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Japan to step up precautions against China coronavirus
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday Japan will step up precautions against a new coronavirus believed to have originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan. The government will request airlines to make flight announcements urging passengers arriving in Japan from China to report if they are feeling unwell. "We will… Read
Shop fearing Wuhan virus bans Chinese visitors in Hakone
Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture is a town always bustling with tourists and one of the most popular day-trip destinations for travelers staying in the Tokyo area. Some visitors to Hakone will notice a candy shop and rest spot decorated with "Star Wars" imagery. Unfortunately, the shop is now in the… Read
Japan has trade deficit for 2nd straight year
Japan logged a deficit for a second straight year last year as its exports were hurt by a slowdown of demand in China amid a tariff war with the U.S. Government data released Thursday showed Japan's exports fell 5.6% in 2019, to 76.9 trillion yen ($701.6 billion), while imports fell… Read
Canadian air tanker fighting Australia bushfires crashes, killing three
A Canadian-owned Hercules C-130 air tanker crashed while fighting bushfires in Australia's alpine region on Thursday, killing all three of its crew, authorities said. All three victims were American residents, Australian authorities said, adding that they did not immediately know why the plane crashed. "Tragically, there appears to be no… Read
Thiem, Zverev advance at Australian Open
Two-time French Open finalist Dominic Thiem broke local wild-card entry Alex Boult's serve in the third game of the fifth set and advanced to the third round with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-2 win. Seventh-seeded Alexander Zverev also advanced about the same time with a 7-6 (5), 6-4,… Read
Mud stops play: after smog, wind, rain, new challenge for Australian Open
An Australian Open that has been hit by weather extremes faced a new challenge on Thursday: dirty rain, after overnight downpours left courts muddy and unplayable. Workers armed with squeegees and high-pressure hoses rushed to clean the dirty surfaces, delaying matches by more than two hours on most of the… Read
Seattle shooting leaves 1 dead, 7 wounded; suspects at large
A violent altercation that escalated into gunfire in downtown Seattle left one woman dead and six other bystanders wounded outside a fast-food restaurant on Wednesday, and police said they were searching for at least two suspects. The precise circumstances of the shooting, what precipitated the bloodshed and the number of… Read
24,000 items of undelivered mail hidden at postman’s home
Kanagawa prefectural police plan to send papers to prosecutors on a postal worker in his 60s who kept about 24,000 undelivered letters and parcels at his home. Police said the man, whose name has not been released, faces a charge of violating Japan’s Postal Act. The man, who worked at… Read
Abe rebuffs opposition resignation call over contentious gov't event
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday rejected opposition calls to resign over a controversial state-funded cherry blossom viewing party, saying he broke no law. Opposition parties have alleged that Abe used the annual event for personal gain by inviting hundreds of his own supporters. They have also claimed his… Read
Ghosn's aide Kelly stands high chance of acquittal: ex-prosecutor
A top aide to Carlos Ghosn who is facing charges in Japan for underreporting his salary at Nissan Motor Co stands a very high chance of being acquitted, as would Ghosn had he remained in Japan to face trial, a former prosecutor said. Lawyer Nobuo Gohara, a vocal critic of… Read
