4 families near hot spring advised to evacuate
December 31, 2005The Yuzawa city government in Akita Prefecture on Saturday advised 16 residents in four households near the Doroyu hot spring to evacuate as a high density of hydrogen sulfide gas has been detected in some locations there. The issuance of the reco...
New Year's holiday exodus peaks
December 31, 2005The exodus from Tokyo for the New Year's holiday season peaked Friday, packing bullet trains and planes. Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen bullet trains bound for Fukuoka or Osaka from Tokyo were running at 80 to 150% capacity in their non-reserved seats,...
Hokkaido school principal, mother die in fire
December 31, 2005A 57-year-old junior high school principal and his mother, 82, died in a fire at her house in Ebetsu, Hokkaido, on Friday, police said. Toshiyuki Koyama from Sapporo was staying with his mother Isao, who lived by herself, when the fire started at...
Repatriated abductees identify 2 N Korean agents
December 31, 2005Repatriated Japanese abductees Kaoru Hasuike and Yasushi Chimura have identified two North Korean agents as being responsible for their abductions, investigative sources said Friday. Their testimonies have prompted the Japanese police to launch an in...
Japan stepping up defense of remote islands with eye on China
December 31, 2005In efforts to strengthen defenses against potential Chinese intrusion into Okinawa Prefecture's outlying islands, the Self-Defense Forces are taking such steps as conducting joint exercises with the U.S. Marine Corps and developing a short-range torp...