After a disappointing 2016 ACL campaign, the 2008 winners are hoping to halt a general slide when they visit Coopers Stadium on Wednesday night Gamba Osaka coach Kenta Hasegawa has been trialling a back three in an attempt to improve his side's defensive ... ( read original story ...)
Tokyo Olympics golf venue Kasumigaseki Country Club told to admit women or lose Games
The club scheduled to host the golf at the 2020 Tokyo Games must allow women to have full membership or organisers will have to find another venue, International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice president John Coates has warned. The private Kasumigaseki ... ( read original story ...)
Japan wins 4 gold in speed skating at Asian Winter Games
SAPPORO, Japan -- Japan claimed four gold medals in speed skating and China won two on the short track at the Asian Winter Games on Tuesday. Nao Kodaira of Japan earned her second gold of the Sapporo Games by beating two-time Olympic champion Lee Sang-hwa ... ( read original story ...)
Japan kindergarten apologizes after possible hate-speech comment
western Japan, has been visited by Akie Abe and is operated by Moritomo Gakuen, an educational institution that plans to open an elementary school in April with the prime minister's wife as honorary principal. Kyodo news agency reported on Friday that the ... ( read original story ...)
Japan households most cash-loving among major economies – central bank
TOKYO Japanese households hold roughly 11 times more of their assets in cash or savings accounts than ones in Sweden do, according to a survey that shows their love for cash remains intact. In 2015, the ratio of Japanese households' cash holdings ... ( read original story ...)
Japan zoo culls 57 monkeys carrying ‘invasive’ genes
TOKYO: A Japanese zoo has culled 57 native snow monkeys by lethal injection after finding that they carried genes of an “invasive alien species”, officials said Tuesday. The Takagoyama Nature Zoo in the city of Futtsu in Chiba prefecture east of Tokyo ... ( read original story ...)
Japan immigration policy to focus on highly skilled foreign workers
Sometime mid-January, an announcement was made regarding changes that will be made for permanent residency in Japan for skilled foreign workers. However, the changes appear to favor a specific type of foreign worker. To achieve permanent residency in just ... ( read original story ...)
Japan’s silver-tongued Lotharios sell dreams to lonely women
TOKYO, Japan – Cigarette smoke hangs thick in the air of a Tokyo nightspot as Aki Nitta sips champagne with a trio of sweet-talking Lotharios peddling fake love at premium rates. In a country which has lost its mojo, many wealthy Japanese women spend eye ... ( read original story ...)
Japan, int'l body to promote human security in Middle East, Africa
Japan on Monday partnered with the U.N.-affiliated International Trade Center in Geneva to promote human security in conflict-ridden parts of the Middle East and Africa. Japan will contribute $794,000 to assist four ITC projects in Syria, Jordan, Sudan and ... ( read original story ...)
Spain's king, queen to visit Japan April 4-7
It will be the king's first visit to Japan since ascending the throne in 2014. The Spanish royal couple will also meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the visit, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said. To have fuller access to the Kyodo News website ... ( read original story ...)
Yokohama Rubber forecasts higher 2017 op profit despite soaring rubber prices
Still, "higher prices of natural rubber and other raw materials will reduce our operating profit by 24 billion yen ($212 million) in 2017," said Gota Matsuo, general manager at Yokohama Rubber, told a news conference. To minimize the impact, the firm plans ... ( read original story ...)
Embattled Osaka kindergarten chief apologizes for denigrating Koreans, Chinese
Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui urged the kindergarten to refrain from using such derogatory language at a regular news conference on Friday. “Even though we have the right of free speech, we should not use vulgar expressions,” Matsui said. The kindergarten ... ( read original story ...)
The surrender of Singapore: Pictures show the moment Britain surrendered island territory to Japan in 1942, leading to three years of hell for 80,000 prisoners of war
Rare images of 'Britain's worst wartime disaster' where the UK surrendered Singapore to the Japanese have been published in a new book. The fall of Singapore was perhaps Britain's greatest military defeat since General Cornwallis surrendered to the ... ( read original story ...)
Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo Hosts Mt. Fuji Art Exhibition, Featuring Itchiku's Mt. Fuji Kimono Masterpieces
This Smart News Release features multimedia ... art forms and were collected by Itchiku on his travels along the Silk Road. The Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo hosts a wide variety of cultural events on a seasonal basis as part of a wide range of hospitality ... ( read original story ...)
UK Sport rejects Tokyo 2020 funding appeals from seven sports including badminton and table tennis
We are operating in a tight financial envelope, and have responsibilities to both develop the system underpinning our best athletes as well as the sports and athletes themselves, and sadly our investment won't stretch to these sports for the Tokyo 2020 cycle.' ( read original story ...)
Japan logs first trade deficit in five months in January at ¥1.09 trillion
Japan posted its first goods trade deficit in five months in January, logging red ink of ¥1.09 trillion ($9.7 billion) as imports increased more than exports on rising commodity prices, the government said Monday. Imports marked their first gain in 25 ... ( read original story ...)