The passing of the world championships in Shanghai in late July did not halt the frenetic pace of racing in Japan, where eight swift long-course meets that placed more than 1,000 new entries in the world rankings across all events took place in August and to date in September.

While almost 100 swims rated at 920 points or more and 50 swims were worth more than 950 points, the best of all swims belonged to backstroke ace Ryosukle Irie.

In Yokohama at the University Championships on September 2-4, the world-championship medallist clocked 53.59 and 1:55.11 to win the 100m and 200m backstroke crowns and led his college's medley relay team with a 52.83 blast. The solo 200m effort topped all the Japanese activity, one point beyond the tally achieved with that swift relay opener.

On September 9-11 at the Physical Education Sports Festival in Yamaguchi, Irie clocked 52.88 leading off a medley relay and 53.09 in the solo 100m, while the best of the women's performances was a 59.59 victory for Aya Terakawa in the 100m backstroke, the best post-Shanghai effort by a Japanese swimmer in that event after Shiho Sakai clocked 59.90 at the University championships in Yokohama. Sakai also clocked 2:09.10 over 200m on that occasion.

The best efforts at the Junior Olympic Cup in Tokyo from August 25-30 belonged to Yuki Kobori, on 1:55.08 over 200m butterfly, and Keiko Fukudome, on 2:24.61 in the 200m breaststroke. 

Kobori also produced the best effort at the High School Championships in Morioka from August 17-20, with a 1:55.57 win in the 200m butterfly, while Daiya Seto clocked 4:13.46 in the 400m medley and the best among women was a 2:09.55 victory for Sayaka Akase in the 200m backstroke, followed by a 2:25.04 win for Fukudome in the 200m breaststroke ahead of Mio Motegi, on 2:25.80.

All 1,000-plus swims from Japan are logged in the SwimNews database and those that make the best 150 can be viewed in the most reliable world rankings for the sport, updated by Nick Thierry as events unfold.