Japan

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She Accused Mayor of Sexual Assault, Got All the Punishment

Japanese councilwoman Shoko Arai says expulsion—her 2nd—is 'unjust'

(Newser) - The sole female councilor in Kusatsu, Japan, has been forced out of her seat after residents decided her sexual assault claim against the mayor had damaged the town's reputation. Now, officials worry the decision has put a black mark on the town on the international stage. Shoko Arai, 51,...

Japan Thrilled About 'Treasure Box' From Space

Capsule with material from asteroid was successfully dropped to Earth

(Newser) - China's mission to retrieve moon rocks isn't the only successful space feat in the news these days. A small capsule containing asteroid soil samples that was dropped from 136,700 miles in space by Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft landed as planned in the Australian Outback on Sunday, per...

He Was Taking Off on Suicide Mission When the War Ended

Kamikaze pilot Kazuo Odachi is telling his story

(Newser) - He's a 93-year-old former fighter pilot for Japan, but Kazuo Odachi has one more highly unusual entry on his military resume. He was a kamikaze pilot and thus not supposed to survive World War II. But as the New York Times explains, Odachi did indeed survive and has begun...

Nike Japan Ad Garners Praise and Outrage

The video explores racism and bullying in Japan

(Newser) - Another day, another controversy—this one brought to you by Nike Japan. A video posted on the company's Twitter feed shows three teenage girls of different backgrounds facing discrimination or bullying. One is Japanese, one Korean, and one has a Black father and Japanese mother. Each faces unique challenges...

Things Aren't Looking Great for Princess Mako's Wedding

She pushed the date off again, and her dad says the Japanese people aren't into it

(Newser) - It looks like Princess Mako's long-delayed wedding isn't imminent. The Japanese princess, who became engaged to Kei Komuro in 2017, had first planned to marry him a year later but that date was pushed off, with the couple saying the wedding would happen in 2020. In early November,...

In Japan, Many More Are Dying From Suicide Than COVID

Rate is up a shocking 80% among women

(Newser) - Japan has been spared the worst of the pandemic, but authorities are alarmed by a sharp rise in suicides this year, especially among women. Japan already had the highest suicide rate among G7 nations, with the US close behind, and October was the worst month for suicides in more than...

For Now, Olympics Are Still On. But First, a Test

18 spring test events will include some athletes, fans

(Newser) - The postponed Tokyo Olympics are getting a kick-start. Local organizers on Friday announced a series of 18 test events set to begin in March and run into May, before the Tokyo Olympics are set to open on July 23, 2021, reports the AP . The announcement in an online news conference...

Greenpeace: Fukushima Water Has a Lurking Danger

Group says it has an isotope that could damage human DNA, warns against ocean dump

(Newser) - Almost a decade after an earthquake triggered a tsunami that caused a meltdown at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, Japan is still grappling with the aftermath of the triple disaster—and with the question of what to do with more than a million metric tons of radioactive water. The government...

Fukushima Wastewater Destined for Pacific: Reports

Formal announcement is reportedly coming soon

(Newser) - Japan's government has decided to release some 1.3 million tons of contaminated water from the Fukushima power plant into the ocean as speculated . That's according to local media reports published Friday. Reuters reports a formal announcement will come later this month, though Japan's industry minister Hiroshi...

Japan's 'Twitter Killer' on Charges: 'All Correct'

Takahiro Shiraishi, who pleaded guilty, could face death penalty

(Newser) - He allegedly killed and dismembered nine victims, mostly young women, and in court on Wednesday, Takahiro Shiraishi put all doubts about the accusations to rest. "All correct," the 29-year-old defendant known as the "Twitter Killer" said, confirming the murder counts against him during his guilty plea in...

Major Airline Is Retiring 'Ladies and Gentlemen'

Passengers will now be greeted as 'passengers'

(Newser) - Japan Airlines is bringing in a small but significant change to passenger announcements. The airline says it is going to replace the phrase "ladies and gentlemen" with "passengers" or similar gender-neutral language. The move only affects English-language announcements, since the equivalent Japanese phrase is already gender-neutral, but the...

Japanese Celeb Found Dead by Her Husband

Yuko Takeuchi died by suspected suicide

(Newser) - A Japanese actress known as the female Sherlock Holmes has apparently killed herself—which, if confirmed, continues a spate of suicides among Japanese entertainers. Yuko Takeuchi was found at home Sunday by her husband without a note, but Variety reports that it looks like suicide. "It came all of...

There's a New World Leader's Name to Memorize

Former cardboard factory employee Yoshihide Suga is Japan's new prime minister

(Newser) - Yoshihide Suga, a self-made politician and the right-hand man to his predecessor, was officially elected by Parliament on Wednesday as Japan's new prime minister and leader of the world's third largest economy. The 71-year-old head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party replaces Shinzo Abe, who resigned due to...

Japan's Next Leader: Just Like Abe, Except for One Thing

Yoshihide Suga says he lacks diplomacy skills of outgoing PM, who had good relations with Trump

(Newser) - Yoshihide Suga was elected as the new head of Japan’s ruling party on Monday, all but assuring that he will become the country's new prime minister when a parliamentary election is held later in the week, per the AP . Despite his low-key image, Suga, 71, has been a...

After Cow-Laden Cargo Ship Capsizes, a 2nd Rescue

Crew member from Gulf Livestock I found alive in raft in East China Sea off Japan; 40 still missing

(Newser) - Dozens of crew members and thousands of cows are missing after a cargo ship in the East China Sea was hit by a wave and capsized Wednesday near Japan, but a bit of good news emerged Friday. One crew member of the 43 aboard the doomed Gulf Livestock I had...

A Tearful Shinzo Abe Announces Resignation

Japanese PM says he's stepping down for health reasons

(Newser) - An emotional Shinzo Abe held a press conference Friday to make a big announcement, for a second time: He's resigning. The BBC reports that the 65-year-old prime minister of Japan has long suffered from ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease, but after his issues started recently worsening, he made...

This Nation May Soon Run Out of Credit Card Numbers

So many people are shopping at home during pandemic that it's facing a dearth of digits

(Newser) - In one sense, the extra credit cards that nearly 300 companies in Japan are issuing during the pandemic due to more people doing their shopping at home is a boon. In another sense, it's causing quite the headache. The Mainichi reports that, because so many people are requesting new...

Stealthy Thieves Hit Ninja Museum
Stealthy Thieves
Hit Ninja Museum
Aug 21, 2020 8:20 AM CDT

Stealthy Thieves Hit Ninja Museum

They made off with heavy safe in under 3 minutes

(Newser) - The Iga-ryu Ninja Museum in central Japan has a display that shows how "ninjas infiltrated undetected by anyone, and escaped as well." Stealthy thieves managed to do the same thing at the museum earlier this week, the Guardian reports. Authorities say the thieves broke in with a crowbar...

It's a Zombie Attack, but With Social Distance

Company in Tokyo gets creative during pandemic with drive-thru scares

(Newser) - It’s a living nightmare—but a socially distanced one, per the AP . "Zombies" attack vehicles, smearing them with artificial blood. But the customers inside the cars are safely separated from their stalkers by the windows. Production company Kowagarasetai, roughly translated as "Scare Squad," has launched a...

In Japan, People Do a Weird Thing After a Night of Drinking

Officials worry 'road sleeping' is going to lead to more people getting hurt in Okinawa

(Newser) - There's a strange phenomenon that has overtaken the Okinawa prefecture in Japan, and police can't figure out a way to stop it. "Road sleeping," or rojo-ne in Japanese, seems to be what people like to do there after a night of drinking, and it means that...

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