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Visitors take photos of a tunnel of roses at Yokohama English Garden on Wednesday in Yokohama.
JAPAN / Society
Jul 18, 2024

Japan’s summer travel spending soars despite economic pressures

Households plan to spend the most in six years this summer as more people aim to travel despite rising inflation and a weakening yen.
Cadets at the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Kure Recruit Training Center row in unison during a cutter boat drill in Kure Bay, Hiroshima Prefecture, in June.
JAPAN / Society / Regional Voices: Hiroshima
Jul 29, 2024

MSDF’s Kure base faces recruitment challenges as youngsters shy away

The stressful nature of service and an increasing likelihood of actual combat are causing many to opt for other careers.
The police reported two sexual crime cases to the U.S. military, but the prefectural government was not aware of the incidents.
JAPAN
Jul 18, 2024

U.S. forces-linked sex crimes in Kanagawa went unreported to prefectural government

The police reported both cases to the U.S. military, but the prefectural government was not aware of the incidents.
Sardines may not be the traditional choice for Japan's special midsummer eel-eating day, but with a few special touches, the fish can be a satisfying and sustainable replacement.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
Jul 21, 2024

Going eel-less for Japan’s midsummer tradition

Japanese eel is endangered, but sardines are an ethical — and delicious — substitute for this year’s double Doyo no Ushi no Hi.
Dai Nippon Printing's "Midokoro viewer" system displays 3D images of cultural assets on a touch screen.
JAPAN
Jul 19, 2024

Japan firms working on digital cultural assets

Major printing company Toppan has produced more than 60 virtual reality images since launching its digital cultural assets project in 1997.
The Aichi Prefectural Police headquarters in Nagoya. Aichi Prefectural Police have arrested a 33-year-old woman and her common-law husband on suspicion of assaulting and causing the death of her 7-year-old daughter.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jul 19, 2024

Mother and partner arrested over 7-year-old girl’s death

The girl, who died in May from septic shock, had been temporarily taken into protective custody twice between 2022 and 2023.
Akira Saito (second from right), who took office as MSDF chief of staff, and his predecessor Adm. Ryo Sakai (right) attend a ceremony at the Defense Ministry on Friday.
JAPAN
Jul 19, 2024

More allowance frauds discovered at Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Forces

The amount of special allowances that divers of the Maritime Self-Defense Force fraudulently received exceeds ¥53 million, not ¥43 million as initially stated.
An election observer (on the screen) remotely monitors early voting for the Kofu mayoral election in Kofu, Tottori Prefecture, on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 19, 2024

Tottori town becomes first in Japan to monitor voting online

Polling stations are decreasing as it is getting harder to find observers due to depopulation, and online monitoring is viewed as a possible solution.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida meets with plaintiffs of damages lawsuits over forced sterilizations at the Prime Minister's Office on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jul 19, 2024

Full settlement likely for forced sterilization suits in Japan

A total of 39 people have so far sued the government at 12 district courts and branches for damages over forced sterilizations under the law.
Participants from government ministries and agencies take part in the Cyber Defense Exercise with Recurrence (CYDER) in Tokyo.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 20, 2024

Japan eyes new law to introduce 'active cyberdefense'

The envisaged law will make it possible to collect online communications data from telecommunications companies and use the data to detect signs of cyberattacks.
A government panel meets to discuss active cyberdefense in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN
Jul 21, 2024

Independent body eyed to oversee Japan cyberdefense

The government plans to take measure it hopes will help dispel concerns about violating the constitutionally guaranteed secrecy of communications.
SH-60K patrol helicopter
JAPAN
Jul 21, 2024

MSDF chopper in crash that left eight dead found on seabed

An unmanned probe found what appeared to be a helicopter on the seabed.
The Metropolitan Police Department headquarters in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jul 22, 2024

Tokyo woman arrested over death of 102-year-old mother

Authorities are aiming to charge Yoko Komine with murder, having initially arrested her on suspicion of attempted murder.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi says a Japanese man in his 20s died last month fighting for Russia against Ukraine.
JAPAN
Jul 23, 2024

Tokyo announces death of Japanese man in Russian military

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi has urged Japanese people again to refrain from traveling to Ukraine and Russian regions bordering Ukraine.
Members of the Japanese men's gymnastics team following a training session in Paris on Sunday.
OLYMPICS
Jul 24, 2024

Japan gymnasts to face unfamiliar equipment at Paris Games

Japanese tournaments often use equipment made by domestic firm Senoh, while the Paris Games will use equipment made by France's Gymnova.
Experts are advising students to drink plenty of water, as a survey revealed more than half of them are not sufficiently hydrated during the day.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Jul 24, 2024

