Parents of Slain Japanese Student Push for Gun Control from Afar
Courtesy of Masaichi Hattori(TOKYO) — Mieko Hattori continues to fight for her son, 20 years later.In 1992, her teenage son Yoshihiro, an exchange student, was gunned down in Baton Rouge, La., after he accidentally approached the wrong house, dressed …
Parents of Slain Japanese Student Push for Gun Control from Afar
Courtesy of Masaichi Hattori(TOKYO) — Mieko Hattori continues to fight for her son, 20 years later.In 1992, her teenage son Yoshihiro, an exchange student, was gunned down in Baton Rouge, La., after he accidentally approached the wrong house, dressed …
Japan’s Conservative Party Returns to Power
Stockbyte/Thinkstock(TOKYO) — Japan’s conservative Liberal Democratic Party staged a dramatic comeback Sunday, winning a landslide victory in the powerful lower house of Parliament, just three years after it was ousted from power.Exit polls show…
Japan Poised for Another Leader as Weary Voters Head to Polls
Stockbyte/Thinkstock(TOKYO) — Japanese voters head to the polls Sunday in an election that is expected to shift the balance of power back to the conservative Liberal Democratic Party, just three years after it was ousted in dramatic fashion by the rul…
Japan Accuses China of Intruding Air Space, Scrambles Fighter Jets
iStockphoto/Thinkstock(TOKYO) — Japan lodged a protest against Beijing on Thursday after a Chinese government airplane was spotted near the disputed Senkaku Islands, prompting Tokyo to scramble F-15 fighter jets, Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura…
Tsunami Warning Lifted After 7.3 Earthquake Strikes Near Japan
Jason Reed/Thinkstock(TOKYO) — A tsunami warning has been lifted for the northeastern region of Japan following a 7.3-magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Miyagi prefecture on Friday.The quake rattled the coast of Japan just after 5 p.m. …
Google Creates Virtual Record of Tsunami Wreckage in Japan
Google(TOKYO) — In the early hours after the tsunami hit northeast Japan last year, Google launched a Person Finder site that helped reconnect families and loved ones in the most devastated regions.Months later, the web giant dispatched its street vie…
Faulty Bolt Suspected in Japanese Tunnel Collapse that Killed Nine
YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images(TOKYO) — Authorities in Japan say an old rusty bolt may be the cause of a highway tunnel collapse on Sunday that killed nine people.Investigators say the ceiling of the Sasago tunnel, about 50 miles west of Tokyo, is l…
Faulty Bolt Suspected in Japanese Tunnel Collapse that Killed Nine
YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images(TOKYO) — Authorities in Japan say an old rusty bolt may be the cause of a highway tunnel collapse on Sunday that killed nine people.Investigators say the ceiling of the Sasago tunnel, about 50 miles west of Tokyo, is l…
At Least 3 People Dead After Japanese Highway Tunnel Collapses
Comstock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — At least three people have been confirmed dead and four others were missing, after a highway tunnel in central Japan partially collapsed Sunday morning, sparking a fire. Yamanashi police say three cars were trapped insi…
KFC Takes the Colonel’s Classic to the Skies in Japan
JAL/KFC(TOKYO) — Just in time for KFC’s most lucrative holiday in Japan, Japan Airlines plans to take the colonel’s classic to a whole new level: on board U.S.- and Europe-bound flights.The fast food chain and JAL are teaming up to offer p…
US Navy Bans Sailors in Japan from Drinking at Night
Stockbyte/Thinkstock(TOKYO) — The U.S. Navy is cracking down on sailors in Japan following a string of arrests involving military personnel.Sailors will now be banned from drinking alcohol between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., even if they are in their homes, r…
Designers in Japan Create 3D Miniature Action Figures of Family
Courtesy Kaoru Utada(NEW YORK) — Just in time for the annual holiday family portrait, designers in Japan have come up with a unique alternative to standard prints: miniature action figures of the family.Gone are the days of photo sessions requiring no…
US Marine Arrested in Okinawa for Allegedly Trespassing
Stockbyte/Thinkstock(TOKYO) — A U.S. marine was arrested in Okinawa on suspicion of trespassing over the weekend — the third time an American serviceman has been linked to an alleged crime in Japan’s southernmost island in a month. This time, police …
Pepsi Introduces Fat-Blocking Soda
Pepsi(NEW YORK) — Soda and healthy aren’t exactly synonymous, but Pepsi-Cola in Japan is trying to change that with a new fiber-infused drink.Dubbed the “Pepsi Special,” the soft drink — set to go on sale Tuesday — contains dextrin…
Is Japan Headed for a Recession?
Stockbyte/Thinkstock(TOKYO) — New economic data out Monday suggests Japan may be inching toward a recession yet again.The government reported that the country’s economy shrank 0.9 percent between July and September, while its gross domestic product fe…
Yu Darvish To Sit Out 2013 World Baseball Classic
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Texas Rangers righthander Yu Darvish announced on Tuesday that he won’t pitch for Japan in the World Baseball Classic in 2013.
Darvish is instead choosing to rest and focus on preparing for his second season in…
Pepsi Japan to Release Clear, Tangerine-Flavored ‘Pepsi White’
Pepsi(NEW YORK) — Pepsi Japan is launching a new clear cola drink just in time for the holidays. Called Pepsi White, the drink is tangerine-flavored and the packaging is designed with colorful snowmen.The drink will be available on Dec. 11 and s…
WWII Bomb Discovery Prompts Airport Shutdown in Japan
Tomohiro Ohsumi/Bloomberg via Getty Images(SENDAI, Japan) — Officials closed one of northern Japan’s major airports Monday upon the discovery of an unexploded bomb, believed to be from World War II, near a runway.Flight arrivals and departures were ca…
WWII Bomb Discovery Prompts Airport Shutdown in Japan
Tomohiro Ohsumi/Bloomberg via Getty Images(SENDAI, Japan) — Officials closed one of northern Japan’s major airports Monday upon the discovery of an unexploded bomb, believed to be from World War II, near a runway.Flight arrivals and departures were ca…