News On Japan

Japan will ease visa requirements for Chinese travelers on May 8, the Foreign Ministry announced Friday. (Nikkei)

Police arrested four South Korean men on Friday for allegedly attempting to leave Japan at Fukuoka Airport carrying 735 million yen of undeclared cash, in violation of the customs law. (Jiji)

Moritomo Gakuen, a Japanese school operator at the center of a controversial state land deal, filed for court protection from creditors under the civil rehabilitation law on Friday. (Jiji)

On a day in early February that saw a dusting of snow, about 70 people from 11 countries visited Aizuwakamatsu in Fukushima Prefecture. The visitors - from countries including France, Spain and Italy - were participating in a tour organized by Tokyo-based travel agency Miki Tourist Co. (the-japan-news.com)

An event commemorating the 60th anniversary of the release of Nissan Motor Co.'s Skyline - the auto manufacturer's signature car - was held at Roppongi Hills in Minato Ward, Tokyo, on Thursday. (the-japan-news.com)

China and South Korea have criticized Japanese government leaders and parliament members for their actions relating to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine. (NHK)

Cherry blossoms are now in full bloom in Aomori City in the northernmost prefecture of Japan's main island of Honshu. (NHK)

Two Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers on Friday left the Sasebo base in Nagasaki Prefecture, southwestern Japan, for a possible joint exercise with the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, government sources said. (Jiji)

The 14-year-old shogi player who became the youngest-ever professional in Japan has defeated one of the game's top masters. (NHK)

On April 12, an electrician contracted by the municipal government of Usuki to service their public restrooms was startled when he saw a human-shaped shadow while installing a light. The contractor contacted the city which then sent some officials and police to the lavatory located in Usuki Park. (Japan Today)

A Kyoto-based Buddhist group with the largest number of followers in Japan is boosting its support to its member temples in other prefectures amid a shortage of incoming chief priests and a decline in danka (financial supporters). (Japan Times)

The first Japanese green tea picked this year has been sold for a record price in Shizuoka prefecture, home to many well-known tea brands. (NHK)

Department store chain Takashimaya has issued a warning to customers after a woman found a foreign object inside a shumai dumpling at its Yokohama outlet last week, reports NHK. (tokyoreporter.com)

Osaka Prefectural Police have arrested a city councillor for allegedly bringing a knife to the office of Asahi Broadcasting to take his life in lodging a protest, reports the NHK (tokyoreporter.com)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday reiterated his determination to resolve the issue of North Korea's past abductions of Japanese nationals, with concerns lingering over the safety of the abductees amid tension on the Korean Peninsula. (Japan Today)

Six aircraft from the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force's aerobatic flight team, Blue Impulse, flew over Kumamoto Castle on Sunday. (NHK　)

The Ground Self-Defense Force's 14th Brigade rumbled through the city of Zentsuji, Kagawa Prefecture, on Sunday during a rare parade replete with combat vehicles. (Japan Times)

In Aichi Prefecture, the nation's top producing region of jump ropes, efforts are being made to promote the sport at home and abroad. (Japan Times)

A woman died after her husband assaulted her at their home in Higashi-Osaka City on Saturday, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun. (tokyoreporter.com)

Toshiba announced on Monday that it will split up its four main businesses into separate wholly owned subsidiaries. The spinoffs will begin in July and 19,000 employees will be transferred to the new companies. (Nikkei)

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