Since Japan began counting its newborns more than a century ago, more than 1 million infants have been added to its population each year. No longer, in the latest discomforting milestone for a country facing a steep population decline. Last year ... ( read original story ...)
IOC to set Tokyo Olympics program, add street basketball
GENEVA -- A full list of 2020 Tokyo Olympics medal events will be finalized by the IOC executive board next week, one month ahead of schedule. Among more than 60 proposals, 3-on-3 basketball is an expected favourite after all were analyzed by an ... ( read original story ...)
Tattoo trial could determine the legal future of Japan’s taboo ink tradition
Two years ago, police in the city of Osaka raided Taiki Masuda's studio, arresting and fining him — his crime was working as a tattoo artist without also being a licensed doctor. Masuda contested his fine, and his trial is currently underway in Osaka The ... ( read original story ...)
US aircraft carriers join Japanese forces off North Korean coast for military training
North Korea's most recent test was conducted on Sunday, when it launched short-range Scud ballistic missile off its eastern coast, flying for six minutes before landing in the Sea of Japan. Fox News' Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report. ( read original story ...)
Japan lower house OKs bill allowing emperor to abdicate
A bill allowing 83-year-old Emperor Akihito to abdicate cleared the more powerful chamber of Japan's parliament on Friday, setting the stage for his elder son to succeed the Chrysanthemum throne. The bill, approved unanimously by the lower house ... ( read original story ...)
Sapporo becomes 1st major Japanese city to recognize LGBT couples
Sapporo on Thursday became the first major city in Japan to officially recognize same-sex partnerships between lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender couples. The city in northern Japan also certifies partnerships between heterosexual couples with gender ... ( read original story ...)
Sapporo Is the First City In Japan To Recognize Gay Relationships
Sapporo has become the first city in Japan to officially recognize same-sex partnerships. According to Kyodo News, on Thursday the city also became the first to recognize partnerships between heterosexual couples with gender dysphoria. The initiative is ... ( read original story ...)
Air Canada is flying round trip from LAX to Nagoya, Japan, for $476
Sfseltzer RT @latimestravel: Air Canada is flying round trip from LAX to Nagoya, Japan, for $476 https://t.co/VvP5rBGKHd 27 minutes ago Cool Japan News Air Canada is flying round trip from LAX to Nagoya, Japan, for $476 - Los Angeles Times https://t.co ... ( read original story ...)
‘The essence of ninja is to be patient’: Ninja champion fosters a calm attitude in his pupils
YOKOHAMA, Japan – Have you ever tried throwing shuriken ninja stars? It can certainly be fun to try – but for people such as Masaaki Ikebe, who won the annual shuriken-throwing competition in March to become the first two-time champion in its eight ... ( read original story ...)
Japan parliament passes emperor abdication law
But the idea of female succession is popular among ordinary Japanese. A Kyodo News agency survey last month showed 82 percent of those polled were in favour of allowing a female member of the imperial family to succeed, while 62 percent supported the ... ( read original story ...)
Japan men take out ‘groper insurance’ against sex pest claims
TOKYO In Japan, where train travel can often be a perilous ordeal for women, an insurance company is reporting a sudden run on a policy that protects men falsely accused of groping. The spike in takers for the 6,400 yen ($57, Dh209.2) “false groping ... ( read original story ...)
Abdication of Japan’s emperor moves a step closer
TOKYO Japanese Emperor Akihito's abdication moved a step closer ... that we can expect it to pass speedily," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference prior to the vote. While no definite plan for an abdication has been confirmed ... ( read original story ...)
Japan disappointed by Trump’s decision to quit Paris agreement
OSAKA – Japanese government officials, business leaders, and environmental groups expressed regret Friday at U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that America was withdrawing from the Paris Climate Change Agreement, but vowed to find ways to work ... ( read original story ...)
Japan’s GPIF pension fund sues Toshiba auditor over investment losses
Toshiba has been on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's supervision list since mid-March as it has failed to clear up concerns about its internal controls after the $1.3 billion accounting scandal. That scandal preceded the crisis now engulfing Toshiba over ... ( read original story ...)
The North Korean threat to Japan
The U.S., working with Japan, must make the nuclear threat from North Korea a priority issue ANALYSIS/OPINION: In early May, I was part of a fact-finding trip to Japan. What I learned from four days of discussions with senior government officials ... ( read original story ...)
Japan and an Anti-Crime Bill
Re “Anti-Conspiracy Bill Advances in Japan” (news article, May 24): Concluding the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, or Untoc, is a pressing issue for Japan, as we prepare to play host to major events, particularly the ... ( read original story ...)