Unseeded Naomi Osaka became the first Japanese player to win the Indian Wells final, routing Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 6-2 on Sunday for her first WTA Tour title. World number 44 Osaka rolled over Kasatkina, breaking her serve four times and winning the ... ( read original story ...)
Most Japanese think PM Abe bears responsibility for scandal: polls
TOKYO (Reuters) - Most Japanese think Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bears some responsibility ... But 66.1 percent of respondents to a poll conducted by Kyodo news agency on Saturday and Sunday said they felt the premier had some responsibility for the altered ... ( read original story ...)
Japan cult spinoffs persist two decades after sarin attack
More than two decades after Japan's Aum Shinrikyo cult plunged Tokyo into terror by releasing a nerve agent on rush-hour subway trains, its spinoffs continue to attract new followers. Cult head Shoko Asahara is on death row, along with 12 of his disciples ... ( read original story ...)
ANIME NEWS: ‘Chihayafuru’ exhibition set for Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka in spring
Manga artist Yuki Suetsugu’s first solo exhibition featuring original art from “Chihayafuru” will take place in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. The art event is set to show about 130 illustrations and manuscripts mainly from the manga, which is about high ... ( read original story ...)
Osaka stuns Halep as rising stars reach Indian Wells final
(Reuters) - Japan's Naomi Osaka made short work of a subdued world number one Simona Halep on Friday, the unseeded 20-year-old racing to a 6-3 6-0 semi-final victory to set up a surprise BNP Paribas Open final against Daria Kasatkina. The Russian ... ( read original story ...)
Spring comes to Tokyo with first cherry blossoms
"Warm temperatures in late February and early March hastened the growth of buds," an agency official told reporters to the cheers of visitors at the shrine in central Tokyo. The story hit the headlines with Jiji Press reporting it as breaking news ... ( read original story ...)
Kasatkina beats Williams; Osaka ousts Halep at Indian Wells
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — The future is now at the BNP Paribas Open. Daria Kasatkina upset Venus Williams 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 in a nearly three-hour baseline struggle and Naomi Osaka routed top-ranked Simona Halep 6-3, 6-0 in 64 minutes on Friday night to ... ( read original story ...)
Kasatkina beats Williams; Osaka upends Halep at Indian Wells
Naomi Osaka made much quicker work of top-ranked Simona Halep, routing her 6-3, 6-0 in 64 minutes to set up a final between two 20-year-olds on Sunday. Kasatkina was two points from defeat, trailing 4-5 and 0-30 in the third set when Williams committed ... ( read original story ...)
Japanese sensation Osaka blitzes Halep en route to decider
It will be a battle of the 20-year-olds in the Indian Wells Masters final after Japanese sensation Naomi Osaka crushed world number one Simona Halep in straight sets. Halep was the overwhelming favourite but the three-time grand slam finalist was ... ( read original story ...)
Tokyo: Man swindled women with ‘mistress contract’ scams
TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 24-year-old man who is suspected of swindling multiple women by posing as the son of the president of a talent agency, reports Nippon News Network (Mar. 16). In December of last year, Akira Baba ... ( read original story ...)
Owner of dog mistakenly flown to Japan ‘likely’ to take legal action against United Airlines
The owner of a dog mistakenly flown to Japan will “most likely” pursue legal action against United Airlines, she said today on ABC News’ “Good Morning America” “Most likely, yes, we will,” Kansas resident Kara Swindle said when asked whether ... ( read original story ...)
Tokyo: Kabukicho bar host accused of assaulting girlfriend over bill
TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a bar host for allegedly assaulting a female customer who had accumulated a large debt, reports Fuji News Network (Mar. 15). On March 1, Yusuke Sakurai, a 21-year-old university student, summoned the ... ( read original story ...)
Olympics attendees in Tokyo may chat with a talking bubble device straight out of a comic book
Speech bubbles are popping straight out of comic books and possibly into the next Olympic Games in Tokyo. The Fukidashi is a translation device created by Panasonic's artificial intelligence group and 100BANCH, a Tokyo-based accelerator. It's purposefully ... ( read original story ...)
United mistakenly flies Kansas City-bound dog on 10,000-KM trip to Japan
United Airlines is investigating how the German shepherd, named Irgo, was loaded onto an international flight to Japan, instead of a domestic flight to Missouri. According to NBC News, Kara Swindle and her two children flew Tuesday from Oregon to Kansas City. ( read original story ...)
Osaka, Halep advance to Indian Wells semis
Rising star Naomi Osaka stormed into the semi-finals at the BNP Paribas Open after stunning number five seed Karolina Pliskova. The 20-year-old Japanese wasted no time in racing to a straight sets victory at Indian Wells, winning the quarter-final 6-3 6-3 ... ( read original story ...)
Osaka upsets fifth seed Pliskova to earn semi-final spot at Indian Wells
Rising star Naomi Osaka stormed into the semi-finals at the BNP Paribas Open after stunning number five seed Karolina Pliskova. The 20-year-old Japanese wasted no time in racing to a straight sets victory at Indian Wells, winning the quarter-final 6-3 6-3 ... ( read original story ...)