News On Japan

Since 2010, the Bimajo Contest beauty pageant has been challenging the idea that if you're old enough to have graduated from college you're just about too old to be considered beautiful. (rocketnews24.com)

Gen Nakatani, the only new face in Shinzo Abe's post-election cabinet, has his work cut out for him as defense chief amid disagreement in the ruling coalition over the prime minister's vision for national security. (Nikkei)

Police in Yamagata City said Wednesday they have arrested a 60-year-old high school teacher arrested over a fatal hit-and-run case. (Japan Today)

A 74-year-old man was found dead on the ground outside a cabin beside his home in Yokote, Akita Prefecture, after he apparently fell from the roof while clearing snow. (Japan Today)

A 12-year-old junior high school girl remained in a serious condition in hospital on Thursday after she was hit by a car in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture. (Japan Today)

A court in the Chinese province of Jiangsu has sentenced a 45-year-old Japanese man to death for transporting illegal drugs for sale, a source close to Japan-China relations said Thursday. (Japan Times)

Although the continuing eruption of Mount Aso is hurting tourism, including the cancellation of accommodations in the surrounding area, local businesses are trying to lure visitors back, even promoting the view of the smoking mountain. (Asahi)

The Japanese government and ruling coalition decided Thursday to increase classifications for tax breaks for eco-friendly vehicles and introduce stricter fuel economy standards, in a bid to secure tax revenue growth. (Jiji Press)

The number of foreigners who applied for refugee status in Japan in 2014 exceeded 4,000 for the first time, even though the country provided asylum to only six applicants the previous year. (Asahi)

Fuji Heavy Industries, the maker of Subaru brand cars and SUVs, has scrapped a plan to shift production of the new XV Crosstrek to its U.S. plant in Indiana and will instead make the crossover SUV in Japan, a source familiar with the company's production plans said. (Japan Today)

Japan fell to 19th in dollar-denominated per capita nominal gross domestic product in 2013 among 34 member economies of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, down from 13th in the previous year, the Cabinet Office said Thursday. (Jiji Press)

A RIKEN committee has concluded that stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency (STAP) cells were most likely embryonic stem (ES) cells, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned. (The Japan News)

Moves are afoot to restrict climbing on Mount Fuji as part of efforts to preserve the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. (Asahi)

While Japanese cool hunters might lament the lack of pop cultural exports in recent years - all the more conspicuous when compared to K-Pop's successful forays westward - kawaii (cute) culture has quietly permeated into global consciousness with all the effortless grace of singer Kyary Pamyu Pamyu farting out a rainbow. (Japan Times)

Sony Corp. was considering the sale of its music publishing business, including a partnership with Michael Jackson's estate, which owns the Beatles catalog, as recently as last month, emails released by hackers show. (Japan Times)

A 45-year-old woman was stabbed by another woman at the entrance to her home in Minoo, Osaka Prefecture, on Thursday morning. (Japan Today)

A 41-year-old man, who was arrested in August for abusing his 14-year-old stepson, on Thursday denied coercing the boy to commit suicide. (Japan Today)

A record high 263 patients are suffering from streptococcal toxic shock-like syndrome (STSS), a deadly infection that causes necrosis in limbs and a consciousness disorder, as of mid-December, according to a survey that began in 1999. (The Japan News)

A high school boy from Saitama Prefecture created some 8,000 Twitter accounts to participate in a lottery over the Internet and won some 70 bottles of an energy drink, it was learned Friday. (Japan Times)

Japan Post has officially announced a plan to simultaneously list its holding company and 2 financial units on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The listing could take place as early as the latter half of next year. (NHK)

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