Disaster Response: Japan’s Kumamoto earthquake toll climbed to 30 as rescuers pushed to beat a shrinking survival window, with heat and outages complicating efforts at the quake-damaged Aeon mall and nearby industrial sites. Infrastructure & Industry Impact: The quake is still disrupting operations across Kyushu, including auto and chip supply chains, while officials report thousands of households without power and widespread water damage. Energy & LNG: PETRONAS LNG and Hokuriku Electric signed an HOA to negotiate renewal of a long-term LNG supply deal from 2028, alongside talks on carbon-neutral fuels and decarbonisation. Research & Innovation: Japan formally joined the EU’s Horizon Europe research programme, opening the door for Japanese organizations to bid on multinational projects in areas like climate, energy, health and digital. Semiconductors & AI Hardware: Nuvoton will start mass-producing battery-monitoring ICs for AI server backup power, targeting high-reliability 24/7 systems. Global Mobility: IATA said June air passenger demand fell 1.7% year-on-year, with weaker domestic travel in Japan and other major markets and Middle East tensions weighing on recovery. Business Deals: Sony made a non-binding proposal to acquire lens maker Tamron, while Toyota retained top spot in first-half global sales despite declines tied to China and Middle East demand.