National
Northern Japan snowed under after two-week whiteout
Residents of northern Japan were sheltering from deep snow up to the rooftops in some areas on Thursday after a two-week whiteout. Several cities have seen record snowfall this month, causing traffic disruption and several fatalities. And more is expected, according to the national weather agency, which issued a series… Read
China takes 1st Japanese fish samples in IAEA-led expanded monitoring
China on Thursday collected Japanese fish samples for the first time as part of U.N. nuclear watchdog-led additional monitoring of the discharge of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima power plant into the sea. Based on an agreement between the Japanese and Chinese governments in September to work toward… Read
Japan’s unregistered prepaid train cards return after nearly two-year absence
Whether you’re traveling in Japan or living in the country, one of the most useful things to have in your wallet is a Suica or Pasmo card. These prepaid cards originally started out as methods for paying for train and subway tickets. Simply tap the card at the turnstile when entering the station, then again… Read
Foreign visitors to Japan in January surge 40% to monthly record 3.78 mil
The number of foreign visitors to Japan in January surged 40.6 percent from a year earlier to a record 3.78 million, as travelers from China more than doubled in part due to the Lunar New Year holiday, government data showed Wednesday. The sharpest rise in six months was also driven… Read
3 years on, Ukrainian evacuees help ballet project grow in Japan
Ukrainian ballet dancers Nelia Ivanova and Svitlana Shlikhter were deeply moved when the audience gave a standing ovation during their Japan-based troupe's performance in Latvia ahead of the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Throughout the performance in the Baltic country neighboring Russia, the troupe called for an… Read
IAEA chief visits Fukushima as Japan returns to nuclear power
The U.N. nuclear watchdog chief visited Japan's stricken Fukushima plant on Wednesday, the day after Tokyo approved an energy plan that marks a return to nuclear power to meet growing demand for AI. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is monitoring Japan's efforts to decommission the Fukushima Daiichi plant after… Read
3 dead in possible gas poisoning near Fukushima hot spring resort
Three people were found collapsed on Tuesday in an area with a high concentration of toxic gas near a hot spring resort in Fukushima, and were later confirmed dead, local fire authorities said. They were found during a search for the manager, in his 60s, and two employees, in their… Read
U.N. nuclear chief to view soil removed from Fukushima
The U.N. nuclear watchdog chief arrived in Japan on Tuesday for a trip that will include his first visit to storage facilities for soil contaminated in the 2011 Fukushima disaster. It is the fifth official visit to the country by Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).… Read
Japan targets 60% emissions cut by 2035 from 2013 levels
Japan set fresh climate targets on Tuesday, pledging to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent in the next decade from 2013 levels. Under the Paris Agreement, each country is supposed to provide a steeper headline figure to the UN for cutting heat-trapping emissions by 2035, and a detailed blueprint… Read
Frozen in time: Hospital room preserved since 1945 Tokyo firebombing
Time seems frozen in this severely charred hospital room in Tokyo, left much as it was almost eight decades ago after U.S. B-29 bombers unleashed a firestorm that incinerated vast areas of the Japanese capital. While workers bustle outside, the small, drafty room remains eerily still, strewn with pieces of… Read