Over half of students in Japan are not well hydrated, study finds

Urine osmolality, which goes up as water intake declines, was at levels considered to indicate insufficient hydration.
Members of the State Duma, the lower house of Russian parliament, attend a plenary session in Moscow on July 10.
WORLD / Politics
Jul 24, 2024

Russian MPs vote to broaden 'undesirable organizations' law

One of the bill's authors said that British, German and Japanese organizations could fall under the new legislation.
Newly hired central government workers listen to a video message by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a training session in April.
JAPAN / Society
Jul 24, 2024

Japan weighs abolishing government workers' spousal allowance

A monthly spousal allowance of ¥6,500 ($42) is provided if the dependent's annual salary is below ¥1.3 million, and the child allowance is ¥10,000 per child.
Honda will close a plant operated through its joint venture with Chinese state-owned automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group in October.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 25, 2024

Japan's Honda to close one China plant and halt production at another

The company's annual production capacity in China will shrink to 1.2 million vehicles from 1.49 million as a result of the stoppages.
Inspectors at the Kanto District Transport Bureau in Yokohama make calls to companies to check on the working conditions in the logistics industry earlier this month.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Jul 25, 2024

Japan's 'truck G-Men' issued guidance over 700 times in first year

The government inspectors check on working conditions in the logistics sector and monitor cases involving violations until the causes are resolved.
Hyogo Gov. Motohiko Saito holds a news conference on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Jul 25, 2024

Another Hyogo official dies after allegations against governor

The employee is the second person to die since a document on Saito’s allegations surfaced. The creator, a senior Hyogo official, also died in an apparent suicide.
Search operations for missing people from the Jan. 1 earthquake continue in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in June. A Saitama-man has been arrested for posting a fake rescue request on social media immediately after the quake.
JAPAN
Jul 25, 2024

25-year-old arrested over fake rescue requests on social media

The man is suspected of posing as an individual affected by the Jan.1 Noto earthquake and posting requests for help on X.
Toray Industries introduces its protective clothing that lets air through at a heatstroke goods exhibition in Tokyo.
JAPAN
Jul 25, 2024

Heatstroke prevention goods exhibited in Tokyo

At the 10th annual event of its kind, 84 companies showcased products designed to prevent heatstroke for workers.
A Lower House plenary session is held in June. One vote in the least-populated single-seat constituency for the lower chamber is at least twice as powerful as that in the eight most populous constituencies, an analysis has found.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 26, 2024

Vote-value disparities may be unconstitutional in eight Lower House districts

One vote in the least-populated single-seat constituency is at least twice as powerful as one in the eight most populous constituencies, a new analysis shows.
Clinical psychologist Shinpei Hirota speaks in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, earlier this month about how he offers counseling to students in quake-hit areas.
JAPAN / Society
Jul 26, 2024

Mental health support continues in schools affected by Noto quake

Since the disaster, over 160 counselors have visited the Okunoto region, lending an empathetic ear to those grappling with insomnia and distressing thoughts.
Double trailers will be allowed to run on the Hokkaido Expressway for the first time as part of measures to cope with a truck driver shortage.
BUSINESS
Jul 26, 2024

Japan to open up more expressways to double trailers

The move aims to address disruptions in cargo transport services caused by truck driver shortages due to a new overtime regulation introduced in April.
A vehicle carrying Kohei Iitsuka, suspected of killing his probation officer, leaves the Otsu Kita Police Station in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, on June 10.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jul 26, 2024

Justice Ministry to assign multiple volunteer probation officers to watch over offenders

Previously in Japan, one volunteer probation officer was assigned to watch over one individual, except in rare cases.
Japan's 2024 Olympic team moves down the Seine River in Paris during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics on Friday.
OLYMPICS
Jul 27, 2024

Paris Olympics kick off with rain-soaked — but grandiose — opening ceremony

The sprawling opening ceremony delivered on the promise to send athletes down the River Seine and culminated in the stirring return of superstar singer Celine Dion.
Shinnosuke Oka competes in the men's gymnastics qualification round on Saturday in Paris.
OLYMPICS / Gymnastics
Jul 28, 2024

Bathwater mishap forces Japan gymnast Oka to swap cardboard bed

Oka said a "water leak" from the bath had caused damage to the cardboard frame.
The Ishizawa River in Yurihonjo, Akita Prefecture, is seen bursting its banks on Friday due to heavy rain.
JAPAN
Jul 28, 2024

Two dead and three missing in Tohoku deluge

Yamagata and Akita prefectures are likely to see severe rain continue until around Tuesday.

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Totopa in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward was picked by consultants TTNE as the best sauna of the year.
Japan’s sauna movement: Relax, refresh, repeat