News On Japan

A 4-month-old baby boy has been found dead with a fractured skull at an unlicensed nursery in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, prompting police to launch an investigation. (Japan Times)

A district court ruled Thursday that the 50-year-old second son of Ho Jong Man, head of the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, or Chongryon, is guilty of illegally importing matsutake mushrooms from North Korea to Japan. (the-japan-news.com)

Lawmakers in Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party are considering partially exempting processed food from a consumption tax hike. (NHK)

A bamboo grove's shimmering beauty is highlighted in all its glory as Kyoto's Arashiyama district prepared for a special season of illuminated evening openings of its famed attractions. (Asahi)

Over the summer, Tokyo police accused Hisa Takahasi, the 52-year-old manager of Idol Academy Star Pro, located in the Akihabara shopping district, of employing women to wear costumes and pose such that their underwear was visible in front of a one-way mirror for a room of male customers. (Tokyo Reporter)

Heavy rain and strong wind hit Japan's western and eastern regions Friday morning, due to a low pressure system connected with fronts traveling northeast along the country's Pacific coast. (Jiji Press)

Part of an LED decoration at a festival of light in Kobe City, western Japan, has been damaged by strong wind. (NHK)

The Kyoto Prefectural Police are taking action against at least seven men who allegedly photographed up the skirts of children, teenagers and women visiting Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto this fall. (Japan Times)

The advent of the Apple Watch has led to a ban on all wristwatches worn by students taking the Kyoto University entrance exam in February, the institution announced Dec. 10. (Asahi)

The concentration of radioactive materials in water in an underground duct at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant soared 4,000 times from a year ago, Tokyo Electric Power Co. said. (Asahi)

Construction plans for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics' main stadium will be released on Monday by companies bidding to build the Games centerpiece, Olympics minister Toshiaki Endo revealed Friday. (Japan Today)

"Imakoso Ikitai! Shinjuku Golden-gai" (literally, "Now is the time to go to Shinjuku Golden-gai!"), a guidebook on the Shinjuku Golden-gai area in Kabukicho, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, has been released by H14, Inc. (the-japan-news.com)

Japan's ruling parties failed to reach a final agreement Friday over which food items to exempt from the consumption tax hike in April 2017 to ease the burden on low-income earners, with marathon talks expected to continue over the weekend. (Japan Today)

Eyewear-maker Jin Co., which offers low-price glasses under the brand name Jins, aims to expand its business overseas amid a shrinking domestic market, CEO Hitoshi Tanaka said Friday. (Japan Times)

An independent panel promoting ethical standards in broadcasting said Friday a documentary aired by Japan Broadcasting Corp (NHK) last year that reportedly included a fake interview presents "grave problems" in terms of broadcasting ethics and urged the public broadcaster to abide by a code of ethics. (Japan Today)

Tokyo police say the South Korean man arrested in connection with last month's explosion at Yasukuni Shrine had items similar to the components of a suspicious object found at the shrine. (NHK)

Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui and two colleagues working at the International Space Station returned to Earth on Friday evening after completing their nearly five-month missions. (Kyodo)

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has announced plans to set up a financial scheme totaling about 12.3 billion dollars to help Japanese firms do business in India. (NHK)

While Japan is slowly coming to realize its need to address human rights issues for sexual minorities, with a few municipalities moving to recognize same-sex couples as legitimate, the change is giving some local assembly members a sense of crisis. (Japan Today)

Schoolgirls in Japan this year scored the highest average mark on record in nationwide physical performance tests that began in 2008, the Sports Agency said Friday. (Jiji Press)

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