News On Japan

A 1-kg metal part found on a mountain near Narita airport is raising suspicions it’s part of a plane that flew over the area. (Japan Times)

At last night's Academy Awards, the Oscar for best makeup and hairstyling went to Kazuhiro Tsuji for his work on The Darkest Hour. It's an honor that very easily could have eluded him: In 2011, Tsuji quit the film industry, turning instead to art and dedicating himself to making larger-than-life, hyperrealistic sculptures of famous artists and other notable figures. Then Gary Oldman came calling. (artnet.com)

Japan’s cabinet approved on Tuesday a plan to improve the accuracy of the government’s initial estimate of gross domestic product by collecting more data from the private sector on capital expenditure. (Japan Today)

Police in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, said Tuesday they have arrested an unemployed 32-year-old man on suspicion of abusing the 2-month-old son of his common-law wife. (Japan Today)

Futuristic floating spherical capsule hotels are unveiled to the press at the Huis Ten Bosch Dutch-themed theme park in Nagasaki Prefecture on Tuesday. (Japan Today)

Kobe Steel Ltd admitted on Tuesday its data fraud has been going on nearly five decades and also revealed new cases of cheating, highlighting the challenges facing the 112-year-old company mired in compliance failures and malfeasance. (Japan Today)

The Japan Wrestling Federation's ethics committee decided Tuesday to set up a third-party panel to investigate alleged power harassment of four-time Olympic gold medalist Kaori Icho by the head of the federation's training headquarters, who is her former coach. (Jiji)

The Chiba District Court has sentenced a 26-year-old woman to 10 years in prison for killing and dismembering her 21-year-old brother in 2016. In handing down a lighter sentence than prosecutors requested, the court said it found flaws with the prosecution's case, Fuji TV reported. (Japan Today)

NHK has learned that only 35 percent of workers who responded to the March 2011 nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi plant have been checked for long-term effects of radiation. (NHK)

Mount Shinmoe, a volcano in southwestern Japan, has erupted explosively for the first time in 7 years. Japan's Meteorological Agency is warning people not to go near the mountain. (NHK)

Japan's navy on Tuesday appointed the first woman to command a warship squadron, including the flagship Izumo helicopter carrier, as it tries to lure more females to make up for a dearth of male recruits in graying Japan. (Japan Today)

Japan's financial watchdog plans to penalize a number of cryptocurrency exchange operators for not taking adequate steps to protect customers and prevent money laundering, Nikkei learned Wednesday. (Nikkei)

The Japanese government presented Wednesday an action plan to promote "awamori" distilled spirits, aiming to double exports of the specialty of the southernmost Japan prefecture of Okinawa in three years and triple them in five years. (Jiji)

Chiba Prefectural Police have launched an investigation after a corpse was found in a burned-out container on a property in Sodegaura City on Tuesday, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Mar. 7). (tokyoreporter.com)

Nearly 7 years after the triple meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, Japan's chief nuclear regulator says the 2011 accident is not over. (NHK)

Coca-Cola plans to launch its first ever alcoholic drink in Japan, in a surprising departure for a U.S. company identified with cola and other non-alcoholic beverages. (Japan Today)

Police in Hashimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, have arrested a 24-year-old male caregiver at a nursing home on suspicion of assault after a 96-year-old nursing home resident was burned by boiling water. (Japan Today)

If you've ever visited Tokyo Tower, one of the most famous landmarks in Japan's capital city, you've probably admired the expansive view from the viewing platforms, marvelled at the feat of engineering...and felt somewhat underwhelmed by the outdated interiors. (soranews24.com)

A train operator in Kyoto on Wednesday unveiled a new train carriage featuring a huge gold oval design on the front. (Kyodo)

The Finance Ministry on Thursday released to the Diet two internal documents related to a controversial 2016 land sale to Osaka-based school operator Moritomo Gakuen, but refused to confirm if it has other versions of the records --- further enraging opposition parties. (Japan Times)

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