News On Japan

Russian President Vladimir Putin will arrive in Japan on Thursday for summit talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. They will meet in Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture in western Japan, in the afternoon and in Tokyo on Friday. (NHK)

The Japanese government will issue an additional 1.8 trillion yen ($15.2 billion) of bonds this fiscal year to make up for a shortfall in tax revenue and to help pay for a third extra budget, government sources said Thursday. (Kyodo)

Japan's Self-Defense Forces on Thursday partially opened to the media for the first time ongoing exercises aimed at protecting Japanese citizens overseas. (Japan Today)

A private Japanese company will team up with the country's space agency to jointly explore the possibility of resource development on the lunar surface. (NHK)

Japanese elementary and junior high school girls posted their highest average scores ever in government-sponsored physical fitness tests for fiscal 2016, the Japan Sports Agency said Thursday. (Jiji)

The National Police Agency is set to renew Japan's stop and slow down signs by adding English words to the current designs, ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, according to sources. (the-japan-news.com)

Japan will host Australia on Nov. 4, 2017, in a landmark test match, the Japan Rugby Football Union and Australian Rugby Union jointly announced Thursday. (Japan Times)

Tokyo police are investigating whether there is an extensive drug-smuggling network behind last month's arrest of a Taiwanese man. (NHK)

Japan's National Police Agency plans to carry out a full-scale investigation nationwide in fiscal 2017 into so-called JK businesses, in which high school girls offer massage, dating and other services in school uniforms or swimming suits. (Jiji)

A middle school boy who fled Fukushima Prefecture following the nuclear disaster five years ago was assaulted and told "Fukushima people are idiots" by his classmates, a lawyer handling his case said on Wednesday. (tokyoreporter.com)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to seek a special system to conduct joint economic activity on Russian-controlled islands claimed by Japan. (NHK)

Expectations are running high among entertainment and some other businesses following Thursday's enactment of a so-called integrated resort promotion bill to legalize casinos in Japan. (Jiji)

After a magnitude 7 earthquake struck the southern Kyushu area in April 2016, it was clear that once initial recovery efforts had been completed, it would be necessary to tell the rest of the country - and the world - that Kyushu was open for business and waiting for all with open arms. (Japan Today)

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said Friday that she has decided to accept the initial plan to build Ariake Arena in the Japanese capital's Koto Ward as the venue for volleyball matches in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. (Jiji)

The Akita, a large breed of dog originating from Japan, is rapidly gaining in popularity in Russia, after President Vladimir Putin's pet dog sent as a gift from Japan in 2012 came under the spotlight. (Jiji)

A Japanese pop singer who was stabbed by a fan in May has recounted her horror, and her deep mistrust of the police. (NHK)

The dead body of a newborn baby girl was found on a shrine's grounds in Gifu city, police said Friday. (Japan Today)

An Aichi man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of repeatedly dipping his finger into a stew server at a convenience store and posting a video of the act on the internet, police said. (Japan Times)

Police in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, have arrested a 36-year-old man on a charge of obstruction of business after he jumped onto the tracks and crawled under a train on Thursday. (Japan Today)

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