Experts say no reason to worry about lack of snow on top of Mount Fuji
January 12, 2006The surface of the ground at the top of Mount Fuji is still exposed due to a lack of snow this season despite record snowfalls in other parts of the country that have killed dozens of people and disrupted transportation systems on the Sea of Japan coast.
AUM still keeping founder Asahara's sermons justifying murder
January 12, 2006Hundreds of videotapes that record AUM Shinrikyo founder Shoko Asahara's sermons justifying his orders to murder people are still being kept at a cult facility, public security authorities said.
2 high schoolgirls busted for extorting money from GSDF member over sex in hotel
January 12, 2006SASEBO, Nagasaki -- Two high schoolgirls were arrested Thursday for extorting money from a Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) soldier who had sex with one of them at a hotel, police said.
Baby kidnapper said he thought hospital would have money
January 12, 2006SENDAI -- A man arrested for kidnapping a newborn baby from a hospital here and demanding ransom from the institution has confessed that he targeted the hospital because he thought it would have money, investigators said.
GSDF members struggle to remove record snowfalls in Niigata
January 12, 2006TSUNAN, Niigata -- Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) members continued working to remove huge amounts of snow that have isolated residents in Niigata Prefecture, as cold weather persisted on Thursday.
Japan plans to introduce unmanned spy planes in fiscal 2007
January 12, 2006Japan is planning to introduce unmanned spy planes as early as April 2007 to gather intelligence about a possible ballistic missile launch by North Korea, a report said Thursday.
Professional golfer arrested for throttling girlfriend
January 12, 2006AOMORI -- A professional golfer has been arrested for throttling his girlfriend, leaving her with slight injuries, police said on Thursday.
TV celebrity Monta Mino recovers from illness
January 12, 2006TV celebrity Monta Mino will be released from hospital on Friday and return to work on Monday, sources closed to him said.
Man threatens writer Anna Ogino's mother to get cell phone number
January 12, 2006YOKOHAMA -- A self-professed writer who phoned the mother of author Anna Ogino and threatened her, ordering her to tell him Ogino's cell phone number, has been arrested, police said.
Chocolate tasting party held at Printemps Ginza
January 12, 2006Ten representatives from entertainment-related companies tasted 100 types of chocolates made by 33 firms during a tasting party held at Printemps Ginza in downtown Tokyo on Wednesday.
Cash-strapped Japanese Communist Party members demand party accept state subsidy
January 12, 2006ATAMI, Shizuoka -- Cash-strapped members of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) are demanding that the party accept an annual state subsidy allocated to it despite its policy of declining the offer.
Man drives car into riverbed after fleeing from alcohol checkpoint
January 12, 2006IKEDA, Osaka -- A driver who fled from an alcohol breath-testing checkpoint without realizing he was under the legal limit suffered injuries after his car veered off the road and plunged into a riverbed, police said.