five AI technologies. The campaign started July 6, 2026. Kuon has operated over 300 fan communities since 1996 and offers the system at 37,500 yen per month.
DRIMAGE will conduct a closed beta test for Arkheron on Steam from July 16 to 27. The developer detailed the new Learning Spires mode for beginners, which teaches practical skills through a tournament-style structure, and the Spires mode, a run-based system that ends after three losses or ten wins. The main Ascension mode will be available only on weekends and holidays during the CBT.
KARROT COMPANY has signed an exclusive agency contract with Korean beauty and entertainment firm APR to become the sole distributor of the PHOTOGRAY photo booth brand in Japan. The company will begin installing the booths at amusement and commercial facilities nationwide. The first initiative under the deal is support for the KCON JAPAN 2026 pop-up collaboration, running July 14 to August 2 at five locations including a main venue in Harajuku. The pop-up features limited photo frames with participating K-pop acts such as INI, JO1, NiziU, and ZEROBASEONE.
The Steam version of The Idolmaster: Starlit Season is on sale for 3,608 yen, 60% off the regular 9,020 yen price, as part of Amazon Prime Day 2026. The game brings together idols from the 765 Pro, Cinderella Girls, Million Live!, and Shiny Colors brands, plus new idol Kokoro Okugami, in a training simulation spanning roughly 10 months. The discount is promoted as a recommended entry point for newcomers to the series on PC.
Sega's Like a Dragon 8 Gaiden: Pirates in Hawaii Steam online code is discounted to 1,733 yen (75% off) during Amazon Prime Day 2026. The spin-off stars Goro Majima as a pirate in Hawaii, featuring two battle styles and the series' signature side content. The deal is available for a limited time on Amazon Japan.
Brazilian Congresswoman Jandira Feghali submitted Bill PL 3612/2026 on July 9, inspired by the Stop Killing Games movement. The bill would require publishers to disclose server dependency, provide a two-year minimum support period, and at service termination offer offline play, community tools, or refunds. It would also legalize community servers if obligations are unmet, and establish a preservation fund.
U-NEXT released its viewership ranking for the first half of 2026, covering January 1 to June 8. The top 10 is heavy on sequels, with Jujutsu Kaisen: Culling Game Arc (Part 1) taking first place, followed by Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Season 2 and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4. Spring premieres Yomi no Tsugai and Nihon Sangoku also made the list.
At Bilibili World 2026, AutoFull showed the M6 Max gaming chair, which adds voice control for massage and recline. It launches in China in August, with a global release one to two seasons later. The chair also includes a lumbar support stretch function, adjustable armrests, and an extendable seat. Price is about 5,799 yuan. The M6 Ultra 2.0 remains the flagship for Japan.
Optyino.ai analyzed 35,510 AI responses from 40 prompts spanning finance, education, real estate, B2B, and e-commerce. The study found that 92.15% of answers included at least one official website URL. Among page types, column articles were cited in 73.99% of answers, while top pages (26.99%), pricing pages (15.00%), and case studies (3.86%) lagged significantly. The data suggests generative AI prefers in-depth explanatory content over commercial landing pages.
Japan Vulnerability Notes (JVN) disclosed a vulnerability in the iOS version of LINE on July 13. The in-app browser's handling of URL schemes is insufficient, allowing an attacker to cause repeated dialogs by directing a user to a malicious webpage. This can temporarily render the device inoperable. The affected version is 26.3.0 and earlier. JVN recommends users update to the latest version provided by LINE Yahoo.
Developer Aesir Interactive announced that EverRail, an open-world survival craft game set on a frozen satellite, will enter early access on July 20 for PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. The game supports up to four-player co-op, with players driving a giant train as a mobile base, gathering supplies, rescuing survivors, and managing resources to avoid freezing. A demo with Japanese text support is available now.
Behind-the-scenes photos from Neru Nagahama's cover shoot for the August issue of 'sweet' were released on her staff X account. The images show her with medium-length hair, while she currently has short hair, leading some fans to question the timeline. The photos received comments like 'Huh, did her hair grow?' and praise for the fluffy look.
3Li¥en and ANARCHY released the single "Mooove Bitch (feat. ANARCHY)" on July 13, with a music video premiering the same day. The track, produced by Foux, carries a message from 3Li¥en expressing discomfort and conflict with the current state of hip-hop. 3Li¥en, who gained attention through ABEMA's RAPSTAR 2025, said he will "spit for the HIPHOP I love." The release follows recent Instagram hints about quitting the scene.
