National
Sour grapes: Japan battles to protect premium fruits
The variety of juicy grape that Yuki Nakamura is harvesting as the sun rises over his farm took scientists 33 years to develop and can sell for 15,000 yen a bunch in Tokyo department stores. But in the view of Japanese farmers and officials, the chunky emerald-green Shine Muscat, one… Read
Japanese airline to allow pets on all domestic flights from January
A Japanese airline will allow passengers to bring their small dogs and cats on board all of its domestic flights beginning January in a bid to attract more customers, according to its website. After Star Flyer Inc. became the first domestic airline to provide the service in March 2022 on… Read
Divers recover seventh of 8 crew members killed in crash of U.S. military Osprey off Japan
Divers on Sunday recovered the remains of the seventh of the eight crew members from a U.S. military Osprey aircraft that crashed off southern Japan during a training mission. The Air Force CV-22 Osprey went down Nov. 29 just off Yakushima Island in southwestern Japan while on its way to Okinawa. The… Read
To the moo-n: Cow dung fuels Japan's space ambitions
Japan's space industry opened potentially an udder-ly new chapter on Thursday with a start-up testing a prototype rocket engine that runs on fuel derived purely from a plentiful local source: cow dung. The experiment saw the engine blast out a blue-and-orange flame 10-15 meters horizontally out of an open hangar… Read
Tokyo’s Shibuya district bans public drinking on New Year’s Eve, cancels countdown celebration
As we approach the mid-point of December, it’s time to start fine-tuning your plans for New Year’s Eve, but if you’re going to be spending the night in Tokyo, one of the city’s traditionally biggest party neighborhoods doesn’t want you celebrating in the streets. Shibuya, the downtown Tokyo neighborhood world-famous for… Read
Japan to allow use of private cars as taxis under certain terms
The Japanese government has finalized a plan to allow drivers with a standard license to offer taxi services using their own vehicle in an effort to address a nationwide shortage of taxi drivers. Under the eased measures, individuals without a license to provide driver services will be able to do… Read
Empress Masako turns 60; expresses eagerness to move forward
Empress Masako, on the occasion of her 60th birthday Saturday, expressed renewed eagerness to "keep walking toward the future" as she thanked those who have supported her throughout the six decades of her life so far. "I have deep gratitude to everyone who has taken care of me, starting with… Read
Thousands of tons of dead sardines, mackerel wash ashore in northern Japan
Thousands of tons of dead sardines have washed up on a beach in northern Japan for unknown reasons, officials said Friday. The sardines and some mackerel washed ashore in Hakodate on Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido on Thursday morning, creating a sliver blanket along a stretch of beach about… Read
Tokyo Disneyland apologizes for Minnie Mouse skirt-lifting incident
The operator of Tokyo Disneyland on Friday apologized after clips of Minnie Mouse having her skirt lifted by another character during a recent Christmas parade went viral on social media, with some harshly criticizing the gesture as sexual harassment. The parade on Saturday saw a reindeer lift Minnie Mouse's skirt… Read
12 people including foreigners injured in bus-trailer-car crash in Hokkaido
Twelve people including foreign tourists were injured in a traffic accident involving a bus, a tractor trailer and a passenger car Friday in Furano, Hokkaido, police said. Of those injured, the bus driver and nine foreign nationals aboard were sent to hospital with injuries believed to be nonlife threatening, police… Read
