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SKorea, Japan Island Dispute Worsen
(Time)

NGO worker's body found in Afghanistan
(Yomiuri)

Police collar colorful bag snatcher
Prosecutors have indicted a suspected serial bag snatcher who was nicknamed "chameleon man" for trying to avoid being identified during a theft by wearing layers of T-shirts. (Asahi)

Mixed reaction as Japan's citizen juries are put on trial
(FT.com)

British man arrested in Japan for killing his baby son
A British man living in the outskirts of Tokyo with the teenage Japanese wife he met over the internet, was arrested last night on suspicion of shaking their 12-day-old baby son to death. (Times Online)

Buddha statues switched with fakes
Nine statues of Buddha have been stolen from temples and other places in five cities and towns in Shizuoka Prefecture since late July, with thieves using such methods as replacing them with fakes during the thefts, police said. (Yomiuri)

Sumo association fires arrested Russian wrestler, stablemaster quits
The Japan Sumo Association fired top-division Russian wrestler Wakanoho on Thursday after he was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of possessing marijuana, becoming the first active wrester to be dismissed in sumo's long history. (Kyodo)

Whale activists vow to fight Japan despite arrest threat
(AFP)

Arrested Russian wrestler Wakanoho to be dismissed
The head of the Japan Sumo Association indicated Tuesday that he is set to take the unprecedented step of dismissing Russian wrestler Wakanoho, who was arrested earlier on suspicion of possessing marijuana. (Kyodo)

Russian sumo star arrested in Japan for marijuana
One of Japan's highest ranking foreign sumo wrestlers has been arrested on suspicion of marijuana possession, Japanese authorities said today in the ancient sport's first major drug scandal. (Boston Herald)

Japanese man detained in Cambodia for taking nude photos of children
A Japanese man has been arrested and charged in Cambodia's coastal town of Sihanoukville for having taken nude photos of children there, local officials said Tuesday. (Kyodo)

Hundreds evacuated after fire at Tokyo's Imperial Hotel
(AFP)

Kitajima sweeps into Olympic history
(CNN)

Missile message mistakenly played in Japan
Government workers throughout Aichi Prefecture in western Japan heard a message saying there was a ballistic missile attack after it was mistakenly played. (CNN)

Google photos raise privacy issue in Japan
(Japan Times)

Japanese Arrested For Drugs In Indonesia; Faces Death Penalty
A Japanese man is facing the death penalty in Indonesia after being arrested with 86 grams of marijuana on Bali island, police said Wednesday. (Nasdaq)

Shinjuku gals going all-out for the gold
(Tokyo Reporter)

Old Marxist novel revived by Japan's economic anxiety
A Marxist novel written in 1929 has climbed high on Japan's best-seller lists, reflecting growing anxiety about job security and widening income gaps in the Japanese economy. (International Herald Tribune)

Winnie-the-Pooh held for robbery?
Japanese police have arrested a 20-year-old man who attacked and robbed two people after they stared at his Winnie-the-Pooh costume, officials said on Tuesday. (Reuters)

Will Japan become a society of half-breeds?
(Tokyo Reporter)

Man arrested after throwing bottle at U.S. Embassy
Tokyo police on Tuesday arrested a 36-year-old man, who was armed with a Japanese sword and who tried to throw a bottle into the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, they said. (Kyodo)

Ominous rumblings on the love hotel front
(Tokyo Reporter)

Origami, More Than Paper Critters
(New York Sun)

Chinese plane returns to Japan after bomb threat
An Air China passenger jet was forced to return to Japan and four others were delayed Friday after a bomb threat was e-mailed to the airline's Tokyo office, the Japanese Transport Ministry said. (AP)

Beijing Olympics: Where Are the Japanese Tourists?
It's an easy trip to make and the yen is relatively strong, but Japan's tourist industry is finding the Summer Games to be a big disappointment. (BusinessWeek)

3 Thais, 2 Japanese arrested over dumping body of Japanese gangster
A total of five people -- three Thai nationals and two Japanese -- have been arrested on suspicion of abandoning the body of a Japanese gangster that was found in Tomisato, Chiba Prefecture, last November, police said Monday. (Kyodo)

Child sex network uncovered
The Saitama prefectural police have taken into custody four middle school girls and a high school girl on suspicion of violating the Internet dating site control law by posting online messages offering themselves for prostitution, sources said Monday. (Yomiuri)

Half of Japan's elderly poor won't get pensions
More than half of Japan's elderly who receive welfare payments don't qualify for public pensions, forcing them to seek other forms of state support, the Nikkei newspaper said. (Bloomberg)

Gangster sentenced to death over shooting rampage in Maebashi
The Maebashi District Court sentenced a 41-year-old gangster to death Monday for killing a gang member and three bystanders in a shooting at a bar in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, in 2003. (Kyodo)

