Kidnapped newborn baby rescued, man, woman questioned by police
January 7, 2006Police have begun interrogating a man in his 50s and a woman in her 30s on suspicion of kidnapping a newborn baby from a Sendai hospital, investigation sources said Sunday. The two have admitted to the charges, the sources said. Police rescued the baby early Sunday morning some 50 hours after he was snatched by a man from a hospital in Sendai.
6 die, 1 critically hurt in predawn fire in Nagasaki
January 7, 2006Six elderly people died and another was in critical condition after a fire destroyed an elderly care facility in Omura, Nagasaki Prefecture, early Sunday, police and firefighters said. The fire broke out after 2 a.m. when nine elderly people -- a man and eight women -- and the head of the facility, who was on night duty, were in the facility that is fitted for accommodating senile people, the police said.
74-yr-old man nabbed for setting Shimonoseki Station ablaze
January 7, 2006Police arrested a 74-year-old man Saturday on suspicion of setting JR Shimonoseki Station in Yamaguchi Prefecture ablaze earlier in the day. The suspect, identified as Kyuemon Fukuda, of no fixed address, has admitted to starting a fire in a warehouse near the station with a cigarette lighter, and told investigators he did it because he was ''hungry and upset,'' the police said.
Heavy snowfall leads to relief efforts by ground troops
January 7, 2006Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force dispatched disaster relief units to Nagano and Niigata prefectures Saturday to help deal with heavy snowfall as the meteorological agency warned snow will continue blanketing northern to western Japan over the weekend. As of 5 p.m. Saturday, six more people were confirmed to have died due to snow-related incidents. That brings the death toll to 63 in 16 prefectures since the snow season began in early December, according to a Kyodo News tally based on reports from authorities.
Japanese police arrest U.S. sailor on robbery-murder charges
January 7, 2006Japanese police arrested a U.S. sailor Saturday on suspicion of robbing and killing a Japanese woman Tuesday in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, police officials said. Earlier in the day, the United States transferred custody of the suspect, William Reese, 21, to the Kanagawa prefectural police after the police obtained a warrant for his arrest.
13 die in attack in Pakistani region bordering Afghanistan
January 7, 2006At least eight paramilitary personnel and five civilians were killed in an attack early Saturday by unidentified people on a newly established security post in Pakistan's northern Waziristan bordering Afghanistan, reports from the area said. Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan confirmed the deaths of eight paramilitary personnel, but he said he is unaware of reports some paramilitary men may have been kidnapped.
Aso puts off trip to Australia after Rice's cancellation over Sharon
January 7, 2006Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso on Saturday put off a planned visit to Australia in response to a similar decision by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the Foreign Ministry said. Aso was initially scheduled to hold talks with Rice and Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer during his four-day visit to Sydney from Tuesday for the first trilateral ministerial dialogue on security issues.
Police arrest U.S. sailor on robbery-murder charges
January 7, 2006Police arrested a U.S. sailor Saturday on suspicion of robbing and killing a Japanese woman Tuesday in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, police officials said. Earlier in the day, the United States agreed to transfer custody of the suspect, William Reese, 21, to the Kanagawa prefectural police after the police obtained a warrant for his arrest.
3 die in shooting by E. Timor border police
January 7, 2006Three former East Timorese have been shot to death by East Timorese police officers on patrol on the border between East Timor and the Indonesian territory of West Timor, a local military officer said Saturday. ''The three fishermen were shot by East Timorese policemen, backed by a U.N. civilian policeman, at 11 p.m. on Friday when they were fishing in the Malibaka River,'' Col. Noch Bola, a military commander in West Timor, told Kyodo News, quoting two other fishermen who escaped the shooting.
Rebels kill 2 border police, 3 die in bombing in southern Thailand
January 7, 2006Two border police were shot dead and another two seriously wounded in Yala Province in southern Thailand, a local soldier said Saturday, shortly after three people had been killed in a bombing in nearby Narathiwat Province. Police in Yala said the shooting occurred Saturday morning in the Raman District as the four border police arrived at a marketplace.
Baseball: Ex-Mets Ishii talks with Rakuten
January 7, 2006Japanese left-hander Kazuhisa Ishii, who was released by the New York Mets last month, held talks with the Rakuten Eagles on Saturday but did not commit himself to joining the Pacific League club. Details of Rakuten's offer were not disclosed by either side, but Ishii said he was ''satisfied'' with the discussions and looks set to hold further negotiations with the club.