News On Japan

The Metropolitan Police Department has arrested the husband of Ai Kago, an ex-member of all-girl J-pop idol group Morning Musume, for allegedly assaulting and injuring her, investigative sources said Tuesday. (Japan Times)

Parliament passed a bill on Wednesday that removes the control Defense Ministry bureaucrats have had over the uniformed personnel of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, amid criticism that the change will weaken the nation's civilian control over the defense apparatus. (Kyodo)

Japan's seasonally adjusted core machinery orders in April rose 3.8 pct from the previous month, the Cabinet Office said Wednesday. (Jiji Press)

Japan's Nikkei share average fell to a three-week low on Wednesday and suffered its fourth consecutive losing session as the yen surged following comments from Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda. (economictimes)

The Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry has fallen victim to a cyber-attack. Officials say hackers may have stolen more than 12,000 pieces of data, including names, addresses and phone numbers of member firms. (NHK)

A 23-year-old student from China who attends the prestigious University of Tokyo is now looking for a job in Japan. (Japan Times)

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is considering a project to send an unmanned probe to Mars to bring back substances from one of its moons, the organization reported to a government subcommittee on Tuesday. (The Japan News)

More than 30 percent of public middle and primary schools have introduced newspapers at their libraries as of May last year, according to an education ministry survey. (The Japan News)

From South Korea to Indonesia and India, monetary authorities are preparing to let their currencies weaken as a falling Japanese yen makes their economies uncompetitive, and drags them into what some policymakers are calling a "currency war." (The Japan News)

The police have arrested five men on suspicion of selling "dangerous," or quasi-legal, drugs via the Internet, it was learned Wednesday. (The Japan News)

Tokio Marine Holdings Inc. said Wednesday it is buying HCC Insurance Holdings Inc. of the United States for around $7.5 billion, making it the largest overseas acquisition by a Japanese insurance company. (Kyodo)

Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attended a memorial service on Wednesday to mourn sailors who died during World War II, in the year that marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the war. (Jiji Press)

Moves to revitalize sento public baths are on the rise, with special services being offered for runners and facilities being upgraded to draw a younger crowd. (The Japan News)

Light shows and pirate rides helped Hideo Sawada pull a bankrupt theme park in Kyushu back to profitability. (Japan Times)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Wednesday announced the raid of a pachinko parlor operating illegally in Sumida Ward, reports TBS News (June 10). (Tokyo Reporter)

A government panel on Wednesday adopted the outline of basic policies for economic and fiscal management and reform, which sets a target of cutting the primary balance deficit to about 1 percent of gross domestic product by the end of fiscal 2018. (The Japan News)

When Tokyo's Shibuya Ward announced in March that it would start issuing same-sex marriage certificates to gay and lesbian couples, much of Japan - and in particular, its LGBT community - stood up and took notice. (Japan Times)

Authorities in central Japan have had a team check areas near the top of Mount Ontake before possibly resuming a search for people who went missing when it erupted last year. (NHK)

Police in Tokyo on Wednesday arrested a 16-year-old boy who threw full 2-liter PET bottles of water from a high-rise apartment building in Tokyo's Chuo Ward onto pedestrians below. (Japan Today)

In Japan, with its well-publicised decline in marriage and birth rates, the existence of middle-aged virgins is so prevalent that a specific term - "yaramiso" - has been coined to refer to them. (independent.ie)

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