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Kansai airport eyes more int'l flights, resume India, Indonesia routes
OSAKA (Kyodo) -- Kansai airport in western Japan aims to expand its international routes, the head of the operator has said, revealing that discussion
The Tokyo
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Higher defense spending won’t unsettle markets, government adviser says
Japan is considering a new medium-term target to raise defense spending to 3.5% of gross domestic product over 10 years.
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Japan has no space for solar farms apart from old golf courses
Solar farms need good sunlight, access to the power grid and to be fairly close to residential areas. Many golf courses tick those boxes.
safety
Japanese police to use fake accounts to fight <i>tokuryū</i> crime
Under a new system, officers will pose as sellers and respond to online solicitations from criminal groups in order to trace flows of illicit funds.
government
Former Yokohama mayor embroiled in harassment scandal to seek reelection
Former Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka resigned on Sept. 7 after a senior city official accused him of power harassment.
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Japan's 'god of carnivorous plants' pours passion into 20,000 specimens
KASAI, Hyogo -- A 64-year-old man at a flower center here has achieved a string of world firsts in the difficult cultivation of carnivorous plants, ea
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Japan weighs tighter rules as regenerative medicine treatments spread
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Claims that treatments can "reverse aging" or "attack cancer cells" are being used to promote regenerative medicine at private clinic
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100,000 carp swept away by flooding in Chiba after typhoon
CHIBA, Japan (Kyodo) -- Around 100,000 Nishikigoi ornamental carp ready for sale were swept away after heavy rain caused by a typhoon breached some le
schools
Schools buck coed trend to remain as women's universities in Japan
NAGOYA (Kyodo) -- Amid a nationwide shift in which women's universities in Japan are either going coeducational or closing due to the country's shrink
safety
Paralympic silver medalist dies after road accident in Okinawa
NAHA, Japan (Kyodo) -- Wheelchair racer Hirokazu Ueyonabaru, who won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, died on Saturday after being seri
business
Repeated surveys by Chinese research ship raise security concerns in Japan
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A Chinese marine research vessel conducted repeated surveys in Japan's exclusive economic zone near the disputed Senkaku Islands in t
News
The ins and outs of ETC cards for highways in Japan
With more expressways going cashless, the handy ETC card is becoming an essential add-on when renting or buying a car in Japan.
Local
Japan, US agree to collaborate on various issues over China: Takaichi
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Saturday she and U.S. President Donald Trump had agreed during phone talks to collaborate
government
What do film commissions do? Japan's unsung heroes behind location shoots
TOKYO -- On-location shooting is essential for films, television dramas and other visual productions, bringing realism and depth to stories through th
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Retro Japan: Hagi merchant mansion blends samurai grandeur with centuries-old town life
HAGI, Yamaguchi -- White walls line the streets of the former Hagi domain's castle town in this western Japan city. Passing through the "nagayamon," a
Local
Sumo: Onosato beaten again as Aonishiki wins to set up grand finale
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Yokozuna Onosato was beaten for the second straight day Saturday while ozeki Aonishiki won to set up a fascinating finale to the Autu
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Asian Games: 11-year-old Japanese Kurihara wins puzzle gold in esports
NAGOYA (Kyodo) -- Japan's 11-year-old Yuki Kurihara, the youngest member of the national delegation, won the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games puzzle final on
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Japan’s Regional Birthrate Divide: A Demographic Investigation
While Japan’s overall fertility rates are low, this is particularly true for prefectures in the east of the country, which lag considerably behind those in the west. Demographic expert Fujinami Takumi investigates the reasons for this disparity....
safety
Cases of Self-Harm Rising in Japan
Cases of self-harm and attempted suicide requiring emergency transportation by ambulance are on the increase in Japan, particularly among younger women....
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Japanese film ‘Muyou no Hito’ wins International Critics Award
The film "Muyou no Hito" will be released in Japan next January.