Hololive English VTuber IRyS released her first full album "DANGERyS" on July 12, 2026, via Cover. The 10-track album features a lead single "Escalate" and showcases IRyS's signature eurobeat style, with contributions from various track makers in Japan and abroad. A CD edition includes an exclusive rearranged version of "Gravity" as a bonus track. The album is available digitally and in CD and LP formats, with the LP edition including an autographed poster card. Separately, Cover announced IRyS's first solo concert, titled "IRyS 1st Concert 'HOPE ||: Beyond the Stars'," scheduled for October 6 at SGC Hall Ariake in Tokyo. In-person reserved seat tickets range from 8,200 yen for A seats to 12,000 yen for SS seats, with a first-round advance lottery open through July 20. Streaming tickets are priced at 6,800 yen via SPWN and ZAIKO. Concert merchandise sales are also underway until August 17.
At Bilibili World 2026, Shueisha Games showed the world premiere playable demo of Wild Wild Eden, an open-world survival craft RPG. The game's monster taming system uses a Dream Bottle to put creatures to sleep, then tames them through petting and feeding, requiring ongoing care like real pets. Developers said the approach predates Palworld and reflects co-founder Dc Gan's love of animals and camping.
Imagineer revealed details of a user-participation X campaign for the Fit Boxing 3 Ensemble Stars!! DLC pack. Starting July 16, members of the shuffle unit Butokai will appear as SNS-exclusive instructors on the official Fit Boxing X account. The campaign presents specific in-game menus as missions. Daily lottery gives 10 winners a collaboration package. The DLC includes instrumental BGM of seven songs and six T-shirt designs for 1,320 yen. A free trial pack for two songs is also available until August 17.
Bushiroad announced that pre-registrations for the rhythm game BanG Dream! Our Notes have exceeded 700,000 globally. Milestone rewards include stars, song tickets, and an SR or higher guaranteed gacha ticket. Additional rewards are planned up to one million pre-registrations. The game features new bands and a currently airing TV anime.
A record three teams from Japan have been selected for Technovation Girls 2026 world finals. Team infiniti girls is a finalist in the Beginner Division with app VegePatch. Teams FKA (Bird Counter & Bird Quest) and Little Care (Star Connect) received Regional Honoree awards for Asia. The finalist team will compete at the World Summit in Bengaluru, India in October 2026.
KRAFTON's PUBG STUDIOS held the second closed alpha test of PUBG: Black Budget from June 26 to 29, 2026. The extraction shooter is set on Coli Island, a 2.5km x 2.5km map with anomalous creatures and a hardcore sci-fi atmosphere. Unlike PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, players prepare equipment before raids, and the game features PvPvE combat, zone shrinkage, and a reload system requiring loaded magazines. The alpha test offered a glimpse of a grounded, dark world compared to Crysis.
Following the success of the first stop, the fragrance atomizer brand TRAVALO will hold a pop-up event in Kumamoto from July 18 to 20, 2026. The second stop of the nationwide Scent a porter Tour 2026 features exclusive models, a charge trial for the refill system, and gacha draws for atomizers. Limited edition items will be sold at the venue only.
The Generative AI Award 2026, organized by Generative AI Japan and Nikkei Business, is now accepting entries from organizations in Japan. Applications are free and open until September 28, 2026, with the final ceremony on December 16.
Akari Inc., a University of Tokyo-originated AI startup, announced that cumulative adoptions of its industry-specific AI SaaS have surpassed 1,500 since the July 2022 launch. Adoption is expanding beyond enterprises to regional SMEs and local governments. The company's construction-focused AI agent 'Hikari' passed the first-class architect exam, and manufacturing agent 'Takumi' passed 13 major national exams.
MOTTERU has added a semi-solid-state mobile battery with 10,000mAh capacity and PD30W fast charging to its print service lineup. The battery offers higher safety than lithium-ion polymer batteries, with reduced ignition risk, over 2000 charge cycles, and a temperature range of -20°C to 60°C. A limited-time campaign offers free print fees, reducing the price from 8,980 yen to 7,980 yen. Sales begin July 13 on Rakuten Market.
i-Braid's V-Cas platform launched a streaming campaign for the half anniversary of life simulation game Heartopia Slow Life. A total of 45 VTubers will participate in a bingo-style mission with nine objectives, including streaming and building houses. The campaign runs from July 11 to July 24, 2026. A separate contest asks players to post in-game architecture on X with the hashtag #HeartopiaArchitectureClub.
Magic: The Gathering's Commander format has become slightly more popular than Standard in Japan, according to Wizards of the Coast's Japan team. The article explores reasons behind the shift, including COVID-era play changes, the ubiquity of Commander cards in new products, and the appeal of Universes Beyond crossovers. It also covers the spring 2026 name change from the Japanese translation 'Suiritsusha-sen' to the katakana 'Commander', part of an official push to attract new players.
