Inside Tokyo’s incredibly weird owl cafes

AS A lover of all things odd, unusual and downright weird — Tokyo is my mecca. But sometimes, things that sound like fun (think: “Moomin Pub” or “Cuddle Corner”) can be downright disturbing, like a trip to one of the city’s owl cafes ... ( read original story ...)

Tokyo cops: Woman shoves man, knocks him unconscious

A woman shoved a male acquaintance near Shinagawa Station during an argument and knocked him unconscious (TBS News) TOKYO (TR) – A woman shoved a male acquaintance during an argument, leaving him unconscious after he struck his head when he fell ... ( read original story ...)

Japan space agency fails to launch rocket

Japan's space agency says it failed to launch a mini rocket carrying a satellite into space due to failure of the communications systems. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) says in a statement it fired the SS-520 rocket on Sunday morning at its ... ( read original story ...)

Japan Airlines : Kyodo Top12 News

Chicken cull under way at farm in Gifu after bird flu detected GIFU, Japan - Local authorities said Sunday they are culling all 80,000 chickens at a poultry farm in central Japan after a highly virulent strain of bird flu was detected Saturday, while they ... ( read original story ...)

Heavy snowfall hits Japan, coldest day in much of country

TOKYO - Temperatures plunged to their lowest level so far this winter in many regions of Japan on Sunday, with heavy snowfall continuing to hit areas especially along the Sea of Japan coast. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued warnings of snowstorms and ... ( read original story ...)

3 dead in heavy snowfall as coldest day this winter hits Japan

Airlines including All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines cancelled at least 130 flights, while services on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines saw delays. To have fuller access to the Kyodo News website, it is necessary to subscribe. We offer a broad ... ( read original story ...)

Yokohama's zinc levels exceed limits

Yokohama's tire manufacturing operation in West Point is asking the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to modify its wastewater pretreatment permit to allow for more zinc discharge. Daily monitoring reports The Dispatch obtained from MDEQ's ... ( read original story ...)

Toxic chemicals detected at Tokyo's new fish market site

High levels of toxic chemicals were found in groundwater tests at a new facility scheduled to replace Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market -- the world's largest -- clouding the costly relocation plan, news reports said Saturday. The controversial project has been ... ( read original story ...)

Sapporo experience invaluable for Aussie athletes

SAPPORO 2017: Becoming accustomed to the atmosphere in an Olympic Village at the February Asian Winter Games will provide invaluable experience for emerging and seasoned athletes. Among the thirty athletes selected by the Australian Olympic Committee for ... ( read original story ...)

Nintendo Switch game console to launch in March

TOKYO - The Nintendo Switch video game console will sell for 29,980 yen (about $260) in Japan, starting March 3, the same date as its global rollout in the U.S. and Europe. The Japanese company promises the device will be packed with fun features of all ... ( read original story ...)

Tokyo governor urges golf venue to allow women members

The club situated in Saitama Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, also bars women from playing there on Sundays, according to a Kyodo news agency report. Last year, Muirfield golf club lost its place on the rotation of venues for the British Open after a ballot ... ( read original story ...)

Definitions of 'comfort women' reveal Japan-S. Korea divide

TOKYO – "Comfort women," used by the Japanese military used for sex, were present wherever the army invaded and occupied Asia countries from the early 1930s through the end of World War II. That aspect of wartime history was kept quiet until the early ... ( read original story ...)