The United States (US) on Tuesday welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court to uphold the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement as it would further strengthen its bilateral relationship with the Philippines. “EDCA is a mutually beneficial agreement that will enhance our ability to provide rapid humanitarian assistance and help build capacity for the Armed Forces […]
The Foreign Ministry has decided to require new staff to score at least 100 points on the TOEFL English proficiency test, or at least 7.0 on the IELTS test, beginning in fiscal 2016, so they can be helpful in diplomatic negotiations in English from the start. The requirement will be set for prospective staff scheduled […]
Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will make a five-day trip to the Philippines from Jan 26 on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral ties between Japan and the Philippines. It will be the first official visit by a Japanese emperor to the Southeast Asian country, where around 1.1 million […]
South Korea said Monday it was discussing the further deployment of U.S. “strategic assets” following a flyover by a U.S. B-52 bomber in response to North Korea’s latest nuclear test. U.S. forces in South Korea were also put on their highest level of alert Monday in case of any provocation from North Korea, following last […]
Slightly less than 20 percent of husbands tend to become uneasy or worried for no reason following their wives’ childbirth, according to the results of research conducted by a team of experts including those from the National Center for Child Health and Development. They are subject to fits of depression apparently due in part to […]
A 31-year-old man stabbed his wife and took his own life after she talked about separating. Tokyo Metro Police said that a 31-year-old man on Friday stabbed his wife before committing suicide by leaping from the balcony of their apartment, reports Nippon News Network (Jan. 9). At approximately 8:30 p.m., a witness saw the man jump from the […]
A fire broke out at a love hotel in the Kabukicho red-light district on Saturday, two days after a blaze at another inn in the area left one woman dead, reports NHK (Jan. 9). At 2:10 p.m., an eyewitness notified the Tokyo Fire Department about smoke emanating from the Hotel Golden Gate. The blaze was extinguished by personnel from […]
Many companies are planning to open duty-free shops in Japanese cities to attract big-spending tourists from other countries. A firm in which the operator of Haneda Airport has the biggest stake plans to open a duty-free outlet in a department store in Tokyo’s Ginza district by Lunar New Year next month. South Korea’s Lotte Group […]
In a centuries-old ritual to gain good luck, about 50 almost completely naked men and boys splashed cold water on themselves on a freezing winter night at a temple near Tokyo. The ritual dates back more than 300 years and is held every year on the eve of Coming-of-Age Day in the city of Sosa […]
The itinerary for the Emperor and Empress’s visit to the Philippines later this month has been revealed. According to the Imperial Household Agency, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will leave Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on January 26th and arrive in Manila for a 5-day trip. They will attend a welcome ceremony and meet President Benigno Aquino […]
