Tokyo is in the dead of summer and if anything, things are only getting hotter in the political hub of Nagata-cho.
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's woes continue as he tries to fend off foes threatening to hit him with either no-confidence or censure motions, and continues to confront deep divisions within the ruling Democratic Party of Japan.
Through it all, he has kept his focus on pursuing his goals, however contentious they may be, including raising the sales tax for the first time in 15 years and, at least for the summer power crunch, getting two idled nuclear reactors restarted.