17 June 2019
Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 48-year-old man over the alleged abduction of a high school he met online, a crime he committed in order for them both to commit suicide, reports TBS News (June 13). (tokyoreporter.com)
Iran's supreme leader told Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday that it was pointless to reply to a message he had brought to Tehran from U.S. President Donald Trump, as a peacemaking visit was overshadowed by attacks on tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
(Japan Today)
A record 3,129 people were stranded on Japanese mountains last year amid a continued boom in activities such as climbing and walking, a police report revealed Thursday.
(Japan Today)
Japan leads the world in paid leave set aside for fathers, but few take advantage of it, according to a new report by the U.N. Children's Fund based on legal entitlements from 2016. (Japan Today)
A 23-year-old male university student was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of killing a doctor at her apartment in Higashine, Yamagata Prefecture, last month, local police said. (Japan Times)
Jun 15
In raids conducted on Wednesday, Kanagawa Prefectural Police seized more than 200 marijuana plants in raids of three locations that are believed to be a part of the same cultivation ring, reports Fuji News Network (June 13). (tokyoreporter.com) Jun 15
Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 48-year-old man over the alleged abduction of a high school he met online, a crime he committed in order for them both to commit suicide, reports TBS News (June 13). (tokyoreporter.com) Jun 14
A 31-year-old woman in Niigata Prefecture has been arrested on suspicion of killing her 3-month-old daughter by repeatedly dropping her on the floor, police said Thursday.
(Japan Today) Jun 14
A 23-year-old male university student was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of killing a doctor at her apartment in Higashine, Yamagata Prefecture, last month, local police said. (Japan Times) Jun 14
Toyama Prefectural Police have arrested a 52-year-old living in Toyama City who has confessed to killing up to 100 pet cats, reports the Sankei Shimbun (June 13). (tokyoreporter.com) [more society news…] [society blogs…]
Jun 15
A Japanese firm has shelved an advertising campaign intended to promote gender equity at home after its #beWHITE hashtag sparked concern about racial sensitivities. (Japan Today) Jun 13
Food delivery staff working in Japan for ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc said Wednesday they plan to form a labor union in a bid to improve what they see as disadvantageous treatment for being classified as independent contractors rather than employees. (Japan Today) Jun 12
More than 60 percent of women in Japan have experienced the enforcement rules calling for the wearing of heels in the workplace or while job-hunting, or have witnessed others being forced to wear them, according to a survey conducted by a Japanese business website, which also reported the findings Tuesday to a Diet discussion.
(Japan Today) Jun 12
Keidanren, the Japan Business Federation, says major companies are planning to trim summer bonuses this year.
(NHK) Jun 12
Japan's leading instant noodle company is joining the fight against pollution. Nissin Food Products says it will redesign its containers to use less petroleum-based products and more so-called bio-plastic, derived from plants.
(NHK) [more business news…] [business blogs…]
Jun 15
Iran's supreme leader told Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday that it was pointless to reply to a message he had brought to Tehran from U.S. President Donald Trump, as a peacemaking visit was overshadowed by attacks on tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
(Japan Today) Jun 14
Japanese trade minister Hiroshige Seko said Thursday that two tankers carrying "Japan-related" cargo were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz.
(Japan Today) Jun 13
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called on Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday to avoid a further escalation of tensions and an unintended military conflict in the Middle East, as he sought to nudge Tehran toward dialogue as a mediator with the United States. (Kyodo) Jun 13
A public uproar has forced the government to retract a controversial report claiming that retired couples reliant on public pensions also need sizable savings, but this backpedaling could further delay Japan's much needed reckoning with the overburdened program. (Nikkei) Jun 12
Japan's Financial Services Minister Taro Aso says he will not accept a controversial report that says elderly couples need 20-million yen for retirement. He says this is not the government's stance.
(NHK) Jun 14
A Japanese exchange student in the US state of Washington has sparked an online debate about a high school's use of a mushroom cloud logo.
(NHK) Jun 14
Japan leads the world in paid leave set aside for fathers, but few take advantage of it, according to a new report by the U.N. Children's Fund based on legal entitlements from 2016. (Japan Today) Jun 14
One of the toughest problems retirees face is making sure their money lasts as long as they do.
(Japan Times) Jun 13
MELBOURNE, June 11, 2019 -- Prolaunch is excited to announce the release of proHelp, a Canvas productivity tool that enables teachers and students to find help quickly, with a free trial available from Jun 1, 2019. (Prolaunch) Jun 13
The government on Tuesday made a decision on a regulatory reform measure to allow foreign students to start their own companies.
(Japan Times) [more education news…] [education blogs…]
Jun 13
The Diet on Wednesday passed a bill requiring dog and cat breeders to microchip animals, and owners to voluntarily do the same to their pets, in a bid to reduce the number of strays.
(Japan Times) Jun 12
Japan's westernmost point has moved further west by about 110 meters, after it was decided to include an ocean rock on official maps.
