Popular Stories
Woman charged with murder of infant she left in vacant lot in Tochigi Prefecture
Police in Oyama, Tochigi Prefecture, have rearrested a 36-year-old woman on suspicion of killing her baby son whom she left in a vacant lot in a residential area last month. Namiko Ito, a temp worker, was initially arrested for corpse abandonment after she left the infant’s body in the lot… Read
New Zealand removes final COVID-19 restrictions
New Zealand's government will lift all remaining COVID-19 requirements from midnight Tuesday, bringing an end to some of the toughest COVID-19 pandemic rules in the world more than three years after they were put in place. Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall said in a statement on Monday that from Tuesday… Read
North Korean leader Kim orders more missiles made
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for an increase in missile production to help secure "overwhelming military power" and be ready for war, state media KCNA said on Monday, as South Korea and the United States gear up for annual military drills. Kim gave the order as he… Read
UK court request rules against extraditing suspect in 2015 Tokyo jewelry heist
A British court has ruled that one of three men detained over his alleged involvement in a 2015 jewelry robbery at a luxury store in central Tokyo will not be extradited to Japan, citing concerns over the country's human rights record. Friday's decision not to extradite Joe Chappell, who is… Read
Baby goods in Japan facing steeper price hikes
Diapers, formula and other baby items have seen greater price surges than other consumer goods since the beginning of this year, causing a heavy burden on child-rearing households as Japan battles a declining birthrate, a recent think tank analysis showed. The prices of baby-related goods were up 9.3 percent in… Read
U.S., Japan to develop hypersonic missile interceptor: report
Japan and the U.S. will agree this week to jointly develop an interceptor missile to counter hypersonic warheads being developed by China, Russia and North Korea, Japan's Yomiuri newspaper said on Sunday. The agreement on interceptors to target weapons designed to evade existing ballistic missile defenses is expected when President… Read
Renewed interest in sumo proves big pull for tourists
Their interest piqued during COVID lockdowns and by a new Netflix drama, a fresh rush of foreign tourists are flocking to Japan for a look inside the insular world of sumo. Japan's national sport -- hundreds of years old and steeped in tradition -- has long been a source of… Read
Anger grows as Hawaii fire death toll nears 100
The death toll in Hawaii from the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century was expected to cross the 100-mark Sunday, fueling criticism that an inadequate official response contributed to the heavy loss of life. Officials updated the toll to 93 late Saturday, but warned the figure was likely… Read
Typhoon set to crash Japan holiday week
Japanese authorities on Sunday warned residents in much of the country to prepare for a strong, slow-moving typhoon set to hit during the peak summer travel week. Typhoon Lan is on course to make landfall Tuesday on Japan's main island of Honshu, bringing heavy rain and violent gusts, the Japan… Read
