Hashimoto to apologize to U.S. at Monday's news conference Politics May. 26, 2013 - 06:25AM JST ( 21 Comments ) Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who drew fire for suggesting U.S. soldiers in Okinawa visit brothels to vent their violent frustrations, said he would retract his remarks at a press conference scheduled Monday at the Foreign… Read
Hashimoto says S Korean troops guilty of wartime sex abuse Politics May. 21, 2013 - 02:45PM JST ( 280 Comments ) South Korean soldiers were guilty of abusing women in wartime, Osaka's mayor said in comments reported Tuesday, days after provoking a storm by labeling sex slaves a military necessity. In a remark likely to fuel… Read
Stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant struggles to keep staff National May. 26, 2013 - 06:30AM JST ( 17 Comments ) Keeping the meltdown-stricken Fukushima nuclear plant in stable condition requires a cast of thousands. Increasingly the plant's operator is struggling to find enough workers, a trend that many expect to worsen and hamper progress in… Read
French soldier stabbed in throat in Paris World May. 26, 2013 - 06:50AM JST ( 16 Comments ) A French soldier on anti-terrorist duties was stabbed in the neck Saturday in an attack that President Francois Hollande said could not "at this stage" be linked to the brutal murder this week of a… Read
Abe vows all possible help for Myanmar economy Politics May. 26, 2013 - 06:25AM JST ( 14 Comments ) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday pledged "all possible assistance" to kick-start Myanmar's ailing economy, hailing a major industrial zone near Yangon as a symbol of development for the impoverished nation. Abe, who is… Read
Anti-Islamist protests flare after British soldier butchered near London barracks World May. 23, 2013 - 04:00AM JST ( 198 Comments ) British police on Wednesday arrested two people as they tried to quell anti-Islamist disorder following the brutal murder in London of a soldier. A 43-year-old man was arrested in Braintree, east of London, after walking… Read
Porn star Sora Aoi's calligraphy sparks art debate in China Entertainment May. 26, 2013 - 06:30AM JST ( 11 Comments ) Calligraphy by Japanese porn star Sora Aoi has sparked a culture war in China, where she has a huge fan base, with purists dismissing the work as "unskilled" after it was reportedly auctioned for $95,000.… Read
S Korean paper says A-bombs on Japan were 'divine punishment' Politics May. 24, 2013 - 12:30PM JST ( 151 Comments ) Japan on Thursday accused a South Korean newspaper of "dishonorable" behavior for publishing an editorial suggesting the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were "divine punishment." The editorial in the Korean and English versions of… Read
China trying to strengthen its claim to Okinawa National May. 20, 2013 - 06:49AM JST ( 135 Comments ) China is trying to strengthen its claim on tiny, uninhabited, Japanese-controlled islands by raising questions about the much larger Okinawa chain that is home to more than a million Japanese along with major U.S. military… Read
Hashimoto hits back at polls showing majority disagree with his comments Politics May. 21, 2013 - 06:51AM JST ( 114 Comments ) A large majority of Japanese people disagree with Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto who said women forced to provide sex during World War II were a military necessity, polls issued Monday said. Up to 200,000 "comfort… Read
Easter Island statue erected in tsunami-hit town National May. 26, 2013 - 06:29AM JST ( 7 Comments ) A giant statue from Chile's Easter Island on Saturday found a new home in a small tsunami-devastated Japanese town where it will become a symbol for its recovery. The new statue, with coral eyes and… Read
Guilty and never proven innocent – every male train rider's nightmare in Japan Crime May. 19, 2013 - 06:30AM JST ( 101 Comments ) Tales of subway groping are unfortunately commonplace in Japan, and anyone committing such a pathetic and cowardly act deserves every punishment given. But what happens if you are falsely accused? Often filled well beyond capacity,… Read
Japan's wartime brothels were wrong, says 91-year-old veteran National May. 25, 2013 - 03:25PM JST ( 83 Comments ) When Masayoshi Matsumoto joined the Japanese army in 1943 and was sent to occupied China as a medic, he thought he was taking part in a righteous war to free Asia from the yoke of… Read
Korean 'comfort women' cancel meeting with Hashimoto Politics May. 24, 2013 - 03:50PM JST ( 81 Comments ) Two elderly South Korean women forced to work in Japanese wartime military brothels on Friday abruptly cancelled a meeting with Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto after he refused to withdraw remarks asserting the brothel system was… Read
Panasonic develops world's highest efficiency white OLED for lighting Technology May. 26, 2013 - 05:36AM JST ( 5 Comments ) Panasonic Corp has developed a white Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) with the world's highest luminous efficiency of 114 lm/W (light-emitting area of 1 cm). In addition, a luminous efficiency of 110 lm/W has also… Read
Man arrested on train in Aomori after knifing girl in Kanagawa Crime May. 26, 2013 - 06:20AM JST ( 5 Comments ) Police said Saturday that a 22-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly stabbing a 21-year-old woman at her apartment in Kanagawa Prefecture. The man, who has been named as Haruki Suzuki, was wanted by police… Read
Companies Japanese people are most proud of National May. 19, 2013 - 06:42AM JST ( 66 Comments ) Market researcher Risk Monster has released the results of its first ever “Companies the Japanese Can be Globally Proud Of” survey. Conducted Feb 25 to 27, the survey received valid responses from 1,000 men and… Read
Gov't considers setting clock ahead by two hours National May. 24, 2013 - 04:00PM JST ( 62 Comments ) As a native of the United States, I’m all too familiar with the controversy around daylight savings time. I’m not sure if anyone actually “loves” it, but it certainly seems like most people hate it.… Read
Defiant Hashimoto says U.S. troops abused women during occupation Politics May. 17, 2013 - 04:15PM JST ( 309 Comments ) Osaka's abrasive mayor on Friday hit back at U.S. criticism of his remarks on wartime sex slavery, claiming American troops abused Japanese women during their seven-year occupation. Washington denounced as "outrageous" comments earlier this week… Read
Do you think airlines are sneaky about fuel surcharges, fees for extra baggage and other charges for various services? Have Your Say May. 20, 2013 - 06:30AM JST ( 58 Comments )