News On Japan

Police in Kakogawa City, Hyogo Prefecture, said the body of a woman found on a sandbar in the Kakogawa River on Dec 12 has been identified as that of Mashiro Oyama, a 20-year-old part-time employee who lived in Fukita City, Osaka Prefecture. (Japan Today)

Toshiba Corp. is considering slashing several thousand jobs in Japan and abroad as the scandal-hit industrial conglomerate aims to restructure its loss-making personal computer, television, and white goods businesses, sources close to the matter said Tuesday. (Kyodo)

The Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games on Tuesday began the first-round selection of designs for new emblems for the 2020 Games. (Jiji Press)

Japanese officials are planning to launch a task force to address the threat of multiple-drug-resistant bacteria infections. (NHK)

An NHK poll has found that more than 70 percent of Japanese think the country is unprepared for major acts of terrorism, such as the attacks in Paris last month. (NHK)

The government and ruling parties plan to exempt delivery and takeout foods from the upcoming consumption tax hike, senior coalition members said Tuesday. (Japan Times)

Red-crowned cranes, designated a special national treasure, were given a brief period of freedom on Dec. 13, offering visitors a rare glimpse of the endangered species. (Asahi)

Tattooed guests used to be denied a dip in a public bath due to the longtime practice among operators of bathhouses and traditional "ryokan" inns of banning those with body art. (Asahi)

It was an offer they could refuse - but it is also being called an infringement upon basic freedoms. (Tokyo Reporter)

The kanji an, which denotes safety or peace, best symbolizes the national mood in 2015, a Kyoto-based kanji promotion organization said Tuesday. (Japan Times)

The Justice Ministry said Tuesday it will station an additional 57 immigration officers at two airports in an emergency response to a rising number of foreign visitors. (the-japan-news.com)

Yahoo Japan will purchase travel website operator Ikyu for about 100 billion yen ($818 million), hoping to bolster its own online booking business as it adapts to the shifting digital landscape. (Nikkei)

There seem to be few dull moments in the life of first lady Akie Abe, who sometimes spends her time hosting a web-based talk show, harvesting honey from a bee farm and even paying occasional visits to the contentious Yasukuni Shrine. (wsj.com)

SAN FRANCISCO - A federal judge Monday dismissed a class action accusing six companies of helping the Japanese Empire force Korean women into sexual slavery during World War II. (courthousenews.com)

A total of 618 children have fallen ill with an outbreak of food poisoning at 13 kindergartens and nursery schools in Aichi Prefecture, according to the prefectural government. (the-japan-news.com)

A government panel decided Tuesday to designate the city of Chiba as a special zone for drones to deliver daily necessities. (the-japan-news.com)

Japan Airlines says it will suspend flights between Narita and Paris for about 2 months because the number of passengers has plunged since the November terrorist attacks. (NHK)

Four planets discovered by a Japanese astronomer have been given names proposed from Japan. (NHK)

A man sentenced to life over a high-profile yami saito (darkness website) murder case in 2007 has now been sentenced to death for a different slaying committed nine years earlier. (Japan Times)

One in six Japanese are living in poverty with tens of thousands sleeping on the streets. (LiveLeak)

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