Japan's shadow shogun 'knew nothing' of funding
Japanese political strongman Ichiro Ozawa on Tuesday told a court he knew nothing about how money for his campaign fund was managed, as he took the stand in a closely watched trial. Ozawa, dubbed the...
View ArticleJapan police acknowledge mistakes in Chang arrest
Japanese police yesterday admitted mistakes had occurred during the arrest of Chang Chih-yang, the primary suspect in the murder of two female Taiwanese students in Tokyo, and expressed regret for his...
View ArticlePension cuts coming
The government plans to reduce public pensions over three years starting in fiscal 2012, saying that it has overpaid by 2.5 percent. The overpayment has resulted from the Liberal Democratic...
View ArticleIs Japan's success of myth?
A respected Japan specialist, Eamonn Fingleton, wrote an interesting piece in the New York Times the other day. While I do not disagree with many of his points, I think he has missed some very relevant...
View ArticleDomains with .tokyo could be available next year
From next year, Internet users may be able to have domain names ending with .tokyo, .sendai or .canon in e-mails and Web sites, according to sources. At least five local governments and two Japanese...
View ArticleSony boasts 500,000 vitas sold in Japan
During Sony's keynote at CES, executive deputy president Kaz Hirai announced that 500,000 PS Vitas have sold since the platform was released in Japan last month. Sales of the PS Vita have been...
View ArticleJapanese strategy for improving teachers is catching on in Chicago
In the sunlit library at Jorge Prieto Elementary on Chicago's' northwest side, an experiment is under way. A provisional classroom has been set up. A white board sits at the front of the room, and 20...
View ArticleJapan railway chief not guilty in 2005 derailment
The former president of a major Japanese railway has been found not guilty of negligence in a crash that killed 107 people in 2005 and raised concerns over pressures to sacrifice safety for...
View ArticleNikkei edges up; euro debt crisis limits gains
Japan's Nikkei stock average edged higher on Wednesday, taking comfort from a rise on Wall Street, though the debt turmoil in the euro zone capped gains. Spain and Italy, which are now at the forefront...
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Space invaders: seniors take over Japan's arcades
Once the preserve of rowdy teenagers, game arcades in Japan are rapidly becoming the hippest place to hang out for a whole new generation -- their grandparents. With plenty of time on their hands and...
View Article10 months on, Japan disaster toll reaches 19,300
Ten months after a massive tsunami crashed into Japan following a huge undersea earthquake, police figures show a total of 19,294 people are believed to have died. Across the disaster zone, 15,844...
View ArticleMost senior foreign exec quits Japan's Nomura
The most senior foreign executive at Japanese bank Nomura has resigned, the company confirmed Wednesday, as the firm struggles to compete on the world stage. Jasjit Bhattal, the head of Nomura's...
View ArticleNo. 1 plant radioactive water leak kept ashore
Tokyo Electric Power Co. says it found that about 10 liters of water containing radioactive strontium leaked from a water processing facility at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant but it did not flow...
View ArticleConvict flees from Hiroshima Prison clad in skivvies
A man convicted of attempted murder escaped from Hiroshima Prison on Wednesday dressed only in his underwear, and police have launched a manhunt. The fugitive, Chinese national Li Guolin, 40, is...
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Hiroshima 'peace clock' gets reset
The counter on a "peace clock" monument in the city of Hiroshima showing the number of days since the world's last nuclear test has been reset following revelations last week that the U.S. conducted...
View ArticleJob creation key to postdisaster recovery
Following a decline in the populations of areas hit hard by the March 11 disaster, special reconstruction zones have launched job-creation initiatives to curb a potential mass exodus of residents, as...
View ArticleNumber of suicides in Japan exceeds 30,000 for 14th year in 2011
The number of people who committed suicide in Japan in 2011 stood at 30,513, surpassing 30,000 for the 14th straight year but down 3.7 percent from the previous year, the National Police Agency said...
View ArticleJapan's oldest elephant turning 65
The oldest Asian elephant in Japan will turn 65 next month and officials at the Inokashira Park Zoo in western Tokyo say they're planning a party for her. The elephant, named Hanako, has been living at...
View ArticleMother Nature finally smiles on Japan, with bumper ski season
Skiers and snowboarders are basking in bumper snowfalls in Japan, while the United States is struggling with below average snowfalls. But ironically bookings for Japan have been down following last...
View Article20-year-old cop arrested for allegedly molesting girl in Yokohama
A 20-year-old Kanagawa Prefectural police officer has been arrested on suspicion of molesting a 16-year-old high school girl. According to investigators, the suspect, identified as Yuki Kobayashi, came...
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