Japan to pitch easier emissions yardstick
The government has decided to propose that country-based targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions from 2013 be set with 2000 or later as the base year, rather than 1990, in a bid to lower the hurdles for major emitters such as China and India, sources said Sunday. (Japan Times)

Aomori teenager served with fresh warrant on murder of kin
Police served a fresh arrest warrant Sunday on murder and other charges on an 18-year-old man already in custody as his mother and two siblings were found dead earlier this month following a fire at their apartment in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture. (Kyodo)

US rejects Japan request over fuel use in 'war on terror'
The United States has rejected a request by Japan that it verify Tokyo's contribution to the US-led "war on terror" in Afghanistan is not used for military operations in Iraq, a report said. (AFP)

Toyota to enter hybrid in 2010 Le Mans
Toyota Motor Corp. plans to compete again in the Le Mans 24-hour race in 2010, this time using hybrid cars. (Yomiuri)

Unified university entrance exams begin across Japan
Two-day unified entrance exams for universities and colleges began Saturday at 736 test centers across Japan, with a record 777 universities and colleges taking part. (Kyodo)

Activist describes 'rough treatment' on Japanese whaling ship
A British environmentalist who boarded a Japanese whaling ship in the Southern Ocean spoke Friday of being treated "pretty aggressively and violently" by the crew in the immediate aftermath of the incident. (Kyodo)

Paper scandal points to shortcomings of Japan Inc
Corporate scandal after scandal dominated headlines in Japan last year and so far 2008 is no different, as major paper makers admit paper sold as recycled was not really recycled. (Reuters)

Fukuda vows action but braces for parliamentary fight
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda pledged Friday to make Japan more active in fighting global warming and maintaining global security, but braced for a showdown in the fractured parliament's new session. (AFP)

Japan releases whaling activists to Australian ship
Two protesters detained after boarding a Japanese harpoon ship in Antarctic waters three days ago were released today and transferred to an Australian coastguard vessel. (Bloomberg)

Man given 18-yr prison term for raping women on trains, in station
The Otsu District Court on Thursday sentenced a 36-year-old man to 18 years in prison for raping two women on trains and one inside a station restroom in 2006. (Kyodo)

Exam hell starts for Japan's school applicants
The Japanese archipelago is plunged into a state of nail-biting tension at this time of year when the exam hell starts in earnest for school-age youths. "Juku" cram school pupils scream with their fists in the air in a bid to muster up the determination required by modern samurais to win the battle of the entrance examinations. (earthtimes.org)

2-week-old baby boy found slain in alleged murder-robbery
A two-week-old baby boy was found slain with his lips sealed with adhesive tape and his 22-year-old mother found collapsed in a private residence in Moriguchi, Osaka Prefecture, on Wednesday, police said. (Kyodo)

Doll stuffed in slain mom's stomach
A 43-year-old woman allegedly killed by her oldest son had her stomach cut open and a doll stuffed inside, police sources said Tuesday. (Japan Times)

Govt is only hope for detainees: Japan
If anti-whaling activists fail to agree to Japan's conditions, two protesters on board a whaling ship will only be released if the Australian government's Oceanic Viking vessel intervenes, Japanese authorities say. (thewest.com.au)

Apple's fight in Japan
Japan may be Steve Jobs' great Asian hope. But are Japanese consumers getting infected with iPhone fever as people in so many other countries have? (Forbes)

Japan may require foreign residents to know Japanese
Japan may consider requiring long- term resident foreigners to have local language ability, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said today, without saying to what degree the language would have to be learned. (Bloomberg)

Stop whale hunt: court
The Federal Court has ordered a Japanese whaling company to stop killing whales in Australian Antarctic waters. But the court acknowledged the whalers cannot be arrested unless they enter Australia. (Sydney Morning Herald)

Japan working on central Tokyo missile shield
Japan on Tuesday carried out studies to deploy a missile defence shield in central Tokyo, officials said Tuesday, amid concern that the capital is at risk from North Korea. (TODAYOnline)

Fukuda to meet Bono, other celebrities, to lure them to Africa confab
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda is planning to meet U2 rock singer Bono, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Hollywood actor Matt Damon on the sidelines of a major conference in Switzerland later this month to make a personal pitch for their attendance at an African development conference in Japan in May, a government source said Sunday. (Kyodo)

Japan to build islands for Winter Olympic
Japanese firms will help build artificial islands in the Black Sea off the Russian resort city of Sochi for the 2014 Winter Olympics, a report said Friday. (moldova.org)

Japanese courts sentenced 46 people to death in 2007, most since 1980
Japanese courts handed down death sentences to a total of 46 defendants in 2007, the highest number since 1980, the earliest year for which comparable data are available. (Kyodo)

