29 October 2020
Hawaii Gov. David Ige said Tuesday travelers from Japan will be exempted from the U.S. state's mandatory 14-day quarantine, starting Nov. 6, if they test negative for the novel coronavirus at designated hospitals within 72 hours prior to arrival. (Kyodo)
Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has pledged to pursue all options for Japan to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
(NHK)
The Japanese government is considering extending its domestic travel subsidy program beyond late January to continue support for the tourism sector amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday. (Japan Times)
The government on Tuesday approved a bill to pay all costs to administer COVID-19 vaccination to all residents in Japan, and to compensate suppliers in the event any serious side effects occur. (Japan Times)
Japan's communications minister has unveiled a plan that aims to spur competition among mobile phone carriers. It includes measures to make it easier for users to switch to lower-priced companies.
(NHK)
While long-haired specters clad in white are the most Japanese of horror tropes, many of Japan's ghostly tales come straight out of real life. If you'd like to scare yourself silly for this Halloween in Japan, but aren't big on visiting ...
Oct 29
Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 47-year-old man over the alleged molestation of a woman in Ota Ward earlier this year, reports TV Asahi (Oct. 28).
(tokyoreporter.com)
Oct 27
A Japanese YouTuber and two men were referred to prosecutors on Monday for allegedly placing a mattress on the sidewalk in front of the busy Shibuya scramble crossing in central Tokyo as part of a prank video, investigative sources said. (Kyodo)
Oct 27
A man in custody in connection with a decapitated corpse found in a residence in Kashiwazaki City last week has told police the body is that of his “brother,” police have revealed, reports the Niigata Nippo (Oct. 24). (tokyoreporter.com)
Oct 27
A man already in custody for an alleged assault was served a fresh arrest warrant Monday, making him the first cyclist to be charged for a road rage incident under a recently revised traffic law aimed at curbing dangerous driving. (Japan Times)
Oct 25
A 17-year-old boy jumped to his death from a shopping mall and entertainment complex in Osaka on Friday, and hit a 19-year-old girl walking below. The girl died in hospital on Saturday.
(Japan Today)
Oct 29
Central Japan Railway Company said its net loss in the first half of the fiscal year was about 1.1 billion dollars. Group sales fell 64 percent from the same period in 2019.
(NHK)
Oct 28
The coronavirus pandemic has brought record losses to one of Japan's major airline operators. ANA Holdings has announced it expects a group net loss of 4.8 billion dollars, for the year ending next March.
(NHK)
Oct 28
Japan's largest oil wholesaler says it will cease operations at a chemical materials factory around next October as competition in the industry intensifies. Eneos will seek to sell part of the plant to rival Idemitsu Kosan.
(NHK)
Oct 28
Playing casino games online can be quite thrilling. (newsonjapan.com)
Oct 27
The animated movie "Kimetsu no Yaiba," or "Demon Slayer," has broken box office records in Japan, earning 10 billion yen in its first 10 days in theaters. It reached the milestone much faster than the 25 days it took the 2001 animated fantasy film "Spirited Away."
(NHK)
Oct 29
Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has pledged to pursue all options for Japan to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
(NHK)
Oct 29
The Japanese government is considering extending its domestic travel subsidy program beyond late January to continue support for the tourism sector amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday. (Japan Times)
Oct 28
The government on Tuesday approved a bill to pay all costs to administer COVID-19 vaccination to all residents in Japan, and to compensate suppliers in the event any serious side effects occur. (Japan Times)
Oct 28
Japan's communications minister has unveiled a plan that aims to spur competition among mobile phone carriers. It includes measures to make it easier for users to switch to lower-priced companies.
(NHK)
Oct 27
The race is on. Japan's pledge to become a zero-emissions society by 2050 will send automakers, steel producers and other big industrial players scrambling to develop green technologies that will help slash their carbon footprints. (Nikkei)
Oct 29
The Japan International Cooperation Agency said Wednesday it will launch an organization next month to provide comprehensive support for foreign workers in Japan to improve their working and living environments. (Kyodo)
Oct 29
Although cannabis has long been a part of Japanese culture, current laws prohibit the use or sale of products containing more than a trace amount of THC, the chemical that gets users high.
(newsonjapan.com)
Oct 29
Why does everything go south when you are in a relationship? (newsonjapan.com)
Oct 26
Japan's health ministry will create a database of babysitters who have been convicted of sexual assault to prevent them from continuing to work with children unbeknownst to parents and local municipalities. (Japan Today)
Oct 25
Simmered pumpkin, Vegetarian recipe (Kimono Mom)
Oct 29
The Japanese government has postponed a decision on what to do with contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. (CGTN)
Oct 27
The race is on. Japan's pledge to become a zero-emissions society by 2050 will send automakers, steel producers and other big industrial players scrambling to develop green technologies that will help slash their carbon footprints. (Nikkei)
Oct 27
Japanese health officials are urging people in all age groups to get influenza shots amid concerns about simultaneous outbreaks of flu and coronavirus infections.
