Aug 04 (indiatimes.com) - A Japanese journalist detained in Myanmar has been charged with breaching immigration law and encouraging dissent against the military, the junta said Thursday.
Toru Kubota, who was held while covering a protest in Yangon last week "has been charged under section 505 (a) and under immigration law 13-1", the junta said in a statement. The two charges carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
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In Harajuku, Tokyo’s trendsetting district, animal cafes are rapidly multiplying along the bustling Takeshita Street, drawing large crowds of foreign tourists.
A 70-year-old man fell from a high-rise apartment building in Osaka and struck a cyclist on the sidewalk below, resulting in the deaths of both men.
Two foreign tourists were rescued by helicopter on May 13th after becoming stranded due to the cold on Mt. Yotei in Kutchan, Hokkaido’s Shiribeshi region, where snow still remains at higher elevations.
Spring has brought a wave of newborn animals to North Safari Sapporo, a privately run zoo in Minami Ward, Sapporo City, even as the facility remains under pressure to remove illegal structures and relocate its animals.
Southern Kyushu has entered the rainy season, marking the first time in 49 years that it has done so earlier than Okinawa. It is also the earliest rainy season start for any region in Japan since the Meteorological Agency began keeping records. Authorities are warning of heavy rainfall not only in Kyushu but across other parts of the country as well.
Agriculture Minister Taketaka Eto of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party stated during a speech in Saga City on May 18th that he has never purchased rice, explaining, "I receive a lot from supporters—enough that I could practically sell it. That's how much is in my household pantry."
A peace march calling for the reduction of the burden caused by U.S. military bases was held in Okinawa on May 17th, marking 53 years since the prefecture's reversion to Japan.
The government approved a long-awaited pension reform bill in a cabinet meeting on May 16th, aiming to eliminate the so-called "1.06 million yen barrier" that has prevented many part-time workers from enrolling in the welfare pension system.
Japan has launched its new "security clearance" system, which restricts access to sensitive economic security information to individuals deemed suitable through a national screening process. The program, which began operation on May 15th, is intended to enhance international collaboration by aligning Japan’s information handling standards with those of key allies.
The Japanese government has set a new wage policy target aimed at achieving a real wage increase of around 1% by fiscal 2029, taking inflation into account. To support this goal, it plans to mobilize public and private investment totaling approximately 60 trillion yen over the next five years to boost corporate productivity.
A growing number of Chinese tourists in Japan are converting their foreign driver's licenses into Japanese ones by listing their hotel addresses as proof of residence, drawing criticism and prompting a policy shift from authorities.
Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito and senior prefectural officials have participated in an anti-power harassment training session aimed at fostering a more open and communicative workplace environment.
A stolen Buddhist statue from Tsushima was returned to Japan on May 10th, marking a significant step toward resolving a diplomatic dispute that has strained Japan-South Korea relations for over a decade.
