Princess Kiko pregnancy puts female Emperor idea on hold
February 8, 2006Just a few weeks ago, the campaign to make women eligible for Japan's time-honored Chrysanthemum Throne seemed assured of victory.
Majority of sumo fans support ban on women in ring
February 8, 2006A majority of Japanese sumo fans support a tradition which bans women from stepping on the raised dirt wrestling mound, according to a survey released by the Japan Sumo Association on Wednesday.
Japanese parents want children to keep low profile when grown up: survey
February 8, 2006Many Japanese parents want their children to become adults who don't cause trouble, while their South Korean and Chinese counterparts hope their children will become top achievers, according to a survey released this week.
Maid cafes team up with electronics store in environmental campaign
February 8, 2006In a bid to reduce waste, several "maid cafes" in Tokyo's Akihabara electronics district have teamed up with a major electronics store to offer special bags to customers who refuse paper or plastic bags at cash registers.
Japan to fingerprint foreigners under proposed immigration bill
February 8, 2006Japan plans to fingerprint foreigners aged 16 or over when they enter the country as an anti-terrorism measure, details of a revised immigration bill obtained by the Mainichi have shown.
PHS e-mails delayed due to server trouble
February 8, 2006The transmission of about 260,000 e-mails on the personal handyphone system (PHS) provided by Willcom, Inc.
Mayor of Takarazuka busted for accepting bribes from pachinko parlor operator
February 8, 2006KOBE -- The mayor of Takarazuka has been arrested for receiving an expensive car from a pachinko parlor operator as a bribe in return for helping him open a parlor in the city, prosecutors said.
Mom arrested for starving 3-year-old son to death
February 8, 2006TAKAMATSU -- A woman who starved her 3-year-old son to death was arrested on Wednesday, police said.
Court orders payment of benefits for atomic bomb survivors living in Brazil
February 8, 2006A court ordered Hiroshima's local government Wednesday to pay tens of thousands of dollars in medical backpayments to three Japanese who survived the 1945 U.S.
New falsification of quake-resistance data suspected in Fukuoka
February 8, 2006FUKUOKA -- An architectural office in Fukuoka Prefecture has come under suspicion of falsifying structural data for three condominium blocks, the local government said Wednesday.
Ex-city official with corpse fetish gets 16 years for murdering teenage girl
February 8, 2006NAGOYA -- A former city official with a corpse fetish was slapped Wednesday with a 16-year prison term for murdering a 17-year-old girl.
2 guns stolen from company employee's home in Ibaraki
February 8, 2006ISHIOKA, Ibaraki -- A hunting shotgun, an air gun and dozens of bullets have been stolen from the home of a company employee here, police said Wednesday.
Guinean man's future hangs on Valentine's Day immigration ruling
February 8, 2006The future of a Guinean clothing store manager on trial for violating immigration laws is hanging on a Valentine's Day ruling that could result in his deportation and prevent him from marrying the 18-year-old Japanese high school girl he is engaged to.
Teacher faces charges for filming girls changing clothes
February 8, 2006ICHINOMIYA, Aichi -- An elementary school teacher faces charges after he admitted having filmed schoolgirls changing clothes at the school where he works, local police and education authorities said Wednesday.
Mizuho Bank employee nabbed for leaking customer info
February 8, 2006A Mizuho Bank employee suspected of handing personal information on about 1,200 bank customers to a credit card fraud group has been arrested, police said.