News On Japan

The return rush from the New Year's holidays continued to peak Saturday as people coming back from hometowns or vacation spots swamped airports, highways and train stations nationwide. (Japan Times)

A giant bluefin tuna sold at a Japanese auction on Sunday for less than five percent of the record-breaking sum paid last year amid concerns over soaring prices for the prized delicacy. (AFP)

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel Saturday called on Japan to improve relations with its Asian neighbors. (Jiji Press)

The minimum costs for investment in stocks listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's first section averaged 324,000 yen as of the end of 2013, a tally by Jiji Press shows. (Jiji Press)

The communications ministry and the education ministry will test a new system in which students will be able to access teaching materials on the Internet using tablet computers and other electronic devices both at home and at school, beginning in late fiscal 2014, ministry sources said. (The Japan News)

A five-year-old boy died after he was hit by a train in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, on Sunday morning. (Japan Today)

Police said Sunday that 40 parked cars had their tires punctured, windows broken or yellow paint splashed on them in Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Prefecture. (Japan Today)

South Korean President Park Geun-hye expressed regret Monday over Japan's recent moves to "deny" its imperialist past, saying they are spoiling the atmosphere for expanding bilateral cooperation. (Global Post)

A new Tokyo stock index with more focus on capital efficiency debuted Monday, setting an initial quote of 11,728.21, compared with its standard value of 10,000 calculated based on its components' share prices as of Aug. 30 last year. (Kyodo)

Suspects have been nearly identified in last month's shooting incident in Ecuador that left a Japanese man dead and his wife seriously injured, interior minister Jose Serrano indicated Sunday. (Jiji Press)

The number of deaths from traffic accidents in Japan totaled 4,373 in 2013, down 0.9 pct from the previous year and falling for the 13th straight year, police data showed Monday. (Jiji Press)

Tokyo firefighters on Monday staged a drill showcasing their traditional skills, in preparation for a possible major earthquake. (NHK)

Monday is the launch day for tax-free individual investment accounts in Japan. Account holders will not have to pay taxes on capital gains and dividends from annual investments of up to 1 million yen, or about 9,500 dollars. (NHK)

Tony Abbott has been urged to lodge a formal protest with Japan after activists said they chased the Japanese whaling fleet from a designated whale sanctuary in the Southern Ocean. (The Guardian)

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell 2.3 per cent Monday on the first trading day of 2014 as investors sold stocks to lock in quick profits after a year-end rally. (Business Line)

A computer at the offline Monju experimental nuclear reactor complex in central Japan was found to be infected with a virus, a source close to the project said Monday. (Kyodo)

After years of being overshadowed at home and practically unheard of overseas, Japan's whisky distilleries are expanding capacity as their malts become serious contenders against Scottish and Irish brands. (Reuters)

The diplomatic bickering between Japan and China has descended into name-calling in the British press, with claim and counter-claim by the countries' ambassadors invoking the fictional evil wizard of the Harry Potter series, Lord Voldemort. (Express Tribune)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed his eagerness on Monday to hold summit talks with Chinese and South Korean leaders in a bid to mend soured bilateral relationships. (The Japan News)

The Japanese Ambassador to Burma, together with influential Japanese charity the Nippon Foundation, announced on Monday that Tokyo plans to spend US $96 million in the next five years in order to improve living standards and promote peace in Burma's war-torn ethnic areas. (irrawaddy.org)

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