News On Japan

Prosecutors have questioned a former secretary to House of Representatives lawmaker Yuko Obuchi over a political funds scandal involving Obuchi, informed sources said Wednesday. (Jiji Press)

Skymark Airlines is expected to post a parent-only net loss of more than 10 billion yen ($91 million) for the year ending March 2015, battered by stiff competition with low-cost carriers and higher fuel costs. (Nikkei)

The Fukuoka Softbank Hawks celebrated like they'd won a championship after Akira Nakamura's home run cleared the fence and ended Game 4 of the Japan Series. (Japan Times)

Online shopping mall operator Rakuten Inc. said Wednesday that its telecommunications unit Fusion Communications Corp. will launch a low-cost smartphone service. (The Japan News)

Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Wednesday he had a "nice meeting" with Chinese President Xi Jinping, less than two weeks ahead of a gathering of Asia-Pacific leaders in Beijing where there is a window of opportunity for the two countries to thaw icy relations. (Kyodo)

In spite of a recent fall in organized crime membership, Fukuoka Prefectural Police on Monday released a manga comic to discourage participation in yakuza gangs, reports the Nishi Nippon Shimbun (Oct. 27). (Tokyo Reporter)

Two years after Hayabusa's challenging but successful return to Earth carrying samples from the Itokawa asteroid, its successor is scheduled to be launched next month to carry out a new mission. (The Japan News)

Japan's Crown Princess Masako attended a banquet for visiting Dutch royals on Wednesday in her first such appearance since developing a stress-related illness more than a decade ago. (abcnews.go.com)

Tokyo prosecutors are searching the house of a former aide to Lower House member Yuko Obuchi over the recent political funds scandal. The scandal drove Obuchi from her post as Economy, Trade and Industry Minister. (NHK)

A 25-year-old man who works as a host at a club in Tokyo's Kabukicho district has been arrested for trying to extort 3 million yen from his girlfriend by threatening her. (Japan Today)

Four candidates have launched their campaigns to become the next governor of Okinawa. They're expected to focus on the debate over a US base relocation plan in Japan's southernmost prefecture. (NHK)

Tokyo stocks rose 0.67 percent on Thursday after the dollar hit a three-week high against the yen in response to the US Federal Reserve's decision to bring an end to its stimulus programme. (brecorder.com)

Police in Komae City, Tokyo, on Thursday questioned the owner of a beauty salon over the murder of the salon manager whose body was found on the premises. (Japan Today)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Thursday announced the bust of a risque bar in Machida City for licensing violations, reports Jiji Press (Oct. 30). (Tokyo Reporter)

Japanese eel farmers established a farming control organization on Thursday to strengthen the management of stocks of the endangered Japanese eel. (Jiji Press)

Countries have agreed on a sharp cut in the catch of bluefin tuna in the Eastern Pacific starting in 2015. A similar agreement on the fish was reached earlier for other parts of the Pacific Ocean. (NHK)

A Japanese team says it plans to sell heart muscle cells made from induced pluripotent stem, or iPS, cells, to test new medicines. (NHK)

The University of Tokyo came in 24th in the top 500 global university rankings compiled recently by U.S. News and World Report magazine. (The Japan News)

A "magic" wearable device was showcased at Omotesando Hills in Tokyo on Wednesday to celebrate its arrival in Japan. (Japan Times)

The family of injured Formula One driver Jules Bianchi said Thursday he is still in critical condition but stable one month after his crash at the Japanese Grand Prix. (Japan Today)

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