Suspension may see ex-Morning Musume star's career go up in smoke
February 9, 2006Ex-Morning Musume member Ai Kago was suspended indefinitely late Thursday night after her talent agency confirmed a scandal sheet had caught her smoking while underage.
8 new cases of suspected quake-data falsification uncovered
February 9, 2006A survey on local bodies conducted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has uncovered eight new cases of suspected falsification of earthquake resistance data.
Livedoor struggling financially after advertising revenue plummets
February 9, 2006Scandal-tainted Livedoor Co.
Koizumi says Imperial law needs to be revised
February 9, 2006Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Thursday that it would be difficult to maintain Japan's imperial system unless the Imperial House Law is revised, but pointed out that discussions on the law needed to be performed cautiously.
Police nab 9 crime ring members suspected of massive fraud
February 9, 2006Nine members of a telephone-based crime ring suspected of defrauding victims out of over 100 million yen by persuading them to deposit money into accounts have been arrested, police said Thursday.
Grieving dad asks gov't to take tougher measures against students causing accidents
February 9, 2006A man whose eldest son was fatally hit by a car driven by a graduate school student will ask the Education Ministry to urge universities across Japan to draw up tougher penalties against students who cause traffic accidents.
Parents of boy killed by baseball to donate rescue device to school
February 9, 2006OGAWARA, Miyagi -- The parents of a 10-year-old boy who died after being struck in the chest with a baseball are planning to present a rescue device to his school as thanks for supporting the family during its grief.
Police cooperation with Net providers helps curb suicides
February 9, 2006A total of 91 people committed suicide in 34 Internet-related incidents across Japan last year, but police managed to prevent several potential victims from killing themselves by cooperating with Internet service providers, it has been learned.
Fortune-teller admits to threatening woman who wouldn't join his harem
February 9, 2006A man under arrest for threatening a woman who wouldn't join his harem has admitted to the allegations, police said.
Skating medal hopeful Kato says he's not far from top shape ahead of Olympics
February 9, 2006TURIN -- Joji Kato, an Olympic medal hopeful in the men's 500-meter speed skating, said he needed rest and minor fine tuning to be in peak condition for his event.
Cop harasses woman after using copy of man's driver's license to buy cell phone
February 9, 2006KANAZAWA -- A police officer has been arrested here for using a copy of another man's driver's license to buy a mobile phone and for harassing a woman, Ishikawa police officials said.
45 Japanese cows suspected of having mad cow disease
February 9, 2006Forty-five cows at a farm in northern Japan are suspected of having mad cow disease and will be destroyed, officials said Thursday.
Former star of teen group Morning Musume caught smoking
February 9, 2006A photograph of a popular teenage entertainer caught smoking will be carried in the weekly magazine "Friday" that will hit the streets on Feb.