News On Japan

Japanese government officials have marked Takeshima Day in a ceremony held in western Japan's Shimane Prefecture. (NHK)

Municipalities that have been protecting deer populations as a tourism resource or natural asset are now increasingly struggling with how to manage overpopulation of the animals. (the-japan-news.com)

The government's Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion newly added 16 faults to a list of major active fault zones in which a magnitude-7 or larger earthquake could occur. (the-japan-news.com)

Crown Prince Naruhito has used the occasion of his 57th birthday to express his readiness to ascend the throne as Emperor Akihito is expected to abdicate as soon as next year. (Japan Times)

Five Japanese companies have teamed up to re-create legendary comic book robot Astro Boy in toy form. The product marks the 90th anniversary of the birth of comic and animation master Osamu Tezuka. (NHK)

After teasing us with a behind-the-scenes trailer showing Piko Taro with Canadian singer Justin Bieber on the set of their new SoftBank commercial, the telecommunications provider finally made the big reveal last week, by releasing several of the ads on their official YouTube channel. (rocketnews24.com)

South Korea's Foreign Minister, Yun Byung-se, has urged the local government of Busan to work to relocate a statue symbolizing those referred to as comfort women. (NHK)

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, at a parliamentary meeting on Wednesday, revealed a plan to deploy a new military division to the Kuril Islands, including four islands at the center of a dispute with Japan, this year, according to Russia's Interfax news agency and other sources. (Jiji)

ANA Holdings plans to spend roughly 100 billion yen ($890 million) to raise its interest in budget carrier Peach Aviation to 67%. (Nikkei)

Japan cruised past Kazakhstan 17-0 in the women's curling bronze-medal match on Thursday at the Asian Winter Games. (Japan Times)

Japanese officials are testing a smart card system that would allow shops and other tourism-related companies to tailor their services to individual foreign travelers. (NHK)

Nissan Motor Co. said Carlos Ghosn will step aside as CEO after leading the firm for 16 years, allowing him to concentrate on deploying his cost-cutting expertise across its alliance with Renault SA and newly added Mitsubishi Motors Corp. (the-japan-news.com)

Prosecutors on Thursday sought a 17-year prison sentence for a 28-year-old man charged with repeatedly stabbing a pop idol after she rejected his gifts. (Japan Times)

The head of Japan's Board of Audit says the agency will review the sale of state-owned land to a school operator for just 14 percent of the appraised value. (NHK)

A Japanese railway operator has unveiled a luxury sleeper train. Operation of Twilight Express Mizukaze will begin in June. (NHK)

A new much-awaited long novel by Haruki Murakami has gone on sale. "Killing Commendatore" went up on shelves late Thursday. (NHK)

A 12-year-old boy caused a deadly auto accident in Okinawa earlier this month while driving a motorcycle under the influence of alcohol, leaving one teenage passenger dead and another injured, police said Thursday. (Japan Today)

Smoke emerged at a service building of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture on Thursday but it quickly dissipated after a firefighting effort by workers, its operator said. (Japan Times)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Friday that his wife Akie has resigned as honorary principal of a soon-to-open elementary school whose nationalist operator bought state-owned land at far below appraised value. (Kyodo)

Corporate workers in Japan were divided in their responses to the start on Friday of the public-private "Premium Friday" campaign encouraging people to leave work early on the last Friday of each month. (Jiji)

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