(NHK)
Oct 27
One Japanese airline is taking on additional costs to reduce its carbon footprint, despite the coronavirus crisis. All Nippon Airways is planning to begin flights soon using bio jet fuel derived from animal fat. (NHK)
Oct 24
Japan plans to seek next-generation astronauts to join an international program to explore the moon.
(NHK)
Oct 29
The most unpredictable of pennant races ended with among the most predictable of results: The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, once again, on top of the Pacific League and looking toward the Climax Series and possibly a fourth straight Japan Series title. (Japan Times)
Oct 28
A center for coronavirus prevention will be in operation during the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics next summer.
(NHK)
Oct 26
Top-favorite Contrail became Japanese racing's third undefeated triple crown winner Sunday, following in the footsteps of his sire, Deep Impact, by capturing the 81st running of the Kikka-sho, the last of the season's classic races. (Kyodo)
Oct 25
A ceremony was held on Saturday to mark the completion of the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, which will host swimming competitions in next year's Olympic and Paralympic Games.
(NHK)
Oct 24
Japan's Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide says the utmost effort is necessary to prevent coronavirus infections and fend off cyberattacks ahead of next year's rescheduled Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
(NHK)
Oct 29
Hawaii Gov. David Ige said Tuesday travelers from Japan will be exempted from the U.S. state's mandatory 14-day quarantine, starting Nov. 6, if they test negative for the novel coronavirus at designated hospitals within 72 hours prior to arrival. (Kyodo)
Oct 29
The Japanese government is considering extending its domestic travel subsidy program beyond late January to continue support for the tourism sector amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday. (Japan Times)
Oct 28
Nature lovers on Tuesday morning took in the brilliant red foliage reflected in Tsutanuma pond, a famed spot to view fall colors in the northeastern Japan prefecture of Aomori, under restricted conditions to prevent crowds amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Kyodo)
Oct 27
The complete renovation of Kansai International Airport in western Japan will be delayed by more than a year but the facility is still on track to expand its annual passenger capacity by over 30 percent to around 44 million a year in time for the 2025 Osaka Exposition, the airport operator said Monday. (Kyodo)
Oct 26
Cruise ships are resuming domestic operations after long service suspensions caused by the novel coronavirus crisis. (Japan Times)
Oct 28
Halloween in Japan is a big deal. Over the past couple of decades, the holiday has slowly grown from a small event celebrated only by foreigners to one of the biggest party weekends in the country. That's not to say children and families are left ...
Oct 28
Coronavirus is straw that breaks the back of boarding school with shrinking enrollment numbers. Located in the town of Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, Jiyugaoka High School was founded in 1983. All students at the private all-boys school live in the on-...Oct 28
Junior high school students at one school are learning Japanese culture by recreating historical sites in the popular game. Autumn is a popular season for school trips, when whole grades of students travel together to popular tourist sites through...Oct 28
Finding old and long-forgotten personal possessions in abandoned homes isn't all that unusual in Japan. The houses in this previously photographed village, for example, can't have been all that different when people still lived there, and in the s...
Oct 27
Easy recipe for delicious pork broth noodles with pro tips from a Japanese chef. There are few things better to warm you up on a cold wintry day than a piping hot bowl of tonkotsu ramen. Only problem is, mastering the pork broth has always seemed ...Oct 27
Prefecture's youngest dog makes a break for it in the middle of performing duties. Last Sunday, the police box in the town of Fukusaki, Hyogo Prefecture, received a report about a car parked near the entrance of the hiking trail to Nagusayama, a n...Oct 27
Video games based on real-life historical events are big business these days. Assassin's Creed Odyssey, which drew on real-life figures from ancient Greek history to craft a fictional narrative, is one of my favorite recent games. When I saw Ghost...
Oct 27
This jaw-dropping video will make you wonder how Tochigi Prefecture came in last in the prefectural popularity poll. In Japan, Prefecture pride is a seriously big deal, and a given prefecture's charms or local features will shape its reputation ac...Oct 26
When traveling with kids, boredom is real. And it can be a real pain for parents too.
I remember one particular summer morning, growing up in the countryside of Pennsylvania. My mother used to make the most delicious strawberry jam that I can st...
Oct 24
Following Japan's “paper tiger sandwich” incident, we went out and bought every sandwich we could find to investigate. It's impossible not to feel the draw of the snack food and pastry aisles on a trip into a Japanese convenience store, but th...