News On Japan

Japan's Imperial Household Agency will announce plans for the engagement of Princess Ayako. (NHK)

The Japanese government has found itself in a tight spot following the US request that the international community completely halt imports of crude oil from Iran. (NHK)

A 21-year-old man had at least four edged tools including knives and an ax during his fatal attack against a policeman and others in Toyama the previous day, investigative sources said Wednesday. (Jiji)

Japanese asteroid explorer Hayabusa2 reached its target, Ryugu, on Wednesday morning, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, said the same day. (Jiji)

The Tokyo metropolitan assembly voted Wednesday to introduce tougher smoking restrictions in the Japanese capital than currently discussed in the Diet, the country's parliament. (Jiji)

Japan's Lawson will do away with the delivery of fresh food to online shoppers at the end of August, as rising costs and slow demand have rendered the service unsustainable. (Nikkei)

A Japanese mayor who suffered a stroke at a sumo wrestling event and was given first aid by a female nurse who entered the male-only ring has said the ancient ban on women is irrelevant. (Japan Today)

The government will relax the rule for duty-free shopping from Sunday in its latest effort to spur spending by foreign visitors, after “explosive buying” by Chinese tourists appears to have cooled down. (Japan Times)

TV “talent” Becky, 34, is currently dating Yasuyuki Kataoka, a coach for the minor league Yomiuri Giants baseball team. Sources say that the two met through a mutual friend in the television broadcasting industry and became a couple last month, Sankei Shimbun reported. (Japan Today)

Legoland Japan unveiled Thursday a water play area -- an attraction added to the amusement park for the first time since opening in April 2017 -- as the park operator hopes to boost the number of visitors during the summer break. (Kyodok)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 32-year-old man over the alleged theft of women’s underwear, a crime for which he was imprisoned until earlier this year, reports Nippon News Network (tokyoreporter.com)

Two bullets were discovered inside an elementary school building in the city of Toyama, after a former Self-Defense Forces member wrested a gun loaded with five bullets by killing a police officer at a nearby police box and gunned down a security guard on Tuesday, it was learned on Thursday. (Jiji)

Jubilant soccer fans have overrun a famous intersection near Tokyo's Shibuya Station in reaction to Japan's advance to the knockout stage of the World Cup finals in Russia. (NHK)

In the soccer World Cup finals in Russia, Japan advanced to the knockout phase despite a 1-0 loss to Poland in their final group-stage match on Thursday. (NHK)

Sharp Corp scrapped a plan to issue up to $2 billion in new shares, changing its mind in a matter of weeks after the initial announcement prompted investors to dump its shares on fears of earnings per share dilution. (Japan Today)

Trading volume on the Tokyo Stock Exchange has slumped to the lowest level in 14 years, while Shanghai shares have fallen six weeks in a row, underscoring investor concern over U.S.-China tariff tensions. (Nikkei)

An affiliate of Japanese electronics giant Hitachi Ltd. admitted Friday it had falsified data for 60,000 industrial batteries, the latest in a series of similar scandals that has battered the country’s reputation for quality. (Japan Times)

A 41-year-old man has been arrested after carrying out an unusual technique to steal fresh fish from a store in Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture. (Japan Today)

The Diet, Japan's parliament, enacted on Friday a work style reform bill that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe regards as the most important legislation in its ongoing session. (Jiji)

Weather authorities suspect a tornado hit the western Japanese city of Maibara in Shiga Prefecture on Friday, causing injuries and damage. (NHK)

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