News On Japan

Japan called on China Thursday to use its sea power peacefully, after President Hu Jintao staked a claim in Beijing for his country to become a maritime force. (New Straits Times)

Japan will allow domestic firms to take part in production of the F-35 fighter, the first such case since Tokyo last year relaxed a self-imposed ban on arms exports, a report said Thursday. (AsiaOne)

Police arrested seven members of the same extended family Wednesday in a multiple murder investigation that has transfixed Japan, an official said. (Japan Today)

A small city in Japan is to offer re-elected US president Barack Obama what may be the first invitation of his second term: a visit to a place that shares his name. (Channel NewsAsia)

One out of three Japanese men in their 20s think they may not be able to marry, despite their wish to do so, with about 60 percent citing economic insecurity as the main reason, a life insurance company survey has revealed. (Yomiuri)

More than 60 percent of children victimized by crimes to which social networking sites (SNS) made them vulnerable did not receive any warning from their parents against accessing such websites, the National Police Agency revealed Tuesday. (Yomiuri)

KDDI Corp. has said its net inflow of customers under the mobile number portability system (MNP) surged to 152,700 in October thanks to brisk sales of Apple Inc.'s iPhone 5. (Yomiuri)

A private credit research firm says the number of bankruptcies in Japan rose in October for a 2nd straight month. (NHKReloaded)

With the collapse of Japan's "bubble" economy in 1990 and an aging society, property prices have been on a nearly uninterrupted slide for 25 years. That has elicited interest from a small band of foreigners who are trying their hands at investing in an overseas market. (Wall Street Journal)

Japanese lawmakers have moved closer to fixing the nation's own "fiscal cliff", agreeing to pass a bond bill crucial to financing a huge chunk of this year's public spending, a report said Thursday. (AFP)

Japan's Suntory beverage behemoth has made 2012 the year of the Rolling Stones, with a Stones Bar series celebrating the anniversary and stirring up such boozy tributes to the band as Rolling Hop beer, Rolling Gold "bottled cocktail," and a Citrus Highball. (brandchannel.com)

Located in Kuwana City (Mie Prefecture) is Nabano No Sato, a flower-focused park featuring sprawling gardens and giant greenhouses. Running annually from mid November to mid March is one of Japan's finest Winter Illuminations, including the famous tunnel of light. (twistedsifter.com)

IHI Corp. on Wednesday unveiled to reporters its facility to test the cultivation of algae for biofuel in Yokohama. (Yomiuri)

Japanese stocks fell, with the Nikkei 225 (NKY) Stock Average heading for its longest losing streak in nine weeks, after exporters declined on a stronger yen and amid concern Greece's bailout will be delayed. (Bloomberg)

Consumers are advised not to purchase or use "Japan Hokkaido Slimming Weight Loss Pills", a product promoted for weight loss, as it contains a potentially lethal ingredient - Sibutramine, warns the FDA. (rttnews.com)

More than a year and a half after Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami, there's still more than 13 million tons of debris. ()

Police said Thursday they have made three further arrests in relation to the Roppongi club Studio Gate where a man was beaten to death by a group of masked men wielding baseball bats in September. (Japan Today)

A teacher pleaded not guilty Thursday to making false statements when he was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport wearing a bulletproof vest and with checked bags containing knives, a smoke grenade and other weapons. (montrealgazette.com)

Cash-rich Japanese banks are rushing into aircraft finance in the hope of getting fatter profit margins than straight corporate loans. (Reuters)

The world's second biggest steelmaker, created through the recent merger of Japan's Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal, has posted a $US3.9 billion ($A3.76 billion) combined net loss in its fiscal first half. (ninemsn.com.au)

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