News On Japan

A man was slightly injured when a cable snapped during a bungee jump in western Japan. (NHK)

A popular virtual currency, Bitcoin, is expected to be divided in two, creating a brand new "clone" currency. (NHK)

Maiko (apprentice geiko), dressed in formal black kimono, walk in Kyoto's entertainment district to pay courtesy calls on teahouses and their teachers of traditional arts on Tuesday. (the-japan-news.com)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested the president of a talent agency suspected in at least two rapes of women, reports TBS News (tokyoreporter.com)

A magnitude 5.5 earthquake has struck north of Tokyo. The tremor occurred at 2:02 AM on Wednesday. The epicenter was in northern Ibaraki Prefecture at a depth of 10 kilometers. (NHK)

The rainy season appears to be over in the Hokuriku and Tohoku regions in central and northeastern Japan, the weather agency said Wednesday, declaring an end to the early summer wet season throughout the Japanese archipelago. (Kyodo)

Poor catches of surume-ika, or Japanese common squid (see below), are likely to continue this year. The squid is used in popular home dishes such as sashimi and is also sold in a form that is dried overnight. (the-japan-news.com)

A Japanese hospital has set up a project team to consider womb transplants for women born without a uterus or whose uterus has been surgically removed for cancer or other conditions, the hospital told Kyodo News on Wednesday. (Japan Today)

Former world number four Kimiko Date has been invited to play in next month's Japan Women's Open barely a fortnight before she turns 47, the Japan Tennis Association said on Wednesday. (Japan Today)

Outdoor theme park Legoland Japan plans to expand its area to some 13 hectares, 1.4 times the current size, the head of its operator said in a recent interview. (Japan Times)

Japanese school lunches aren't synonymous with "mystery meat," but rather, shokuiku. It means "food and nutrition education," and it's a vital part of the Japanese child's early education. (businessinsider.com)

Nine major Japanese hotels established before World War II are kicking off a joint marketing blitz and enhancing services to lure more foreign tourists. (Nikkei)

A short-term rental platform in China is keeping an eye on the growing number of Chinese travelers to Japan. The company, Tujia, has announced a tie-up with Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten. (NHK)

Japan is considered a "super-aged" nation, where more than 20% of the population is over 65 and the birth rate has reached record lows. (CNN)

Two men arrested in connection with a woman whose body was found in a forest in central Japan may have stolen hundreds of dollars' worth of bitcoins after abandoning her body. (NHK)

The Japanese government launched a search Wednesday for venomous fire ants at the 68 ports that regularly receive shipping containers from other countries including China. (Japan Today)

A Japanese court has ordered a pro-North Korean group to repay more than 800 million dollars in debts to a Japanese government-backed collection agency. (NHK)

The 27-year-old primary school teacher from China had travelled there for a solo trip and was staying in a hostel in Sapporo, a picturesque, mountainous city on the island of Hokkaido. (news.com.au)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reshuffled the Liberal Democratic Party leadership on Thursday. He is set to appoint his new Cabinet later in the day. (NHK)

Toyota Motor and Mazda Motor are closing in on a capital partnership deal to pave the way for possible establishment of a joint-venture U.S. auto plant and joint development of key electric vehicle technologies, The Nikkei learned Thursday. (Nikkei)

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