EDUCATION

The number of suicides per population of 100,000 came to 16.8 in Japan in 2017, down for the eighth consecutive year, hitting the lowest level on records dating back to 1978, a government white paper showed on Tuesday. (Jiji)

People in Japan are less satisfied with the child-rearing environment in the country than those in Britain, France and Sweden, a Japanese government white paper revealed Tuesday. (Jiji)

An emerging number of Japanese schools are introducing genderless uniforms or flexible uniform codes in an effort to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students. (Kyodo)

A basketball referee was punched in the face by a high school player during a game in the western Japanese prefecture of Nagasaki on Sunday. (NHK)

An estimated 1.3 million Japanese people aged 15 to 64 have used marijuana, surpassing for the first time the number of those who have abused inhalants such as paint thinner, a survey by a national institute showed Sunday. (Japan Today)

The life and times of Japan’s first golfer: Amsterdam 1605
(thesamuraigolfer.com)

Princess Kako, a granddaughter of Emperor Akihito, has returned to Japan after studying in Britain for about 9 months. (NHK)

The Japanese government said Wednesday it will provide financial assistance to households with children attending universities or other higher educational institutes if their annual income is less than 3.8 million yen. (Jiji)

Japanese government votes to amend laws, bringing down age of legal adulthood but raising marrying age for women and gender reassignment surgery. (soranews24.com)

Princess Kako, granddaughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, has completed a study program at the University of Leeds in England. (Japan Times)