BLDB, the developer of precision metal models, has published a special feature on its official online store titled 'Moving Metal Models.' The feature highlights assembly kits that use gears, cranks, and pistons to teach mechanical structures. A summer campaign offers 20% off select products with coupon code SUMMER20.
Caseplay, the on-demand tech accessory platform run by Fox, has begun selling smartphone cases designed by illustrator acotomo. The retro-pop animal designs are available in four styles as slim protection cases for iPhone, Xperia, Pixel, Galaxy and other models spanning more than 160 devices.
Hasegawa announced a new 1/32 scale car model series called e moke that requires no glue or paint. The kits use snap-fit assembly and color-coded parts with stickers, making them ideal for beginners. The first release is a Toyota Celica LB 1600GT, available in four colors: Civilian Purple, Casual Turquoise, Social Silver, and White Spirit. Each kit is priced at 2,420 yen and releases on August 1, 2026.
Investigations by Ben Edelman and Capital One Shopping found that the Phia browser extension used cookie stuffing to fraudulently claim affiliate commissions for sales it did not generate. Bloomberg tested and confirmed the practice. Phia blamed a recent release and said the issue is resolved.
Haruame Urame, affiliated with Aogiri High School, will hold her second one-man solo live 'NoEntry' on November 11 at CLUB CITTA'. The announcement was made during a July 11 stream. Ticket applications opened July 11 and run through July 25. Three ticket tiers are available: SS (¥18,000), S (¥14,000), and A (¥8,500), each with bonus goods.
Check Point Research reports a 17% year-over-year increase in global cyberattacks in June 2026, with ransomware up 33%. The Gentlemen ransomware group overtook Qilin as the most active group. Japan saw a 30% year-over-year increase, the largest in APAC. Education/Research remained the most targeted industry.
if, Inc. is providing a two-month Claude Code business automation training to a real estate company with about 10 employees. The company's single AI promotion officer is automating the creation of Important Matters Explanation Documents (jukai) using Claude Code integrated with Box and Google Workspace. The training is ongoing, aiming for company-wide AI deployment by one person.
F.B.D. Co., Ltd. announced a collaboration between Initial D, celebrating its 30th serialization anniversary, and Chen Mapo Tofu, the originator of mapo tofu. From August 1 to October 31, 10 stores in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Aichi, and Osaka will serve three limited menu items-Takumi 86 Black Mapo, Keisuke FD Yellow Mapo, and Red Suns Red Mapo-each priced at 1,680 yen. Customers ordering a menu item receive a random trading card from 10 types. Limited goods include a Mapo Tofu Mix, T-shirts, and keychains.
The collaboration between Apex Legends and Cyberpunk 2077/Edgerunners goes live July 15, transforming the E-District map into Night City with neon, fog, and Arasaka's Citadel. A new Wild Card mode introduces Cyberware abilities: Blackwall Breach and Sandevistan. The first Mythic weapon skin, for the Alternator, features the AI pistol Skippy, which floats and talks during reload. Legend skins include Lucy for Alter, David for Sparrow, Rebecca for Rampart, and V for Crypto.
Bandai Spirits has announced the 15th 30 MINUTES LABEL New Product Presentation, a livestream set for August 21, 2026 at 18:00 JST. The event will showcase upcoming plastic model kits across the 30 MINUTES MISSIONS (30MM), 30 MINUTES SISTERS (30MS), and 30 MINUTES FANTASY (30MF) series, including optional items and future developments.
A security analysis by cereblab found that SpaceXAI's Grok Build coding assistant transmits API keys and passwords without redaction, and uploads entire Git repositories including files the AI never read and commit history. The data is stored in a Google Cloud Storage bucket. Disabling the 'use to improve model' setting did not stop the upload. Users are advised to revoke any exposed credentials.
BenQ Japan announced the TH575C home projector, launching July 14, 2026. It features 3,800 ANSI lumens brightness for use in lit rooms, 16.7ms low latency, and four picture modes including sports. A 10% off coupon is available during the first week.
Elith Co., Ltd. has established the Elith AI Governance Lab, a specialized organization to support risk management, compliance, and quality assurance in corporate AI utilization. The lab aims to help companies balance development speed with safety as generative AI and AI agents move from proof-of-concept to full-scale operation. Elith's AI safety platform GENFLUX and its involvement in the national GENIAC project for a financial AI guardrail model underpin the lab's expertise.
