Japan News

A wave of scandals rocking Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has alarmed the ruling bloc, leading some members to question whether Abe should be reelected Liberal Democratic Party president in an upcoming poll. (Jiji)

A Japanese government survey shows the country's population continues to shrink and age. (NHK)

Japan's largest ancient mound, Daisen Kofun, officially designated as the tomb of Emperor Nintoku, was at least about 40 meters larger when it was first constructed in the fifth century, Imperial Household Agency officials said Thursday. (Kyodo)

Kumamoto Prefectural Police are questioning a boy after a 28-year-old woman was found stabbed at a hotel in Kumamoto City early Thursday, reports the Sankei Shimbun. (tokyoreporter.com)

The Japan Sumo Association recently barred girls from taking part in a sumo event for children. (NHK)

The Japanese government will focus on cutting social security spending with specific targets over the next three years or so, bracing for an accelerating rise in social security costs in and after fiscal 2022, when baby boomers begin to reach 75 years old, officials said Thursday. (Jiji)

Members of yakuza crime syndicates in Japan decreased for the 14th straight year to hit a record low in 2017, the National Police Agency said Thursday. (Jiji)

Police nationwide took action against a record 3,008 people in cases involving marijuana in 2017, up 472 from the previous year, National Police Agency data showed Thursday, possibly because more people are using marijuana amid toughened measures on kiken (dangerous) drugs. (Japan Times)

Japan's finance minister admonished his top bureaucrat on Thursday after a magazine reported the official had sexually harassed several female journalists, but he stopped short of imposing any punishment. (Japan Today)

Rescuers recovered the body of a woman on Thursday from the site of a massive landslide in Oita Prefecture after confirming the death of a male resident the day before. (Japan Times)

A Japanese government panel started talks Thursday on action to be taken if the Japan Meteorological Agency announces a significant rise in the possibility of a major earthquake occurring at the Nankai Trough off the country's Pacific coast. (Jiji)

Japan will charge a departure tax of 1,000 yen ($9.37) per person beginning next year, with plans to use the anticipated 40 billion yen raised annually to bolster tourism. (Nikkei)

Since 1979, the Shibuya 109 skyscraper has stood tall, literally, as the epicenter of trendy young women’s fashion in Tokyo. A recent government study, though, considered what would happen if it were the epicenter of an earthquake, and the results weren’t nearly as pretty as the gyaru and one-kei outfits that have been purchased at 109 over the years. (Japan Today)

Hyogo Prefectural Police have arrested two employees at a restaurant after a corpse likely belonging to a missing man was found in the mountains of Ako City earlier this week, reports the Asahi Shimbun. (tokyoreporter.com)

Ehime Prefectural Police are still hunting for a 27-year-old man who escaped from a special prison in Imabari City over the weekend, reports TV Asahi (tokyoreporter.com)

The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Iwami Ginzan silver mine in western Japan was partially damaged by the magnitude-6.1 earthquake that jolted the area early Monday, local government officials said. (Kyodo)

The Kasumigaseki Building, known as the first skyscraper in Japan, held a lighting-up ceremony Wednesday in Tokyo marking the 50th anniversary of its completion, operator Mitsui Fudosan Co. said. (Kyodo)

An annual cherry blossom viewing event that is a famous spring feature in Osaka, held since 1883, began Wednesday at the Japan Mint headquarters. (Japan Today)

In a bid to increase the number of foreign workers to alleviate the country's labor shortage, Japan will introduce a new residency status for foreign technical intern trainees as early as April 2019. (Nikkei)

The organizing committee of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics has launched a project to call for world peace through origami paper cranes. (Jiji)