News On Japan

As tourists visit Japan in increasing numbers, mobile phone operators are moving to tap the market by providing better Wi-Fi services. (Japan Times)

The distraught mother of a Japanese journalist held captive by the Islamic State group made an eleventh-hour plea for her son's safe release Friday morning. (Japan Times)

Yokozuna Hakuho won his 33rd career championship on Friday with two days to spare at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament, surpassing the record of 32 titles he shared with sumo legend Taiho. (Japan Times)

The presumed 72-hour deadline for paying the exorbitant ransom demanded by the Islamic State group apparently expired at 2:50 p.m. Friday without any hint about what would happen to the two Japanese hostages in its grasp. (Japan Times)

A video of one of the Japanese men apparently taken captive by the Islamic State militant group appeared online late on Saturday, Japan time. (NHK)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has condemned the apparent execution of one of 2 Japanese men held captive by the Islamic State militant group. (NHK)

With his record-setting 33rd Emperor's Cup already in the bag, yokozuna Hakuho added a perfect 15-0 finish to his accomplishments on the final day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on Jan. 25. (Asahi)

Amazon Japan is "fully cooperating" with a police investigation into possible sales of child pornography, the local unit of Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) said in an e-mailed statement. (Bloomberg)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Sunday it is highly likely that an image purporting to show that one of the two Japanese hostages being held by a group believed to be Islamic State has been killed is authentic. (Kyodo)

Police in Chiba said Saturday they have arrested a 57-year-old man on suspicion of poking a needle into bread at a convenience store on Jan 14. (Japan Today)

Police in Sukumo, Kochi Prefecture, said Monday they have arrested a 95-year-old man on suspicion of killing his 88-year-old wife by hitting her with a cane. (Japan Today)

A 26-year-old Osaka policeman was arrested Sunday on suspicion of murdering his 23-year-old girlfriend. (Japan Today)

Across Japan, numerous temples and shrines are undergoing preparations for the start of spring, with the flowering of the plum trees in February being a major date in the nation's calendar. (insidejapantours.com)

The Islamic State beheaded one of the two Japanese citizens it has been holding, but signaled a potential willingness to negotiate over the fate of the other one - offering a tiny sliver of hope to a Japan reeling from shock and grief. (foreignpolicy.com)

Two children were killed after the car they were riding in with their mother was hit by a train at a railway crossing in Aomori City. (Japan Today)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Monday the arrest of a former organized crime member for the sale of stimulant drugs to musician Aska two years ago, reports Nippon News Network (Jan. 26). (Tokyo Reporter)

Social media users around the world have deluged a special Facebook page calling for the safety of Japanese hostage Kenji Goto, who is being held captive by the Islamic State extremist group, with selfies proclaiming "I AM KENJI." (Asahi)

Japan logged a customs-cleared trade deficit of 660.7 billion yen in December, much smaller than the year-before deficit of 1,307.2 billion yen, the Ministry of Finance said Monday. (Jiji Press)

Japanese stocks pulled back on Monday as investors worried about Greece remaining in the eurozone after an anti-austerity party won Sunday's election. (morningstar.com)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday called the killing of a Japanese captive by Islamic State militants "outrageous" and again demanded the group release a second Japanese national they are holding. (Reuters)

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