News On Japan

Convicted Perth Grandmother Was 'Victim' of Romance Scam

Dec 05 (ABC News) - A two-year legal battle has ended with an Australian grandmother being found guilty of smuggling drugs into Japan, but her family say their fight is far from over.

Perth Indigenous community leader Donna Nelson was sentenced on Wednesday to six years in jail for importing 2 kilograms of methamphetamine into Japan in January last year.

Here are the events that culminated in her conviction, and how Nelson's family now plan to continue to support the woman they maintain is not a criminal.

Her defence team told Nelson's trial in a Japanese court last week the 58-year-old had travelled to Japan to meet a man known only as Kelly, with whom she had met and formed a relationship with online over a two-year period.

On the way she stopped over in Laos, where she almost abandoned the trip after she became sick, ending up paying for a hotel, despite being told Kelly would pay.

"I've cried too much and spent my last money to get this room for tonight. If this is how a wife is treated, I don't want to be married," she said at the time.

But Kelly convinced her to stay, she said, telling her an associate would give her a suitcase to take with her on her journey to Tokyo Airport.

Nelson said she believed the case was a sample item for Kelly's fashion business, and had no knowledge of the drugs that were later found at the bottom of the bag. ...continue reading

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From April 1st, a new regulation took effect across Osaka Prefecture requiring all restaurants with a customer seating area larger than 30 square meters to become entirely smoke-free indoors—unless they install a designated smoking room. Establishments violating the rule face fines of up to 50,000 yen, while customers may be fined up to 30,000 yen.

The Imperial Household Agency launched an official YouTube channel on April 1st to introduce the activities of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.

Japan's new fiscal year began on April 1st, with companies across the country holding entrance ceremonies to welcome new employees.

The Japanese government has released an updated damage forecast for a potential Nankai Trough megaquake, estimating that up to 298,000 people could die in the worst-case scenario. This projection reflects a slight reduction from the previous estimate of 332,000 deaths made 13 years ago.

The Japan Meteorological Agency announced on March 30th that cherry blossoms (Somei-Yoshino) in central Tokyo have reached full bloom, one day earlier than the historical average and five days earlier than last year.

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A fire broke out on the morning of April 2nd at a farm in Kamishihoro, a town in the Tokachi region of Hokkaido, killing approximately 20 cattle housed in a barn.

A special unit dedicated to investigating "lone offenders"—individuals who commit acts of terrorism without belonging to any specific organization—has been established for the first time in Japan within the Public Security Bureau of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

Downtown, the popular comedy duo, has stepped down as official ambassadors for the Osaka-Kansai Expo, according to an announcement by the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition.

A tour bus carrying over 20 foreign tourists collided with a van inside the Tokiwa Tunnel on the Dōō Expressway on March 31st, sending several people to the hospital.

In August 1990, two men hiking in the Scottish Highlands captured a striking photo of a silent, diamond-shaped object hovering in the sky—later dubbed "the greatest UFO photo ever taken." A Harrier jet was seen circling the object before it suddenly shot straight up and vanished. (Abroad in Japan)

The Fukuoka Prefectural Police will introduce a new recruitment track for working adults starting next fiscal year, easing both age and physical fitness requirements as part of broader efforts to combat a worsening manpower shortage.

Children on spring break took part in a zazen meditation session at Toshoji Temple in Kiho, Mie Prefecture, on March 28th to help reset their daily routines.

A growing number of women in Japan are choosing men’s-style suits for both comfort and practicality, reflecting a broader shift toward genderless fashion. From school uniforms to police attire, traditional dress codes are evolving as functionality and diversity take center stage in work and daily life.