DIRECTing the Fight Again....
DIRECTing the Fight Against Vision Impairment in Diabetes - Randomisation Phase of Landmark Programme of CANDESARTAN Cilexetil in Diabetic Retinopathy Completed

KDDI Releases New Line of....
KDDI Releases New Line of 3G Mobile Phones, Including First CDMA 1X WIN Model with Camera

Sony to Separate a Part o....
Sony to Separate a Part of its Business to Establish a Financial Holding Company Subject to the approval of the Financial Services Agency

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL)....
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) Earns High Marks from Sustainability Management Rating Institute

ALPS Electric Co., Ltd. A....
ALPS Electric Co., Ltd. Announces the Development of SPED3 Series of Push Switches (Push-Push Type) for Automobiles

Kyocera Announces the Rel....
Kyocera Announces the Release of Three New Models in the Finecam Compact Digital Camera Series

Omron Announces Transfer ....
Omron Announces Transfer of Amusement Components Business to Subsidiary

Fuji Photo Film Announces....
Fuji Photo Film Announces Newly Developed Optical Disc Technology Featuring an Organic Dye Enabling DVD Recording at 1x to 16x Speeds

DIRECTing the Fight Again....
DIRECTing the Fight Against Vision Impairment in Diabetes - Randomisation Phase of Landmark Programme of CANDESARTAN Cilexetil in Diabetic Retinopathy Completed

KDDI Releases New Line of....
KDDI Releases New Line of 3G Mobile Phones, Including First CDMA 1X WIN Model with Camera

Sony to Separate a Part o....
Sony to Separate a Part of its Business to Establish a Financial Holding Company Subject to the approval of the Financial Services Agency

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL)....
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) Earns High Marks from Sustainability Management Rating Institute

ALPS Electric Co., Ltd. A....
ALPS Electric Co., Ltd. Announces the Development of SPED3 Series of Push Switches (Push-Push Type) for Automobiles

Kyocera Announces the Rel....
Kyocera Announces the Release of Three New Models in the Finecam Compact Digital Camera Series

Omron Announces Transfer ....
Omron Announces Transfer of Amusement Components Business to Subsidiary

Fuji Photo Film Announces....
Fuji Photo Film Announces Newly Developed Optical Disc Technology Featuring an Organic Dye Enabling DVD Recording at 1x to 16x Speeds

‘Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea’ brings in 15 billion yen during opening weekend
Legendary anime director Hayao Miyazaki's latest movie, "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea" sold an estimated 1.5 billion yen ($13.9 million) worth of tickets during its three-days opening weekend in Japan last week.

963 apply to become JAXA astronauts
A total of 963 people applied to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to become astronauts, after the agency began accepting applications for the first time in 10 years, officials said.

Rice says U.S. won’t forget Japanese abductees
The United States will continue to press for the release of Japanese citizens abducted decades ago by North Korea as it seeks the resumption of disarmament talks with Pyongyang, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Monday.

Flood of ‘Akihabara-style’ murder threats posted on Internet
Over a dozen threats of murder and other crimes were posted on the Internet following the random street killings in Tokyo’s Akihabara earlier this month, police said.

Hiroshima makes Internet filtering on cell phones compulsory for under 18s
The Hiroshima Municipal Government will launch an ordinance on July 1 requiring retailers in the city to introduce filtering for cell phones to prevent people under the age of 18 from viewing harmful information on the Internet, it has been learned.

China to welcome first Japanese warship since WWII
China prepared Tuesday to welcome the first Japanese war ship to visit since World War II in a dramatic sign of improving relations between East Asia’s two major powers.

Woman arrested for rampant knife attacks in Osaka
A Kobe woman who randomly attacked three other women at JR Osaka Railway Station has been arrested, police said.

Tokyo closer to CO2 reduction bill
The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly’s environment and construction committee on Monday passed a bill that will revise a city ordinance to require major companies in Tokyo to cut carbon dioxide emissions, clearing the first hurdle in introducing the first such ordinance in the country.

Softbank says Japan price for iPhone comparable to marked down US price
Softbank, the carrier that won the coveted right to sell the iPhone in Japan, said Monday it will sell for 23,040 yen — comparable to the marked down U.S. price for the hit gadget.

Japan, Australia likely to clash at whaling talks
Australia will call for a complete halt to whaling this week at a meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Chile as Japan seeks permission to kill more of the animals, saying they eat too many fish.

How to handle an angry bear
Experts and commentators have been pouring out books, pamphlets and articles in recent times telling us that conventional wars between states are a thing of the past and that all nations now instead face a kind of globalized, nihilistic terrorism requiring entirely new responses. Unfortunately the Russians have just proved them wrong. Here we have a good old-fashioned territorial war between two states, one large and one tiny, complete with buffer zones, occupying forces and tanks. There is the familiar talk of the need to protect Russian citizens in the South Ossetian and Abkhazian enclaves, which Russia regards as almost its own territory. The added irony is that it was Josef Stalin, a...

