News On Japan

Wasabi and Okinawan sweet potato may not be everyone's preferred type of Kit Kat but booming demand for exotic flavours in Japan has prompted bar-maker Nestle to open a new factory. (Japan Today)

A Japanese startup firm has given news reporters a look at a rocket that will be launched on Saturday. It is the first rocket built in Japan without assistance from the government. (NHK)

One woman fell into a coma and 13 others were injured Wednesday night after a passenger boat rammed into a facility of Kobe Airport in Hyogo Prefecture in western Japan, firefighters said. (Japan Today)

The head of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force is expected to resign over cover-up allegations involving peacekeepers in South Sudan, dealing another blow to scandal-plagued Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. (Nikkei)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested an 83-year-old man who has a reputation for picking people’s pockets at large events, reports TBS News (tokyoreporter.com)

Four of six Japanese nationals detained in China in March for their suspected involvement in unspecified "illegal activities" are now back in Japan after having been released, Japan's top government spokesman said Thursday. (Japan Times)

Democratic Party leader Renho announced Thursday she will step down as the head of the nation’s largest opposition force, saying she didn’t have the leadership ability to maintain party unity in the wake of its crushing defeat in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election earlier this month. (Japan Times)

Police in Tokyo are questioning Japanese actress Mariko Ishihara, 53, on suspicion of stealing a bento (boxed lunch) and several food items from a convenience store in Tokyo. (Japan Today)

On July 27 - unofficially, Watermelon Day - in Japan, many people, including some famous figures, made online posts about the popular summer fruit. (Kyodo)

Raising wage levels will ensure that the economy breaks free from deflation and working conditions for non-regular workers improve. To accomplish these goals, we want the government to swiftly create an environment in which increases in the minimum wage can be steadily continued. (the-japan-news.com)

The Consumer Affairs Agency ordered Softbank Group Corp. on Thursday to take preventive measures after it ran dishonest online advertisements for Apple Watch smartwatches in violation of the law against misleading representation. (Japan Times)

Japan's Environment Ministry says it has received a report of the country's first case of an injury caused by the highly venomous fire ant. (NHK)

The average life expectancy of Japanese men and women in 2016 reached record highs, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said Thursday. (Jiji)

NHK has learned that Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada intends to step down to take responsibility for an alleged cover-up of peacekeepers' activity logs in South Sudan. (NHK)

The death sentence given to a woman convicted of murdering two men in the western Japan prefecture of Tottori in 2009 is set to be finalized after the Supreme Court upheld lower court rulings Thursday. (Japan Today)

Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Eriko Imai, a former member of popular girl band Speed, apologized on Thursday for her reported relationship with a married local assembly member. (Japan Times)

Finance Minister Taro Aso said Friday the Japanese government will impose emergency tariffs on frozen beef from the United States and other regions, widely used in fast food, from August due to soaring shipments. (Japan Today)

Hokkaido Prefectural Police have opened a criminal case in the disappearance of a female Chinese tourist in Sapporo last week, reports TV Asahi. (tokyoreporter.com)

Toyota Motor said Friday that its global car sales between January and June grew 2.7% on the year to hit a new record. But the Japanese automaker has yet to regain the top spot it once held. (Nikkei)

Japan had more than one regular full-time job opening for every applicant on average -- the first this has occurred since November 2004 when the government started collecting data. (Nikkei)

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