News On Japan

Officials with Japan's government ministries are set to demand more than 100-trillion-yen, or over 960 billion dollars, for the 2015 fiscal budget. (NHK)

Japanese health authorities have reported the first locally transmitted case of dengue fever in the country in nearly 70 years. (Japan Today)

Japanese authorities on Wednesday raided stores believed to sell dangerous quasi-legal drugs in Tokyo and three other major prefectures across the country. (Jiji Press)

Japan Airlines will order the regional jet Mitsubishi Aircraft is readying for commercialization in 2017, with plans to cut fuel costs by replacing its old domestic fleet with the energy efficient aircraft. (Nikkei)

The National Police Agency and Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications plan to assign an extra 3,000 officers over the next three years to deal with stalking and bank transfer fraud cases which are increasing. (Japan Today)

Women who eat instant noodles, like Ramen, at least two times a week face a greater risk of high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar and high cholesterol, U.S. researchers say. (Japan Today)

Line, provider of a popular free chat app, is throwing its hat in the red-hot online shopping market, betting that its vast domestic user base will make it a formidable presence in a field dominated by three industry titans: Rakuten, Amazon Japan and Yahoo. (Nikkei)

Is it fate that hands to newly elevated women CEOs problem-plagued and accident prone companies? The women who now lead GM, Yahoo, Ebay, and IBM might have asked themselves this question. (Forbes)

Pop singer ASKA, of the duo CHAGE and ASKA, will go on trial on Thursday at the Tokyo District Court on charges of possession and usage of the illegal stimulant drug MDMA. (Japan Today)

In an effort to expand upon the "Cool Japan" initiative, a program intended to broaden foreign tourists' knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and industries, a committee of specialists has submitted a proposal that includes establishing "special English zones" in large cities where English would be one of the officially spoken languages. (Japan Today)

Japanese shares fell, with the Topix (TPX) index extending its weekly loss, as the yen headed for a second day of gains and steel companies slid. (businessweek.com)

Online retail giant Amazon Japan introduced a new system this summer to rank book publishers, a decision that has not gone down well with its business partners. (Asahi)

A new islet created by volcanic activity in the Ogasawara chain south of Tokyo could be in danger of blowing up, the Japan Coast Guard says. (Asahi)

Foreign tourists as well as Japanese travelers headed for international destinations will be able to start their duty-free shopping in central Tokyo from next year. (Asahi)

A 24-year-old multimillionaire who fathered 15 children via surrogacy in Thailand will likely be able to take them from the country. (ABC)

Police are investigating the stabbing of a guide dog in Saitama Prefecture near Tokyo in July during its owner's commute to work, investigators said Thursday. (Kyodo)

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party will discuss regulating noisy demonstrations and campaigns held on streets around the parliament building as well as those with racist rhetoric anywhere in the country, according to its project team which held its first meeting Thursday. (Kyodo)

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and new South Korean Ambassador to Japan Yoo Heung-soo agreed Thursday to work together to build a stable and future-oriented relationship between their countries. (Jiji Press)

Tokyo police are likely to effectively conclude their investigation into Ghana's ambassador to Japan, who is suspected of being involved in illegal gambling operations. (NHK)

More Japanese companies are taking advantage of ultralow long-term interest rates to issue bonds carrying rock-bottom costs. (Nikkei)

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