Japan could start using self-defense force in response to Chinese intrusion around the disputed islands. Top government spokesperson Yoshihide Suga explained the Cabinet approved the objective in May last year, saying foreign naval passage into Japanese seas would trigger seaborne policing action. Suga said it stated its warnings against China through diplomatic channels last November […]
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 […]
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 […]
A 19-year-old living in Nagoya was arrested Jan. 5 over death threats targeting a prominent student activist and his family, Kanagawa prefectural police said. Police said the suspect has admitted to the crime, quoting him as saying, “I did it because I wanted to let off steam.” The unemployed minor was arrested on suspicion of […]
Police in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, said a skeletonized body has been found at an apartment in Sakae Ward. According to police, the body, which was found on Tuesday, has been dead for a few years and its gender and age were not identifiable, Fuji TV reported. This case came into light when a woman who […]
Japan’s public baths, known as sento, represent an institution with hundreds of years of history. They provided an important public service in the days before homes had their own hot-water bathtubs. Sento can range in style from simple hot springs piped into a large tub to modern facilities resembling theme parks and offering a range […]