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Kids caught in the Web
The National Police Agency has reported that the number of youths who fell victim to sex and other crimes after accessing Web dating (deai-kei) sites has drastically decreased in the first half of this year. This is welcome news, but since minors are still being lured into child prostitution and other criminal sexual activities through other Web sites, there remains plenty of reason for concern. During the January-June period, police unmasked 777 cases of crime that took place after people accessed Web dating sites, a decrease of 14.3 percent from the same period last year. Child prostitution and child pornography constituted the largest group among exposed crimes — 319 in number for a...

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McCain aims to win by pandering to bigotry
NEW YORK — At a time when the Beijing Olympics have increased America's apprehension of China's rising power, Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee for president, has chosen Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate. Biden is the influential chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee and an established leader in Washington. Biden will erase Obama's supposed weakness that Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee, is exploiting — inexperience with Washington politics and foreign affairs. Moreover, Biden will challenge McCain's self-promoting image as the "maverick" Republican who can fix a broken Washington.

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Opportunities for air service
Major airlines plan to withdraw from local air services or reduce the number of local flights. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, facing high fuel cost in recent years, have tried to make up for the rising costs by raising air fares on both domestic and international routes, but this has led to a decrease in the number of tourist passengers. The airlines have no alternative but to concentrate on air routes with high profitability. They also face competition from discount airlines. Local governments affected by the airlines' plans are upset and worried because closing air-routes and the reducing the number of flights will affect their economies. They should make stronger efforts to...

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Nippon Oil to cut gasoline prices
In some good news for consumers and the transport sector, Nippon Oil Corp. said Wednesday it will lower its wholesale prices of gasoline for shipment in September by ¥5.1 per liter. The first reduction in shipment prices since November 2006, except in April when prices fell following the March 31 expiration of gasoline tax surcharges, is due to a drop in crude oil prices, the Japan's biggest oil refiner said.

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Iridium thief gets suspended term
CHIBA (Kyodo) The Chiba District Court gave a man a suspended prison term Wednesday for stealing a container of a hazardous radioactive substance from a warehouse in Chiba Prefecture in April. Tomonori Iso, 40, was given a three-year term, suspended for four years, for the theft of the iridium 192.

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Temp era ending as rules change, workforce shrinks
Masahiko Tanabe's life has changed since home products retailer The Loft Co. made him a permanent employee and gave him a 10 percent pay raise. "This is kind of a luxury to me," the former temporary shop assistant said. "I used to buy fish for dinner; now I buy meat."

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Seoul City Hall focus of culture fight
SEOUL (Kyodo) Whether to pull down Seoul City Hall — built by Japan in 1926 during the colonial period — has recently been the focus of an intense confrontation between city officials and the central government. Ignoring the recommendation of the national cultural affairs agency, the city government started dismantling the four-story building behind the main building Tuesday, citing safety problems with the aged structure.

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Japan next for Aussie 'cosplay' champions
SYDNEY (Kyodo) The outfits were immaculate, the weaponry impressive and the florid array of wigs striking — but there could only be one winning entry. In a unanimous decision, judges voted Sydney duo Gabriella Lowgren and Katherine Lee as the first-ever Australian representatives for the World Cosplay Summit to be held in Japan in August 2009.

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Hayashi tries dialogue on Futenma impasse
NAHA, Okinawa Pref. (Kyodo) Defense Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, a newcomer to defense issues, is quickly being put to the test with the stalled issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma within Okinawa. Unlike his predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba, who is known as a military policy wonk, Hayashi had taken no defense-linked posts in the government or the Liberal Democratic Party since he became a House of Councilors member in 1995.

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Saitama U.N. disarmament talks follow North denuclearization snub
SAITAMA — A three-day U.N. conference on nuclear disarmament kicked off Wednesday in Saitama, a day after North Korea announced it had stopped disabling its atomic facilities. "Reports of the development in North Korea, in addition to the nuclear issue in Iran, are major challenges to nonproliferation and nuclear disarmament efforts," Parliamentary Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Masahiko Shibayama told the conference.

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Hybrids to get engine sounds
Lotus Engineering said Wednesday it has developed technologies to make engine sounds on gasoline-electric hybrid cars, such as the Toyota Prius, so that pedestrians can hear the vehicles approaching. Hybrid cars are known for their fuel efficiency as well as for not making loud engine sounds while driving. But concerns that the quiet vehicles may be dangerous to pedestrians are growing. Some observers have pointed out that pedestrians with impaired eyesight may not notice the quiet vehicles approaching when they are crossing the street.