MSI Computer Japan announced on July 13, 2026, that it will begin selling the Cyborg 15 Black Edition, a 15.6-inch gaming notebook, starting July 18. The model, designated Cyborg-15-Black-Edition-A13VE-5694JP, features an anodized black exterior designed to blend into school, office, and business settings while retaining gaming performance. It is powered by an Intel Core i7-13620H processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU, with 10 cores and 16 threads. The 15.6-inch Full HD display supports a 144Hz refresh rate for smooth motion in games and video. The laptop weighs approximately 1.98 kg, making it portable for daily carry. MSI targets users who want a single device for gaming, study, work, and content creation, including video editing, 3DCG, CAD, and generative AI tools. The price is open, and purchase is available through Applied stores and designated sales channels.
Fairy Devices will exhibit at Startup World Cup 2026 on July 17 at Grand Hyatt Tokyo. The company plans to present its neck-worn THINKLET wearable, the LINKLET remote support service, and a new FPV Video Analysis service that uses AI to analyze first-person video. THINKLET and LINKLET previously won three Innovation Awards at CES 2022 and a Time Best Inventions award.
Cellstar Industry Co., Ltd., based in Kanagawa, will release the laser-type speed camera compatible safety radar ASSURA AR-126A from July 2026. The AR-126A expands reception frequency via antenna improvements, making it compatible with the new JMA-600 (NTG-962) enforcement device. Features include radar wave identification, false alarm filtering, and a customizable standby display with a 3.5-inch LCD.
Kirifuda and Pacific Meta have begun a joint effort to support the introduction of blockchain analytics firm Elliptic to the Japanese market. Kirifuda will act as an introduction partner, using its on-chain analysis expertise, while Pacific Meta will leverage its know-how in bringing overseas products to Japan. The initiative aims to help domestic businesses-including crypto exchanges, wallet operators, banks, and government agencies-improve compliance and risk management as finance moves on-chain.
Supernova Studios LLC will launch Funnel Runners into Steam Early Access on July 17. The game supports up to eight players cooperating to explore a town threatened by a giant tornado, repair a van, and escape. Storms and debris are depicted realistically in first-person perspective. Each playthrough randomly generates the environment, weather, items, and vehicle troubles. Japanese is not currently supported.
Talking's custom merchandise service Talking ODM added the "Chiikawa Ura" design on July 13. The design features a rabbit saying "Ura." and gained attention from sumo prize banners. Products include face towels, T-shirts, bucket hats, tote bags, mugs, and more, all available in multiple sizes and styles.
Bandai will release the ReGLOSS Pukutto Ring gashapon in August. The set includes four puffy-faced rings featuring Hololive ReGLOSS members Kanade Otonose, Ririka Ichijo, Raden Jūfūtei, and Hajime Todoroki. The rings are deformed versions of the members' faces and come with an original case printed with the ReGLOSS logo. Further details are pending from the official account.
Neverworks Games will release the full version of Nevergrind on Steam on July 14, 2026. The game is a modern remake of a 2014 browser RPG, a solo dungeon crawler focused on semi-real-time combat and treasure hunting. The full release adds full Japanese support, turbo mode, 4K resolution, hotkey customization, and access to Act 4.
VTuber Criminology Classroom Kanae-sensei has launched two perfumes, MORNING start and NIGHT cool, now available at the Village Vanguard online store. The fragrances were developed under Kanae-sensei's supervision, with scents designed for different times of day: a floral fruity morning scent and a citrus floral evening scent.
Refugium Games announced on July 12 that Agefield High: Rock the School will release on August 12, 2026 local time (August 13 Japan time) on PC via Steam. The open-world action-adventure game is set in an early 2000s American town. Players take the role of transfer student Sam, who has three months until graduation. He can attend classes, skip them, fight, and earn money through side missions to buy items like motorcycles and clothes. The game features 32 main missions and 15 side missions, with an estimated 8-10 hours of playtime and two endings. Developer Refugium Games, known for horror titles, shifts to a comedic style. The game is described as combining elements of GTA, Bully, and American Pie. Console versions for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S are planned for later in the year.
Google released a security update for Chrome on desktop and Android on July 8, fixing 27 vulnerabilities. The patch addresses two critical-severity issues (CVE-2026-15112 and CVE-2026-15129) along with 23 high and two medium severity flaws. The update is rolling out gradually, and users can manually update from Chrome settings.
The Consumer Affairs Agency announced on July 10 that a fire occurred in June involving final's recalled TWS03R series wireless earphones. The incident happened on June 18 in Saitama Prefecture while the earphones were charging, causing damage to the product and surroundings. The cause is under investigation. The recall began in December 2024 for units sold between 2019 and 2021. The agency urges users who have not yet responded to stop use immediately and contact final.