Star Wars fans might consider it a golden opportunity. Tokyo jeweler Ginza Tanaka is offering a life-size Darth Vader mask made of 24-karat gold at a hefty price of 154 million yen ($1.4 million) to mark the 40th anniversary of the release of the first ... ( read original story ...)
Japan destroyer leaves port reportedly to escort US warships
TOKYO – Japan's navy has dispatched its largest destroyer reportedly tasked with escorting U.S. military ships off the Japanese coast amid heightened tension on the Korean Peninsula. The helicopter carrier Izumo departed the Yokosuka port near Tokyo ... ( read original story ...)
Tokyo shuts down entire Metro system in response to North Korea missile test
Tokyo Metro official Hiroshi Takizawa says the temporary suspension ... north of Pyongyang, the capital. He spoke at a news conference following a meeting of Japan’s National Security Council. North Korea’s state media reiterated the country ... ( read original story ...)
Fears grow in Japan over North Korean missile capabilities
While Japanese tabloids and television programs have reported on nuclear shelters ordered by a handful of rich people or touted gas masks as a more affordable option, it's largely business as usual in Fussa, a town of 58,000 people in Tokyo's western suburbs. ( read original story ...)
Japan sends destroyer to escort US vessels
east of Tokyo, Kyodo News agency reported. It is Japan's first such operation since it passed controversial legislation allowing the military to expand its role overseas. Critics say the laws violate Japan's pacifist constitution as article 9 of the ... ( read original story ...)
Japan sends biggest warship to protect US supply vessel
The 249m-long Izumo can carry up to nine helicopters, and resembles US amphibious assault carriers, reported The Japan Times. Kyodo news agency said it was leaving its base in Yokosuka south of Tokyo to join the US supply ship, and accompany it to Shikoku ... ( read original story ...)
N. Korea missile fears in Japan: 'Whatever will be, will be'
"We thought North Korean missiles would never reach Japan, but after all these tests, they now seem routine. Eventually, one of them might come flying." Follow Mari Yamaguchi on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/mariyamaguchi Find her work on AP News ... ( read original story ...)
Cuteness power: Why watching animal videos is good for your brain
While some Facebook users have moved to Instagram to avoid political and news content, few internet users escape cute ... it's everywhere," Dale said in an interview from his Tokyo home, pointing to everything from Disney and Pixar content to obsessive ... ( read original story ...)
Cuteness power: How 'kawaii' translates, melting hearts across cultures
An emerging Japanese school of thought ... While some Facebook users have moved to Instagram to avoid political and news content, few internet users escape cute creature memes. Krigolson points to 1950s studies that inserted a wire into rats brains ... ( read original story ...)
Osaka cops: Feud over dog likely led to stabbing death of elderly man
Osaka police have accused Shigeki Hajima of stabbing an elderly neighbor to death in Taisho Ward (TBS News) OSAKA (TR) – Osaka Prefectural Police have arrested a 35-year-old man on charges of murder after his elderly neighbor was found stabbed to death ... ( read original story ...)
Challenges ahead of Nagoya Castle’s repair project
WHEN Tokugawa Ieyasu, who founded the Tokugawa shogunate in 1603, had feudal lords build castles across the nation, Nagoya Castle was one of them. The castle tower was rebuilt using reinforced concrete after WW2. This spring, the Nagoya municipal ... ( read original story ...)
Tokyo Briefly Halts Subway Trains After North Korea Missile Test
Tokyo Metro Co. Ltd. stopped services shortly after 6 a.m. as part of measures adopted this month under which services are halted after reports of a North Korean missile launch until confirming that it’s safe to operate, Kyodo News said, citing the operator. ( read original story ...)
Tokyo cruise offers a step back in time
A new Tokyo Bay samurai-themed cruise ship fashioned after those used by feudal lords back in the Edo Period (1603-1868) promises tourists visiting the nation’s capital an interesting contrast between modernity and tradition. The Atakemaru, which is 49.7 ... ( read original story ...)
Southern Alberta honey winery toasting to sweet success in Japan market
A small family-owned winery in southern Alberta is toasting to its growing business — in Japan. On Rachel Notley's recent trade mission to Asia, she raised a glass to the growing partnership between Alberta and Japan. The wine in her glass was ... ( read original story ...)
Japan's Abe warns of 'confusion' without Brexit deal
London - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday urged Britain and the European Union to secure a "smooth and transparent" separation, saying that open trade in Europe was "a matter of concern to the world". Abe met British Prime Minister Theresa ... ( read original story ...)
Tokyo's subway is shut down amid fears over an imminent North Korean missile attack on Japan
One of Tokyo's major subways systems says it shut down all lines for 10 minutes after receiving warning of a North Korean missile launch. Tokyo Metro official Hiroshi Takizawa says the temporary suspension affected 13,000 passengers this morning. ( read original story ...)