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Land ministry to seek 18% budget boost
The land ministry said Wednesday it will seek a budget of ¥6.94 trillion for fiscal 2009, up 18 percent from this year, to promote policies in three core areas, including measures against global warming. The other two key areas will be improving public safety and reinforcing economic growth in the nation, the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry said.

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Cop who pimped teen avoids prison
KITAKYUSHU (Kyodo) A family court Wednesday sentenced a former sergeant in the Fukuoka Prefectural Police to two years in prison, suspended for five years, for running a prostitution ring involving teenage girls while he was still on the force. Hideaki Maeoka, 56, was also fined ¥300,000. The court said he had a teenage girl have sex with a man last November in a Kitakyushu hotel.

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2% defense spending rise sought
The Defense Ministry will seek ¥4.845 trillion in appropriations for fiscal 2009, up 2.2 percent from this year's initial budget, to cover growing fuel costs and upgrade the F-15 jet fighter fleet, according to a report presented to a Liberal Democratic Party panel Wednesday. The ministry wants ¥17.8 billion to improve Self-Defense Forces equipment for future operations overseas, including bulletproof panels for CH-47 transport helicopters used by the Ground Self-Defense Force.

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Consumers choosing domestically produced food
More than 60 percent of 1,059 surveyed consumers are buying more domestically produced food than they used to, according to an Internet poll. The survey by NTT Resonant Inc. and Japan Research Institute Ltd also found a noticeable decrease in consumers buying frozen food and eating out, an indication that more people now want to select and prepare food themselves as they prioritize safety and money over saving time needed to prepare meals.

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Yakult sets up second Mexico plant
Yakult Honsha Co. said Wednesday that it has set up a second plant in Mexico to double production of drinkable yogurt, called Soful, in view of its popularity in the country. The new facility in Guadalajara, Mexico's second-largest city, built at a cost of ¥2.2 billion, will turn out 120,000 bottles of the product per day, Yakult said.

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Sohken Homes files for protection
Sohken Homes Co. has filed with the Tokyo District Court for protection from creditors under the fast-track corporate rehabilitation law, the real estate developer said. The Tokyo-based company, listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, said it has liabilities totaling ¥33.8 billion. Sohken decided to seek court protection under the Civil Rehabilitation Law because it is unable to raise necessary funds from lenders in the face of a tough market environment, including weak demand for homes caused by rising prices.

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51 poisonous snakes found in bite victim's Tokyo condo
A Tokyo man was arrested Wednesday after police found as many as 51 poisonous snakes, including cobras with extremely powerful venom, in his condominium near JR Harajuku Station in Shibuya Ward. The alleged violation of the Law Concerning the Protection and Control of Animals came to light when the suspect called an ambulance July 15 after one of his snakes, a mamba, bit him on the finger.

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Ministry official taken to task for stiffing hotel
The Foreign Ministry has cut the pay of an official who stayed at a Tokyo hotel for nearly a year without paying a single yen, ministry officials said Wednesday. The 40-year-old official, with the ministry's Economic Affairs Bureau, ran up a ¥15 million tab during his 300-day stay at the hotel, whose name wasn't provided, from June 2006 to April 2007. The official's pay will be cut by 10 percent for three months.

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Challenge Ozawa for sake of DPJ, Maehara urges
The Democratic Party of Japan should hold a genuine presidential election next month in order to enliven policy debate, former DPJ President Seiji Maehara, who quit his post over a political blunder two years ago, said Wednesday. "I think (the current situation) is the closest in this past decade our party has come to (winning control of) the government," Maehara said Wednesday at The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo.

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Stimulus package to target credit squeeze
The government will boost supervision of financial institutions reluctant to lend to small and midsize firms and support struggling farmers in its forthcoming emergency stimulus package, according to the latest draft of the plan. The package also stipulates that the government will help promote earthquake-proof construction of school buildings, the draft, as it stood Tuesday, shows.

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Aid worker found slain in Afghanistan
A Japanese Embassy official in Afghanistan confirmed Wednesday that a body found earlier in the day was that of kidnapped Japanese aid worker Kazuya Ito, the Foreign Ministry said. Police found the body, reportedly riddled with bullets, in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar Province. Ito had been abducted near Jalalabad, the capital of the province, the previous day. The body was identified late Wednesday after being sent to Jalalabad, ministry officials said.

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Sony hand-held sales top 10 million
Sales of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.'s PlayStation Portable video game console passed the 10 million mark as of Sunday, Enterbrain Inc. said Wednesday. The first model hit the market in December 2004. Nintendo DS, a portable game player made by Nintendo Co. and also released in December 2004, has sold more than 23 million units after breaching the 10 million mark in August 2006, according to the Tokyo game magazine publisher.

