National
17 delicatessens in eastern Japan closed down over E. coli poisoning
An operator of delicatessens in eastern Japan said Wednesday it has closed all 17 of its stores after some of them were hit by an E. coli bacteria outbreak that has killed a 3-year-old girl and sickened 21 others. The 17 Delicious stores in Gunma, Saitama and Tochigi prefectures ended… Read
Mobile slaughterhouse for wild game launched in Kochi town
A town in Kochi Prefecture has launched a meat-processing truck designed to quickly slaughter wild boars and deer killed by hunters, in an effort to utilize game that previously went to waste. Dubbed the "gibier car," the mobile slaughterhouse began full-fledged operations in Yusuhara town in August, and is the… Read
Easier anime work visa requirements for foreign students being considered by Japanese government
Anime is Japan’s biggest youth-oriented cultural export, and a love for the medium is a contributing factor in many foreign students’ decision to study in the country. But while certain anime characters practically never age, in the real world we eventually finish school and have to find grown-up jobs. This puts foreign… Read
Antimissile battery deployed in Hakodate after N Korean missile tests
Japan deployed an antimissile battery Tuesday in Hakodate, a major city on the northernmost main island of Hokkaido near the flight paths of ballistic missiles recently launched by North Korea. The battery was moved to a Ground Self-Defense Force camp in the city from an Air Self-Defense Force base about… Read
5 nuclear plants' cooling systems may fail during volcanic eruptions
Five nuclear power plants that have passed safety clearances by Japan's nuclear safety watchdog may be at risk of having their cooling systems crippled during huge eruptions of nearby volcanoes, the watchdog said. The five plants are the Sendai power plant operated by Kyushu Electric Power Co in Kagoshima Prefecture,… Read
Pet deaths in Japan: Dignified but dog-gone expensive
In Japan, caring for pets goes beyond the grave. At Pet Rainbow Fiesta, a pet funeral expo, held in Tokyo on Monday, visitors were given a host of options on performing rites for dead pets, including cremation, constructing a household altar and making offerings of incense. The basic funeral service… Read
Kindergartens to accept 2-year-olds to address day care shortage
The government plans to allow kindergartens to accept 2-year-olds from the new fiscal year starting April to address a severe shortage of day care centers for children, government officials have said. Kindergartens are currently attended by children aged 3 to 5. To accommodate 2-year-olds, the education ministry and the Cabinet… Read
N Korean missile launches may cost Japanese broadcasters billions of yen
For the second time in only a matter of weeks North Korea sent a missile straight over Japan and into the ocean, and as a result the international community has come together as one and declared: “It’s the other guys’ problem.” So we can probably expect more rockets to whiz over our… Read
Typhoon makes landfall on Hokkaido after leaving 2 dead, 3 missing in Shikoku
A large typhoon made landfall on Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido on Monday after heavy rain and a mudslide killed two people in Shikoku the previous day. Three men, meanwhile, are missing in Kochi and Oita prefectures in western Japan after Typhoon Talim swept across and caused flooding in… Read
No. of Japanese people aged 90 and older tops 2 million for 1st time
The total number of Japanese people aged 90 and older has topped 2 million for the first time, with a record 7.70 million people aged 65 and older earning wages in some fashion, according to the latest population estimate released by the government. The data, released ahead of Monday's Respect-for-the-Aged… Read
