Latest News
Kurobe Dam in Toyama Pref begins releasing water
One of Toyama Prefecture’s main tourist attractions began operations Monday as Kurobe Dam started releasing water, which will continue each day until Oct 15. The arch dam, located in Tateyama in the Northern Alps, is Japan’s highest at 186 meters. In order to drain the dam, water is released at a… Read
Bankrupt Takata faces angry shareholders
Takata executives faced angry investors Tuesday after the company at the center of the world's biggest auto safety recall filed for bankruptcy and said it was being bought by a U.S. company. The filing all but destroys any value left in the Japanese airbag maker's shares, which will be delisted… Read
Bodies of 3 elderly people found in Saitama house
Police have launched an investigation after the bodies of three elderly people, believed to be siblings, were found in a house in Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture. According to authorities, a welfare worker contacted police at around 3:30 p.m. on Monday, concerned that newspapers had been piling in the house's mailbox, Fuji… Read
Smokers less than 20% of Japanese population for 1st time: report
The number of smokers in Japan has fallen below 20% of the population for the first time on record, a survey showed Tuesday, giving a boost to the health ministry's plan to ban smoking in enclosed public spaces. In the government survey of people aged 20 or older in 2016,… Read
Japan's child poverty rate eases but 1 in 7 children remains poor
The poverty rate among Japanese children slightly improved in 2015 thanks in part to the country's better job market but one in every seven children remains poor, a survey by the welfare ministry showed Tuesday. The national livelihood survey showed 13.9 percent of children under 18 in Japan were in… Read
Nintendo announces upcoming release of Super NES Classic Edition
While its insistence on doing things its own way can sometimes make Nintendo a stubborn company, recently it’s been giving fans exactly what they want. Want a brand-new Zelda game available at launch for the Switch? Sure! A real-life Super Mario level as part of their tie-up with Universal Studios Japan? OK! And now the company’s surging goodwill… Read
Indians stun Rangers in huge comeback
Francisco Lindor, Lonnie Chisenhall and Carlos Santana each had three RBIs to help the Cleveland Indians rally from 9-2 down in the fourth inning to beat the Texas Rangers 15-9 in Major League Baseball on Monday night, after Cleveland manager Terry Francona left the game due to illness. The Indians… Read
Republican health plan in peril as 22 mil set to lose coverage
Senate Republicans watched support for their Obamacare repeal bill slide into perilous territory after Monday's release of a non-partisan report forecasting that the plan would leave 22 million more Americans uninsured by 2026. The legislation introduced last week by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was already in jeopardy, despite expressed… Read
Facebook to produce own TV series, games
Facebook is starting production on high-quality television series and gaming shows to be broadcast on its platform, one of the social media giant's executives said on Monday. The online platform, which has around two billion monthly users worldwide, is working on the project with a small group of partners and… Read
U.S. warship stayed on deadly collision course despite warning, says container ship captain
A U.S. warship struck by a container vessel in Japanese waters failed to respond to warning signals or take evasive action before a collision that killed seven of its crew, according to a report of the incident by the Philippine cargo ship's captain. Multiple U.S. and Japanese investigations are under… Read