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India cuts red tape to clear way for Japanese investment
It is not too late for Japanese businesses to enter the fast-growing Indian market in light of deregulation of foreign investment, according to a leading Indian lawyer and investment consultant. "Rather, now may be the opportune moment for Japanese enterprises to catch up with their American, European and Asian competitors operating in India," said Som Mandal, head of international practice of India's largest law firm, FoxMandal Little. He was in Tokyo recently for talks with his firm's Japanese clients.

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Toyota, Honda, Nissan set July global output records
Japan's top three automakers said global production in July rose to records for that month, highlighting solid growth riding on their reputation for fuel-efficient models amid soaring gasoline prices. Toyota Motor Corp. — close to passing General Motors Corp. to become the world's biggest automaker — said Wednesday that worldwide output rose 10.2 percent in July from a year ago to 812,147 vehicles.

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Niigata cop aided illegal worker
NIIGATA (Kyodo) A policeman tried to help a female Chinese student who was working illegally at an adult entertainment shop in the city of Niigata last year avoid a crackdown, Niigata Prefectural Police sources said Wednesday. The officer, who is in his 30s, resigned voluntarily in March, even though an internal investigation concluded his actions did not violate any laws and he was only punished.

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Disney donates $1 mil to Chiba University
The Walt Disney Co has donated $1 million to Chiba University as a token of gratitude for preserving hundreds of rare images used in early Disney films, the university said Tuesday. The university said the donation will be used for research on animation and to help students. The university also sai

Yokohama to hold 'Relieve Africa's Hunger' campaign
The city of Yokohama will hold a "Relieve Africa's Hunger" campaign to enable residents to make a direct contribution in their local communities. The campaign will run mainly in May, 2008. As the host city of the 4th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV, May 28-30, 2008)

Mother, son die of gas inhalation in Okayama home
A woman and her son on Wednesday died of gas inhalation at their house in Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture, in what police believe may have been a botched chemical experiment or suicide. The woman, 43, and her son, 17, were found by his brother, 14, around 6:15 p.m. The two were taken to hospital bu

Taxi stand for excellent drivers opens in Tokyo
A taxi stand for cabbies who have been given "excellent driver" awards opened outside JR Shimbashi Station in Tokyo on Thursday. Taxi drivers' organizations in Tokyo annually award long-term drivers who have not been punished or fined by laws related to the taxi industry, and about whom there have n

Driver dies after being thrown from car on expressway onto house below
A man died Tuesday after the car he was driving hit a median on an expressway in Fukuoka. Kensuke Egami, 27, was thrown from his car and fell 20 meters, landing on the roof of a house below. Police said the accident occurred about 1:10 p.m. No other cars were involved in the crash, police said.

2-year-old boy run over by school bus in Ibaraki
A 2-year-old boy was run over by a school bus Monday morning and died at hospital in Bando City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Police said that Tomoki Someya was run over by the bus at 8:40 a.m. after wandering off from his brother, 5, and parents in the car park of a supermarket near his house. The bus st

Man hospitalized after swallowing fish hook in convenience store burger
Police on Tuesday said that a 19-year-old man was taken to hospital on Sunday night after he swallowed a 1-cm fish hook inside a hamburger that his mother bought for him at a FamilyMart convenience store in Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture. According to police, the man's mother bought the "tartar bu

7-year-old boy killed by train in Chiba
A 7-year-old boy was killed by a train in Yachiyo City, Chiba Prefecture, on Sunday afernoon. Police said that Yuto Suzuki, 7, was hit by a train around 1:50 p.m. and was killed instantly. According to police, he seems to have entered the tracks from an area where fences are not installed. The tr

Boy drowns after falling through ice on Lake Kawaguchi
A young boy drowned after he and a little girl fell through the ice while they were playing on the surface on Lake Kawaguchi in Yamanashi Prefecture, on Tuesday afternoon. Police said the children, Kai Osano, 8, and Mai Watanabe, 9, were playing on the ice about 12 meters from the shore at 5 p.m. wh

Police lieutenant missing at sea after trying to save son
A police lieutenant has been missing at sea since Sunday after he tried to save his 2-year-old son on Niijama Island off Tokyo, police said Tuesday. According to police, the lieutenant, 43, who is stationed on the island, went fishing with his family and colleagues on Sunday afternoon. When his s

Police officer accidentally fires gun in Kanagawa police box
A police officer accidentally fired his gun in a residential police box in Chigasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, around midnight Sunday, prefectural police said Tuesday. The sergeant, 46, fired his gun in the living room of a residence which is part of a police box. The policeman lives in the residenc

Tearful Koda apologizes on TV for 'rotten womb' gaffe
Singer Kumi Koda, 25, on Thursday apologized for having said that "women over 35 had 'rotten' fluid in their wombs" in her radio program on Jan 30. Appearing exclusively on Fuji TV's "Super News" program, Koda apologized in tears for her comment by saying, "I just wanted my newlywed manager to have

