Beaujolais Nouveau prices soar for Japanese consumers

Kishida fires son after scandal tarnishes image
Business Times - May 30
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he would fire his son, who is working as his secretary, after a scandal over a party held at his official residence in late 2022.

Rainy season begins in wide regions in Japan as typhoon approaches
NHK - May 30
Weather officials say the rainy season appears to have started in wide regions in Japan, with rain clouds spreading over western to eastern Japan. In the country's southwest, Typhoon Mawar will be approaching the Okinawan islands around Wednesday.

[Monsters In Tokyo] #8 Maman Giant Spider
NOJ - May 29
The Maman Spider Sculpture by the late Louise Bourgeois is a famous landmark in Roppongi Hills.

Baby boomtown: does Nagi hold the secret to repopulating Japan?
theguardian.com - May 29
Set against mountains and forests, Nagi basks beneath a cobalt sky, reflected in perfectly symmetrical rows of submerged rice paddies. But there is more to this town in western Japan than pretty views and agricultural output. Nagi is quietly producing what much of the rest of the country is lacking: children.

Nikkei hits highest since July 1990 on weak yen, US optimism
yahoo.com - May 29
Japan's Nikkei share average rose on Monday to its highest level since July 1990, buoyed by optimism over a U.S. debt ceiling deal and a weaker yen.

Cosplayers clean up Dotonbori
NOJ - May 29
About 200 people, including "cosplayers" dressed up as characters from manga and anime, cleaned up the Dotonbori area on Saturday, Kyodo reports.

Japan to impose stricter AML measures for digital currencies in June 2023
coingeek.com - May 29
After years of handling it with leniency, Japanese lawmakers have confirmed plans to impose stricter Anti-Money Laundering (AML) rules for the digital currency industry.

Unrealized losses surged at Japan's regional banks in FY2022
NHK - May 29
Regional banks in Japan saw unrealized losses surge in fiscal 2022. A new survey says the figure climbed by more than 5 times in yen terms over the previous year as investments sank.

To improve quality, teaching foreigners Japanese will require license
Nikkei - May 29
Japanese-language instructors will have to be certified under legislation passed Friday, with a goal of ensuring that foreign workers here receive adequate language education as they become more important to an aging society.

Bird strike crushes nose of Air France Airbus A350 in Osaka
simpleflying.com - May 29
An Air France service between Osaka and Paris was forced to turn back on Sunday after a bird strike damaged its nose cone.

Japanese anime pop star Mai Mizuhashi skirts nationalism to build Chinese fan base on Ride the Wind reality show
scmp.com - May 29
A Japanese singer’s explosive popularity in China after appearing on a top Chinese music show proves that Chinese audiences can separate culture from geopolitics, despite international tension and growing online nationalism, according to analysts.

Toyota puts liquid hydrogen-powered car into 24-hour race
Japan Today - May 29
Toyota Motor Corp on Saturday entered a racing car powered by liquid hydrogen into a 24-hour endurance race in central Japan, making it the first such car in the world to participate in an official race.

ビットコインカジノのスロットゲーム：オンラインギャンブルの新たな魅力
newsonjapan.com - May 29
ビットコインの普及とオンラインギャンブルの人気が高まる中、ビットコインカジノのスロットゲームが注目を浴びています。

Man fatally shot in Tokyo coffee shop; one of 2 suspects turns himself in
Japan Today - May 28
A man in his 50s was fatally shot in a coffee shop in Machida, Tokyo, on Friday night, in what police believe was a gang-related shooting. The shooter fled with an accomplice but later turned himself in at a police station.

4-year-old boy dies after falling from 12th-floor apartment in Yamaguchi Pref
Japan Today - May 28
A four-year-old boy fell to his death from the 12th floor of an apartment building in Hofu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, on Friday afternoon.

Koji Yakusho wins best actor at Cannes
Barrons - May 28
Japan's Koji Yakusho won best actor at Cannes on Saturday for "Perfect Days" by German director Wim Wenders, a touching tale about a Tokyo toilet cleaner.