and it’s Abe’s task to break the news gently to the Japanese people. During a heated discussion on the web news service DemocraTV, former Lower House lawmaker Hiroshi Kawauchi stated that the government “has never had a solution” to the Northern ... ( read original story ...)
Japan emperor celebrates birthday, thanks public over abdication wish
TOKYO - Japan's Emperor Akihito marked his 83rd birthday Friday, thanking the people for their concern and effort to accommodate his apparent abdication wish. "I am profoundly grateful that many people have lent an ear to my words and are giving sincere ... ( read original story ...)
Tokyo Olympics estimated to cost up to $15 billion
TOKYO — Organizers of the Tokyo Olympics estimate the total cost of hosting the 2020 Games will be between 1.6 and 1.8 trillion yen ($13 to $15 billion). The official cost estimate announced Dec. 21 was below the promised 2 trillion ($17 billion) cap ... ( read original story ...)
Japan in record military spending amid Chinese tensions
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has signed off a record defence budget in the face of territorial disputes with China and North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. Spending on fighter jets and submarines are partly behind the increase of 1.4% to 5.13tn ... ( read original story ...)
Fire that spread to 140 buildings under control in Japan
The ramen shop was in a shopping arcade northwest of the city's main train station, the area crowded with old wooden houses, according to Kyodo News. Itoigawa is on the Japan Sea coast in Niigata prefecture, about 260 kilometres northwest of Tokyo. ( read original story ...)
Sapporo to join other cities in recognizing same-sex partnerships as marriages
SAPPORP – Sapporo aims to become the latest city in Japan to recognize same-sex partnerships as equivalent to marriage to address discrimination against sexual minorities, local officials said Thursday. The capital of Hokkaido plans to draw up guidelines ... ( read original story ...)
Thirty Australians selected for Sapporo 2017 Asian Winter Games
AOC: A team of thirty athletes have been selected to become Australia’s first event competitors at an Asian Winter Games when they hit the ice and snow in Sapporo in February. The team, which features some of the nation’s brightest winter prospects ... ( read original story ...)
Fire engulfs 140 houses on Japan's west coast
A fire engulfed about 140 houses, shops and other buildings in a Japanese coastal city northwest of Tokyo on Thursday, with early reports of just two people suffering injuries. The military was called in to help battle the blaze which started mid-morning ... ( read original story ...)
At least 140 buildings on fire in wind-swept blaze in Japan
TOKYO -- A restaurant fire whipped by high winds spread to at least 140 buildings Thursday in a small Japanese city on the Japan Sea coast. The blaze started in the morning at a ramen shop in Itoigawa city, Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency said. ( read original story ...)
Japan, US mark the return of military-used land to Okinawa
TOKYO — Japan and the U.S. marked a partial return of the land used by American troops to Okinawa in a ceremony Thursday on the southern island, but there was no sign the move was helping to lessen protests against the island's heavy U.S. military presence. ( read original story ...)
Japan approves record $1.1 trillion budget
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet has approved a ... promoting reform of medical and elderly care," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference. A total of 5.98 trillion yen is earmarked for public and other works, such as ... ( read original story ...)
Fire engulfs 140 buildings in Niigata Prefecture, Japan
A fire whipped up by strong winds has burnt about 140 buildings in Niigata Prefecture on the Sea of Japan. Police said one person was taken to hospital after inhaling smoke. ( read original story ...)
Japan's 2016 births likely fell below 1 million for 1st time – media
Japanese media reported on Thursday. The total number of births is expected to be between 980,000 and 990,000 this year, reports in the Nikkei business daily and the Kyodo news agency said, down from slightly more than 1 million last year. Kyodo cited ... ( read original story ...)
Japan’s newborns projected to fall below 1 million for first time in 2016
The annual number of babies born in Japan slipped below 1 million in 2016 for the first time since records began, with the estimated figure for the year coming in at 981,000, according to government figures released Thursday. The number dropped an ... ( read original story ...)
Japan birth rate 'at lowest level in over 100 years'
The latest statistics were reported by Kyodo news agency based on unidentified government sources. The number of women in their twenties in Japan is falling Credit: Reuters Among the key factors in the falling number of births is the shrinking population ... ( read original story ...)
Yokohama Names New Ambassador
Founder of Ice Driving Canada named Yokohama’s brand ambassador. Professional racing driver, and long-time driving instructor, Jean-Sebastien Sauriol will be representing Yokohama Canada as a brand ambassador. “We are excited for the opportunity to ... ( read original story ...)