Leah Dizon rumored to retire in March
Leah Dizon, an American singer currently popular in Japan, will retire in March due to stress, weekly magazine Shukan Gendai reports. According to the magazine, Dizon will not renew any contracts with advertisers or her agency. A showbiz insider was quoted by the magazine as saying "She was very

2 students dead following avalanche during skiing trip in Nagano
Two college students died Monday, a day after being caught in an avalanche while skiing with other students and teachers in the village of Otari, Nagano Prefecture, police said. The avalanche at around 4 p.m. Sunday left two 20-year-old female students — Aki Ogi and Mayu Otake — unconsciou

Station wagon plows into convenience store, injuring woman
A station wagon plowed into the glass doors of a convenience store in Adachi Ward on Saturday morning, injuring a 60-year-old woman who was using a pay phone in front of the store. Police said the accident happened in Ayase at 7:20 a.m. The driver of the station wagon, a 36-year-old woman, told p

LDP eyes bill to legalize casinos
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party plans to propose legislation to legalize casinos in Japan under strict supervision. An LDP panel on casinos plans to call for the establishment of an independent watchdog with strong investigative authority in order to prevent crimes, said sources familiar with th

Iran's president sends birthday greetings to emperor
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday send birthday greetings to Emperor Akihito, the foreign ministry said. In his message, Ahmadinejad said that Iran and Japan enjoy deep historical bonds, expressing hope that such bonds would continue in line with preserving the two countries' mutual interests,

LDP failing to woo swing voters, losing female support
As the 17-day official campaigning for Sunday's upper house election nears an end, embattled Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party faces falling further behind the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan in capturing the hearts of nonaffiliated voters and is apparently also l

Japan hopes for next phase of N. Korea denuclearization soon
Japan expressed hope Thursday that a second phase of measures for North Korea's denuclearization under a six-nation framework, which includes having Pyongyang declare all its nuclear programs and disable its nuclear facilities, will be agreed upon and implemented "as soon as possible." Chief Cabi

Koike to work on U.S. ties, urge Okinawa to accept Futenma plan
New Defense Minister Yuriko Koike said Wednesday she will work on building closer relations between Japan and the United States and urge Okinawa to accept a U.S. military facility relocation plan agreed to by the two governments. Koike, 54, also said at her inaugural press conference that Japan will

N Korea denuke steps must be confirmed before fuel aid: Japan
Japan on Wednesday reiterated its stance that North Korea should be provided no energy aid unless there is convincing evidence that it will shut down and suspend its nuclear activities in line with a six-party agreement. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki said in a regular news conference

Okinawa governor agrees to early talks on moving U.S. air station
Sanae Takaichi, state minister in charge of Okinawa affairs, said Wednesday she and Okinawa Gov Hirokazu Nakaima agreed the central and local governments should resume talks on the planned relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Futemma Air Station at an early date. The talks on the relocation from down

Envoy Takasu to succeed Oshima as U.N. ambassador
Japan plans to appoint Yukio Takasu, a minister of the Japanese Embassy in the United States, to succeed Japan's U.N. Ambassador Kenzo Oshima, government officials said Wednesday. Takasu, 60, who joined the Foreign Ministry in 1969, has been in the current post since August 2006. Takasu was forme

Japanese gov't takes wait-and-see stance on U.S. resolution
The Japanese government is taking a wait-and-see approach to a U.S. House committee resolution demanding an apology from Japan over wartime sex slavery, with the government spokesman suggesting Wednesday that the country has not changed its stance from a 1993 government apology over the issue. A

Okinawa gov. hospitalized following slight stroke
Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima has been hospitalized for treatment of a slight stroke but surgery is unnecessary, his deputy said Monday. Nakaima, 67, will need to spend about a week in hospital in Okinawa Prefecture for medication and another week for recuperation at home, Vice Gov. Zenki Nakazat

Abe to visit Indonesia, India, Malaysia late Aug
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit Indonesia, India and Malaysia on a weeklong trip beginning Aug. 19 to strengthen bilateral relations through talks with his counterparts, Tokyo's top spokesman said Monday. Abe will be accompanied by a business delegation to be headed by Fujio Mitarai, c

Japan, U.S. to meet in Tokyo over Japan's beef trade rules
Japan and the United States will hold a meeting in Tokyo on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss Washington's demand that Japan ease its restrictions on imports of U.S. beef, Japan's farm and health ministries said Monday. Japan limits imports of U.S. beef to the meat of cattle up to 20 months old a

Ex-Russian PM airs concern about U.S. approach to N. Korea
Visiting former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov on Monday expressed displeasure regarding top U.S. nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill's surprise visit to Pyongyang, saying Washington should have consulted other parties involved in multilateral talks on North Korea's nuclear programs. "We

