Latest Japan News
Stock market today: Asian shares mostly higher after Wall Street sets more records
HONG KONG (AP) — Asian markets were mixed in cautious trading on Wednesday, with most of the regions’ benchmarks climbing after U.S. stocks hit new record highs. U.S. futures rose while oil prices slipped. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.6% to 38,719.35 after Japan...
Japan racks up trade deficit as imports balloon due to cheap yen
TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s trade deficit in April grew nearly 8% from a year earlier as the weak yen boosted the value of imports, offsetting gains from a jump in exports, government data showed Wednesday. Exports totaled 8.98 trillion yen ($57 billion), while imports totaled 9.4...
No more cute snaps of Mount Fuji over a convenience store. A screen was built to stop tourist crowds
TOKYO (AP) — Sorry, the screen is now up — no more snapping cute photos of Mount Fuji from a popular sidewalk spot in the Japanese town of Fujikawaguchiko. Known as a place that offers some of the best views of the iconic Japanese mountain, the town last month started erecting a...
Rangers recover the body of a Japanese climber who died on North America's tallest peak
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Rangers have recovered the body of a Japanese man who died after an apparent fall while climbing North America's tallest peak, authorities said Tuesday. Denali National Park and Preserve identified the climber as T. Hagiwara, from Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan....
Climbing limits are being set on Mount Fuji to fight crowds and littering
TOKYO (AP) — Those who want to climb one of the most popular trails on Japan's iconic Mount Fuji will have to book a slot and pay a fee as crowds, littering and climbers who try to rush too fast to the summit cause safety and conservation concerns at the picturesque stratovolcano. ...
UN Security Council rejects Russia-backed resolution on banning weapons in space
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States said Monday that Russia last week launched a satellite that could be part of weaponizing space, a possible future global trend that members of the United Nations Security Council condemned even as they failed to pass a measure against it. The...
Studio Ghibli takes a bow at Cannes with an honorary Palme d'Or
CANNES, France (AP) — Studio Ghibli, the Japanese anime factory of surreal ecological wonders that has for 39 years spirited away moviegoers with tales of Totoros, magical jellyfish and floating castles, was celebrated Monday by the Cannes Film Festival with an honorary Palme d'Or. ...
US ambassador to Japan visits southern islands at the forefront of China tension
TOKYO (AP) — The U.S. ambassador to Japan stressed Friday the importance of increased deterrence and his country’s commitment to its key ally as he visited two southwestern Japanese islands at the forefront of Tokyo's tension with Beijing. Rahm Emanuel visited Yonaguni, Japan’s...
As Japan's yakuza weakens, police focus shifts to unorganized crime hired via social media
TOKYO (AP) — A senior member of yakuza was arrested for allegedly stealing Pokemon cards near Tokyo in April, a case seen as an example of Japanese organized crime groups struggling with declining membership. Police agents who were busy dealing with thousands of yakuza members just...
Japan passes a revised law allowing joint child custody for divorced parents for the first time
TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s parliament on Friday passed a revision to the country’s civil code that will allow divorced parents the option of joint child custody, a change that brings the nation in line with many other countries. The revision, the first to custody rights in nearly 80...
