News On Japan

Tokyo police say a vehicle has been damaged by people wearing Halloween costumes in the Shibuya district. (NHK)

Japan’s rowdy, cosplay-themed Halloween celebrations have become famous around the world, with young people congregating in city hot spots and theme parks where they snap selfies in outrageous outfits and ghoulish get-ups. (Japan Times)

The Imperial Household Agency said Monday that it will fully start offering Chinese guided tours around the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Thursday, in an addition to the existing Japanese and English tours. (Japan Times)

Far out to sea from the city of Tokyo, over 1,000 kilometers away are Tokyo's hidden islands called the Ogasawaras. Few tourists have ever heard of them. It's off the tourist radar. (ONLY in JAPAN)

Paul McCartney was greeted by about 500 fans upon arrival at Tokyo's Haneda airport on Monday night, ahead of his seventh concert tour in Japan. (Kyodo)

A Japanese rocket on Monday lifted the United Arab Emirates’ first locally made satellite into orbit successfully from a space centre in southern Japan. (financialpost.com)

India and Japan on Monday inked a $75 billion bilateral currency swap agreement which should bring greater stability to foreign exchange and capital markets in Asia's third largest economy. (Nikkei)

A Japanese princess gave up her royal status on Monday as she tied the knot with a commoner in a traditional Shinto ceremony at a Tokyo shrine. (telegraph.co.uk)

A group of women is demanding that Tokyo Medical University refund their entrance exam fees and pay damages for their unfair treatment. (NHK)

The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station has deleted a hashtag it used for Instagram that means to enjoy views of the plant. (NHK)

About 70 dignitaries including imperial family members and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday attended the wedding banquet of the former Princess Ayako, the youngest daughter of Emperor Akihito's late cousin, and her husband Kei Moriya in Tokyo following their marriage the previous day. (Kyodo)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have busted a massage parlor in Katsushika Ward that unlawfully provided sexual services in private rooms, reports TV Asahi (tokyoreporter.com)

Teachers and officials at elementary, junior high and high schools across Japan are working more than 11 hours per day on average, raising concern about serious health repercussions or even deaths, a government survey showed Tuesday. (Kyodo)

Sumo wrestler Takanoiwa has withdrawn a damages suit against former yokozuna Harumafuji, claiming he can no longer tolerate harassment of his family by his fellow Mongolians. (NHK)

Police in Fukuoka said Tuesday that a 43-year-old Sri Lankan man has been arrested on suspicion of stealing a taxi and reckless driving resulting in injury by crashing into a car as he fled from police. (Japan Today)

Job availability in Japan improved to a fresh 44-year high in September as companies sought to ramp up hiring, government data showed Tuesday. (Japan Today)

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party's decision-making body has approved a bill to revise the immigration control law to increase the number of foreign workers from next April. (NHK)

South Korea’s Supreme Court ordered a Japanese steelmaker on Tuesday to compensate Korean men forced to toil in its factory for Japan’s World War II efforts, a landmark ruling that threatened to intensify friction between America’s two key allies in Asia. (nytimes.com)

Japanese farmers expressed concern Wednesday about an expected influx of imports and other effects of a trans-Pacific free trade agreement led by Japan that is set to enter into force on Dec. 30. (Kyodo)

One day after Sony announced it was charging ahead to a second consecutive year of record profits, rival Japanese electronics maker Panasonic released much gloomier results on Wednesday, with net profit sliding 4% to 113.6 billion yen ($1.01 billion) for the six months ended Sept. 30. (Nikkei)

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