Japan hopes for substantive IAEA, N. Korea talks on inspections
Japan on Monday expressed hopes that an International Atomic Energy Agency delegation can achieve substantive discussions with North Korea in a visit to Pyongyang on Tuesday to resume inspections, as an important step toward realizing North Korea's denuclearization. "I believe it will be preparat

German newspapers print Akagi's photo instead of Abe's
Three local German newspapers in the area hosting the G-8 summit this week mistakenly published a photo of Japan's agriculture minister Norihiko Akagi instead of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The Schweriner Volkszeitung and two other regional papers carried the photo of Akagi in a profile on Abe ahead

62-year-old man sentenced to life for double murder in Saitama
The Saitama District Court on Friday sentenced a 62-year-old man to life imprisonment for robbing and murdering a couple with whom he was acquainted in Honjo, Saitama Prefecture, in February 2007. Judge Yoshinobu Iida branded the crime by Minoru Iwamori as "selfish" but the court did not hand down t

Man found strangled in Tokyo apartment
Police on Tuesday said a man found dead in his apartment in Nerima Ward on Monday had been strangled. Yusho Furutani, 24, was found dead by his boss, 36, in his apartment around 7 p.m. on Monday after he didn't show up for work that day. According to police investigations, the victim seems to hav

Ex-kindergarten director to be prosecuted for death of child in 2005
Police on Monday decided to indict the 33-year-old female director of a kindergarten in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, over the death of a 18-month-old boy in 2005. Prosecutors said the former director will be charged with manslaughter in the death of the boy who drowned in a water basin. Ac

Man arrested for strangling wife in Mie
Police on Sunday arrested a man for strangling his wife inside a car in Yokkaichi City, after arguing over their divorce. The suspect took his wife to hospital but she died about one hour later. Toru Ueda, 20, was arrested for allegedly strangling his wife, Aya, 18, around 2 a.m. According to pol

3 foreigners rob, assault taxi driver in Okinawa
Three foreign men robbed a taxi driver in Okinawa early Monday morning. The taxi driver, 55, suffered slight head injuries, police said, adding they suspect the trio were U.S. military personnel and have asked U.S. authorities for cooperation. According to police, the three men hailed the taxi ar

Two women die in apparent murder-suicide in Hokkaido
Two women were found dead at their house in Sapporo on Sunday afternoon, in what police believe was a murder-suicide. Hanee Mayama, 84, was found by her son-in-law Mitsuru Akiba, 61, on her bed on the first floor of the house around 3:50 p.m. Police say she had been strangled. Akiba's wife Nori,

New wanted posters of Hawker murder suspect in various disguises released
Police on Thursday released a new wanted poster of Tatsuya Ichihashi, 29, who is the prime suspect in the murder of British teacher Lindsay Ann Hawker, 22, one year ago. The new poster features simulated faces of the suspect if he were to be disguised as a woman, for example, or if he changed his ha

Man arrested for assaulting mother with ax in Tokyo
Police on Thursday arrested a man for assaulting his mother with an ax at her apartment in Meguro. The victim was taken to hospital, suffering severe injuries to her right shoulder and arm. Makoto Ueda, 34, was arrested for attacking his mother, 64, with a 40-centimeter-long ax around 10:20 a.m. Aft

Knife-wielding man cuts two schoolgirls' hair in Nagoya
Police said Thursday that two schoolgirls had been attacked by a man who cut their hair with a knife in Nagoya on Wednesday. According to police, one of the victims, 16, was suddenly assaulted by a man and had her hair cut while she was walking through a park on her way to school around 7:20 a.m. Th

Y20 million stolen from ATM, safe on Self-Defense Force base in Shizuoka
Military police at the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) base in Fuji, Shizuoka Prefecture, said Thursday that 20 million yen was stolen from an ATM in a communal area and a safe in an office sometime on Wednesday night. The ATM and the safe are installed on the second floor of the welfare

University student, girlfriend face charges over false groping claim on subway
Police on Wednesday arrested a student at Konan University and his girlfriend on suspicion of setting up a male passenger with a false groping claim on the subway in February. Police allege that Fumiyuki Makita, 24, and his 31-year-old girlfriend conspired to frame a passenger on the Midosuji subway

Drunk driver arrested for hit-and-run in Saitama
Police on Wednesday arrested a man for hitting a 20-year-old vocational student with his car on the street in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, and then leaving the scene. The victim was taken to hospital with a broken back. Nobutoshi Nozawa, 21, was arrested for allegedly hitting the victim just

Man arrested for assaulting woman with knife in Saitama
Police on Wednesday arrested a man for assaulting a woman with a knife on the street in Midori Ward, Saitama Prefecture. The victim was stabbed in the chest and had her ribs broken trying to ward off her attacker. Takuya Soga, 25, was arrested for allegedly assaulting the female college student,