Junko Tabei, first woman to climb Everest, dies at 77

TOKYO – Japanese media reports say the first woman to climb ... "I was the 36th person to climb Everest." Japan's Kyodo News agency said that Tabei scaled peaks in more than 60 countries. Japanese public broadcaster NHK said she continued climbing ... ( read original story ...)

Death from overwork in Japan shows lessons unlearned

TOKYO -- Matsuri Takahashi's dream career at Japan's top ad agency, Dentsu, ended with her suicide as her overtime pushed past 100 hours a month. "I'm emotionless and only wish to sleep," she wrote, exhausted and depressed, in a Twitter post in October ... ( read original story ...)

Strong Quake in Western Japan Knocks out Power, Injures 7

A powerful earthquake in western Japan knocked loose roof tiles, toppled store shelves and caused power outages Friday afternoon, but apparently caused no widespread damage. At least seven people were injured, one seriously. The Japan Meteorological Agency ... ( read original story ...)

X Japan's Yoshiki: Music saved my life

X Japan are one of Japan's most famous heavy metal rock bands. In the 1980s they helped pioneer the "visual kei" movement associated with brightly coloured hair and flamboyant costumes. But the band's history has been marked with tragedy, including the ... ( read original story ...)

Western Japan hit by magnitude 6.6 earthquake

A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.6 struck western Japan on Friday, but there was no risk of tsunami. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake occurred at 2:10 p.m. local time in the Tottori prefecture, about 700 kilometres ... ( read original story ...)

Halloween attraction angers Japan doll makers

... Doll Association has written to Universal Studios Japan saying its haunted house makes the dolls seem "cursed or scary", and will damage the business of manufacturers and retailers, the Kyodo news agency reports. "Japanese dolls are excellent works of art. ( read original story ...)

Japanese job-matching company focuses on SE Asian students

TOKYO - A job-matching company is pairing students from Southeast Asian nations, especially Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, with Japanese employers via an online service. More than 2,500 students from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations -- which ... ( read original story ...)

Rugby: Tributes paid as former Japan captain Hirao dies at 53

He will be greatly missed." Former Japan international and member of the World Rugby Hall of Fame Yoshihiro Sakata said, "It is very sad news. He was such an important person and was so young." Japan Rugby Football Union chairman Noriyuki Sakamoto said ... ( read original story ...)

Japanese Yaskawa to build robot factory in Slovenia: PM

State news agency STA reported that the investment was likely to ... Consumer electronics producer Panasonic [6752.T] is another Japanese company which might increase its investment in Slovenia. Last month it completed due diligence on Slovenian household ... ( read original story ...)

Nissan CEO to become chairman of Mitsubishi Motors: reports

TOKYO - Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Japan's Nissan Motor, was due to hold a news conference Thursday amid reports he will become chairman of Mitsubishi Motors, presiding over efforts to turn the troubled automaker around. The Brazilian-born Frenchman, who already ... ( read original story ...)