News
Chinese research ship spotted in Japan’s EEZ
The research ship Kexue was seen dropping what appeared to be a wire into the sea within the EEZ north of Ishigaki Island.
business
Japan's NYK Line to launch hydrogen fuel cell ship for Tokyo Bay tour
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Major Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen K.K. plans to introduce its first ship powered by a hydrogen fuel cell system around May
schools
How students in Japan strive to escape the international school bubble
With a life spent outside the public school system, some students at international schools struggle to integrate into broader Japanese society.
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Takaichi looks to dispel alliance doubts after Trump-Xi summit
Signs point to Beijing harnessing the symbolism of the U.S.-China leaders' meeting to further bolster its narrative against Japan.
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Japan marks 12th anniversary of Mount Ontake eruption
Participants offered silent prayers at 11:52 a.m., the time of the eruption, and placed white chrysanthemums on the flower offering table.
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Beyond fins, Japanese firms seeking new values in sharks
Their fins are prized in Chinese cuisine but many consumers do not know about other dining options.
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South Korea holds nerve to win Asian Games basketball gold over Japan
Japan, backed by a noisy crowd in Nagoya, roared back to within two points late in the game until South Korea finally saw out the win.
safety
Fire breaks out at Nagoya TV Tower in central Japan, no injuries reported
NAGOYA (Kyodo) -- A fire broke out on Saturday at the Nagoya TV Tower, a landmark in the central Japanese city of Nagoya, but there has been no report
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Asian Games: Yamashita wins men's marathon as Habte takes women's title
NAGOYA (Kyodo) -- Japan's Ichitaka Yamashita won the men's marathon at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Saturday, clocking 2 hours, 10 minutes, 49 seco
business
Japanese fiction boom looks set to endure, experts say
LONDON (Kyodo) -- An unusual mix of stories about alienation, feminism, cats and coffee shops is charming foreign audiences as a boom in translated Ja
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Japan to lend Mongolia ¥150 billion for airport expansion
Passenger traffic at Ulaanbaatar's Chinggis Khaan International Airport has far exceeded expectations since it opened in 2021.
government
Asian Games: 15-yr-old skateboarders among 8 golds for Japan
NAGOYA (Kyodo) -- Japan's 15-year-old sensations Mizuho Hasegawa and Izuru Nagahara won the skateboarding park events on Friday as the host bagged eig
Local
Japan-US drill to start October to involve Japan's long-range missiles
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A major Japan-U.S. joint drill to start in October is expected to involve the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force's long-range missile
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Japan's 'Chanson Monk' uses song, sutras to spread message of peace
NAGOYA (Kyodo) -- French chanson and Buddhist sutras may seem an unlikely combination, but for 87-year-old priest Miruo Nakano, they have become a way
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Japanese anime actor fights TikTok over AI voice cloning
AI imitation is a growing concern among performers worldwide, and the threat has roiled Japan's storied animation industry.
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Isabella Bird's 'Unbeaten Tracks in Japan': Kinugawa's beauty and a flea-ridden inn (Pt. 11)
Having obtained ample rest and gathered information in Nikko, Isabella Bird finally set out for the "unexplored interior" on June 24, 1878. From this
safety
Father held for throwing 2 kids off 6th-floor balcony in central Japan
GIFU (Kyodo) -- A 25-year-old man was arrested on the spot on Saturday for allegedly throwing his two daughters off the balcony of his sixth-floor apa
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The Mainichi News Quiz: What are the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games organizers so sorry for?
How closely have you been following events in Japan? Try The Mainichi News Quiz for Sept. 26 to test your news knowledge. Ready?What did the Aichi-Nag
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Japan’s LDP worried about fresh attention to money issue
Behind the concerns are Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's controversial appointments of two lawmakers involved in her LDP's slush fund scandal.
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Heavy rain deals blow to fish and rice farmers in Chiba Prefecture
Most of the roughly 50,000 eels cultured by the Inbanuma fisheries cooperative in Narita are believed to have died or been swept away.