(NHK) Jun 12
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is set to launch a subsidy to help prevent accidents involving elderly drivers.
(NHK) Jun 09
A fleet of vessels will depart from Kushiro, Hokkaido, on July 1 as Japan resumes commercial whaling following a three-decade hiatus after the government announced its withdrawal from the International Whaling Commission in December, a local fishery source said Friday. (Japan Times) Jun 05
Japan plans to make it mandatory to charge for plastic shopping bags at supermarkets, convenience stores, drugstores and department stores as the country combats marine pollution by plastic waste. (Japan Today) [more sci-tech news…] [sci-tech blogs…]
Jun 15
A law to prohibit ticket scalping for concerts and sports events came into force Friday ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. (Japan Today) Jun 13
Organizers have marked 100 days to go before the opening of the Rugby World Cup by saying the challenges of staging the sport's showpiece event in a non-traditional rugby nation have largely been overcome, most particularly with ticket sales.
(Japan Today) Jun 12
Cannabis has been legalized in some parts of the world. But the chief executive of next year's Tokyo Olympics has reminded potential visitors to the games that the substance is against the law in Japan.
(Japan Today) Jun 07
Japanese sprinter Abdul Hakim Sani Brown clocked 9.96 seconds with wind assistance of 2.4 meters in the men's 100-meter semifinal at the NCAA championships in Texas.
(NHK) Jun 05
Professional shogi player Yoshiharu Habu earned his 1,434th win at a tournament in Tokyo on Tuesday, setting a record for victories in the traditional Japanese board game. (Japan Today) Jun 15
Japan Airlines has become the first career in the country to take delivery of an Airbus A350 passenger jet. The plane arrived at Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Friday.
(NHK) Jun 14
A record 3,129 people were stranded on Japanese mountains last year amid a continued boom in activities such as climbing and walking, a police report revealed Thursday.
(Japan Today) Jun 12
The lines foreigners have to stand in to depart Japan may be eased -- just a little -- as automated gates will be introduced at airports across the country to speed up immigration checks. As a result, arrival lines might also be shortened. (Nikkei) Jun 09
Boarding systems are running again at Naha Airport in Okinawa Prefecture, southwestern Japan.
(NHK) Jun 06
In a move to better compete with a rival train operator's famous "seven-minute miracle" for cleaning a bullet train between its arrival and departure, Central Japan Railway Co will shave off two minutes from its own shinkansen cleaning work, beginning next spring.
(Japan Today) [more travel news…] [travel blogs…]
Jun 14
As the amount of people visiting Japan and Kyoto increases, the interest in different parts of Japanese cultural points also increase. With this, more people wish to participate in these events such as Ozashiki Asobi, which is a banq...
Jun 14
The guy goes first. He gets a nice Moleskine notebook and a fancy ballpoint pen. He thanks her. The girl goes next. She opens a small box to find a Swarovski earring and necklace set. She thanks him. They finish lunch, they get the bill at the tab...
Jun 14
Many Japanese fashion magazines are suffering from declining sales. To boost their economic prospects and keep creditors at bay, publishers may attempt new directions and types of content, or approach different kinds of advertisers. The fashion ma...
Jun 14
If you're fascinated by the atmosphere of old Japan, then Gion is the place for you. Gion (祇園) is Kyoto's famous Geisha district, as well as the home of the large Gion Matsuri festival held every year in July. Here's what to do when visiting G...
Jun 14
Gazing down on Japan from atop its symbolic mountain is high on the bucket list for most visitors and residents alike, but at 3,766m it's not the effortless stroll that many elderly Japanese people make it seem. If climbing Mount Fuji is your summ...Jun 13
The Japanese counter 発 (はつ) is the counter for shots, hits, punches, and many, many more. So many, that we've dedicated most of this article to showing you just how many loud, smacking thwacks 発 can be.
Before we get into usage, take a ...Jun 12
Japan's largest gay community in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ni-chome was forced to continue the debate over trans rights after a trans woman was refused entry to a bar.
A few days ago, we saw the finale to this incident that involved Ni-chome's most popula...
Jun 12
We've never wanted to peel off the lid of a building as much as this one: Nissin's new Cup Noodle Factory in Shiga Prefecture of Japan's Kansai region. This is the company's first new factory in 22 years and at 100,000㎡ (approximately 24.6 acres...Jun 11
Universal Studios Japan (USJ) is a dreamworld where Hogwarts can be spied from the lapping shores of Amity Bay as Jaws himself circles your boat. But how do you get tickets without feeling the bite?
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Unfortunately, Japan isn't really a b...Jun 11
The Gion Festival (Gion Matsuri 祇園祭) is held every year for an entire month in Kyoto in July, and is one of the most famous festivals in all of Japan. Here is everything you need to know about this timeless, lively celebration!
Intro
Gio...