|
|
Emperor Akihito commemorates 20th anniversary of his reign
 Emperor Akihito commemorates the 20th anniversary of his reign Wednesday, having created with his wife Empress Michiko a new image for the Imperial Household in the Heisei era in which they have more openly shared in the joys and sorrows of the people. The Imperial couple will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their marriage on April 10 this year, and continue to express their hopes for peace and support for the vulnerable -- such as the handicapped, the elderly and disaster victims -- both in Japan and abroad. (Kyodo)
|
Police officer, teacher arrested for having sex with 16-yr-old girl
A police officer and a high school teacher were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of both having had sex with a 16-year-old high school girl in Saitama Prefecture whom they got to know through the Internet, police officials said.
Hideo Futaesaku, a 27-year-old officer with the Saitama prefectural police, and Kenji Goto, a 54-year-old teacher at a public high school in the same prefecture, have admitted to allegations of violating the law that bans child prostitution, the police said. (Kyodo)
|
Mocha bean shortage a headache for coffee shops
Coffee shops across the nation are rapidly running out of mocha coffee beans after regulations were tightened on imports of the beans more than six months ago, forcing many establishments to develop new coffee blends in an attempt to satisfy their customers.
The popular coffee bean's presence in the country has plummeted following the discovery of pesticide residue on imported raw beans last year. (Yomiuri)
|
Panel believes cloned cattle safe to eat
A Food Safety Commission working group likely will acknowledge the safety of meat from cloned cattle and swine in a report to the commission's higher panel, potentially paving the way for cloned meat to enter the market, government sources said Tuesday. (Yomiuri)
|
Tokyo luxury inns brace for slide
 Bruised by the fallout from the global financial turmoil and signs the tourism industry is shrinking, international luxury hotels in Tokyo are trying to diversify their slim guest portfolios to weather the current crisis. The fortunes of the top-notch foreign hotels that have piled into the Japanese market in recent years are in tatters, with the boom shattered by the subprime mortgage meltdown that drove away their key corporate clients from the United States and Europe. (Japan Times)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, January 7, 9:08 (JST) |
|
Retired Japanese policeman on mission to prevent suicides
 Retired policeman Yukio Shige is still on patrol, walking daily along the Tojinbo cliff, one of the best-known suicide spots in Japan where he pursues a private mission to prevent people leaping.
Shige's method of persuading someone to stay alive is quite simple, he said.
When he spots a person standing on the edge of the cliff, he talks to them gently and brings them back to his cafe, where he serves them warm rice cake. (AFP)
|
|
|
|
|
|
