News On Japan

Fourteen people were taken to hospital after being sickened by carbon monoxide at a restaurant in Seto, Aichi Prefecture, police said Sunday. (Japan Today)

Tours of the Diet Building have not lost any of their popularity, with visitors this year expected to exceed 900,000 for the third consecutive year. One reason for this popularity may be that the tours are free. (The Japan News)

A landslide caused by torrential rain has killed 2 women on a small island off Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido. (NHK)

The number of young people in Fukushima Prefecture who have been diagnosed with definitive or suspected thyroid gland cancer, a disease often caused by radiation exposure, now totals 104, according to prefectural officials. (Asahi)

Tokyo stocks closed up 0.48 percent on Monday as investors welcomed the dollar's rise following US Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen's defence of the central bank's monetary policy. (thepeninsulaqatar.com)

Thai police said Monday (Aug 25) they have questioned five women who were paid up to US$12,500 each by a Japanese man known to them as "Jack" to act as surrogate mothers. The case emerged after nine babies were found with nannies in a Bangkok apartment. (channelnewsasia.com)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday pledged full support for victims of last week's massive landslides in Hiroshima, as he made his first visit since the disaster to the city. (Japan Today)

A group of Japanese porn actresses are preparing to have their breasts squeezed by fans for 24 hours this weekend for a charity event whose name loosely translates as "Boob Aid." (Daily Star)

Regional disparities are narrowing in the academic achievements of final-year students at elementary and junior high schools in Japan, reflecting significant performance improvements in low-ranking prefectures, recent national examinations revealed Monday. (Jiji Press)

Yokohama Marinos president Akira Kaetsu apologized profusely on Monday after one of the club's fans waved a banana at Kawasaki Frontale's Brazilian striker Renato on Saturday, describing the act as 'unforgivable'. (Japan Today)

Demand for Y1 coins has remained sluggish despite an expected increase in demand after the consumption tax hike in April, as more and more people are using electronic payment systems. (The Japan News)

Japan plans to require from as early as next fiscal year individuals wishing to open bank accounts to show photo identification in a move against money laundering. (Nikkei)

A government survey has revealed that nearly half of third graders at junior high schools in Japan spend one hour or more per day using smartphones, with over 10 pct spending four hours or more. (Jiji Press)

Police in Hachioji, Tokyo, said Monday they have arrested a 19-year-old man over the hit-and-run death of a 22-year-old postgraduate student on Saturday night. (Japan Today)

Toyota Motor Corp. is bringing back the Land Cruiser 70 in Japan, catering to nostalgic demand for the rugged off-roader that's favored for challenging terrains and as an aid agency vehicle in disaster zones. (The Japan News)

A man committed suicide after apparently killing his parents at their home in Kasukabe, Saitama prefecture, police said Monday. (Japan Today)

One in six children live in poverty in Japan, supposedly one of the most prosperous countries in the world. (The Japan News)

Japan said Monday it is ready to provide a Japanese-developed anti-influenza drug as a possible treatment for the rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak. (newstimes.com)

Sony Corp's PlayStation Network was back online on Monday following a cyber attack that took it down over the weekend, which coincided with a bomb scare on a commercial flight carrying a top Sony executive in the United States. (Reuters)

Japan's Fisheries Agency plans to introduce a warning system in 2015 to prevent the overfishing of bluefin tuna in waters around the country, officials said Monday. (Jiji Press)

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