NHK -- Oct 07
Police in Yamanashi Prefecture, west of Tokyo, say they will end their large-scale search efforts for a 7-year-old girl who went missing from a camp site last month.
Misaki Ogura, an elementary school first grader from the city of Narita, Chiba Prefecture, disappeared from a campground in the village of Doshi on September 21.
On Sunday, the chief of the local police station announced the termination of large-scale search activities for the girl. He said the police will continue to pursue the case with a focus on information gathering.
No clues have been found so far, despite search efforts by a total of about 1,700 police officers, firefighters and Self-Defense Forces personnel.
山梨県のキャンプ場で行方が分からなくなった小学1年の女の子について、6日に大規模な捜索が打ち切られました。これを受けて母親が心境を語りました。
美咲ちゃんの母親・小倉とも子さん（36）：「いまだ靴一つも見つからないような状態で手掛かりが全くありません。親として諦めることはしたくないので、これからも全力で捜索を続けていきたい」
先月21日、山梨県道志村のキャンプ場で小倉美咲ちゃん（7）の行方が分からなくなり、警察や自衛隊など延べ1700人が16日間、捜索してきました。しかし、発見することはできず、大規模な捜索は6日夕方をもって打ち切られました。今後は発見につながる手掛かりを得るために情報収集を続けていくとしています。
Dec 06
The Japanese government approved 13.2 trillion yen ($121 billion) worth of public stimulus spending on Thursday, with the economy due for a total infusion of 26 trillion yen if private-sector and other outlays are factored in.
(Nikkei) Dec 06
In a country where customer service is a point of pride, Amazon Japan is challenging the status quo by daring to leave packages at the door. (Nikkei) Dec 06
The Niigata District Court on Wednesday sentenced a 25-year-old man to life in prison for the sexual assault and murder of a 7-year-old schoolgirl last year. (Japan Times) Dec 05
An environmental think tank from Germany has revealed that Japan was the worst-hit country by extreme weather in 2018. (NHK) Dec 04
A welfare ministry panel said Tuesday that forcing children to sit extensively in the formal Japanese style known as seiza will be recognized as a morally unacceptable form of punishment under a new law that will enter into force next April. (Japan Today) Dec 04
Japanese students ranked at their lowest level ever in reading while remaining in the top band in science and mathematics in a triennial international survey on academic ability, the OECD said Tuesday. (Japan Times) Dec 04
A Japanese retiree has been arrested after ringing a phone company 24,000 times to complain they had violated his contract, police and local media reported. (Japan Times) Dec 03
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the list of guests invited to an annual cherry blossom-viewing party in April was disposed of as scheduled and denied that it was related to a disclosure request by an opposition lawmaker. (NHK) Dec 03
A group of university students is calling for the elimination of sexual harassment by recruiters and other company workers during their job-hunting activities. (Japan Times) Dec 03
The government said Monday it has agreed to buy an uninhabited island in Kagoshima Prefecture with an eye to letting the U.S. military use it for takeoff and landing practice. (Japan Times)