Publication
Figure skating: Hanyu to perform in March ice show 16 years after disaster
TOKYO - Two-time Olympic men's figure skating champion and professional skater Yuzuru Hanyu will perform in an ice show in Miyagi Prefecture to mark the 16th anniversary of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan,...
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53 companies in Japan hit by ransomware group known as Qilin
A total of 53 companies in Japan have suffered attacks by a ransomware group known as Qilin that operates internationally, National Police Agency officials said Thursday. The Japanese government, meanwhile, decided to warn businesses to take thorough...
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Japan's researcher Kenso Soai wins Nobel chemistry prize
Japanese organic chemist Kenso Soai and French researcher Henri Kagan won this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry, for the discovery of "non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said...
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Japan hands over Russian ransomware suspect to Germany
TOKYO - Japan has handed over to German authorities a detained Russian national suspected of being a key member of the international ransomware group, a source familiar with the matter said Tuesday. The cybercrime group known as Qilin is alleged to...
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Japan farm minister retracts controversial budget remarks, makes apology
TOKYO - Japanese Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Kazuo Yana on Monday retracted recently revealed past remarks he made on local road budget cuts that suggested he was able to exert unfair political pressure over budget allocations,...
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Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games to conclude as Japan secures its most golds ever
NAGOYA - Competition at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games wrapped up on Sunday with host Japan winning 83 gold medals, its most ever, ahead of the closing ceremony for the 16-day event at Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Nagoya. Medals were contested in 43...
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Asian Games: Japan beats China for 7th straight softball title
ANJO, Japan - Japan won its seventh consecutive Asian Games softball gold medal Saturday with a 7-0 mercy-rule victory over China, while veteran pitcher Yukiko Ueno capped a remarkable career milestone by being part of all seven title-winning teams....
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Asian Games: Japan tops record medal haul from Hiroshima
NAGOYA - Yusuke Kusuhara and Shunsuke Nakagawa won the men's tennis doubles gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Friday, helping Japan surpass its previous record medal tally of 218 set at the 1994 Hiroshima Games. Kusuhara and Nakagawa beat South...
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Sumo association to hold 1st exhibition tour in Thailand next June
TOKYO - The Japan Sumo Association said Thursday that it will stage a three-day exhibition from June 11 next year in Bangkok, marking the first of its kind in Thailand. The exhibition tour will be the association's third consecutive overseas...
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Imperial couple meet with disaster victims in quake-hit Kumamoto
KUMAMOTO, Japan - Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako on Wednesday visited Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan and met with local people two months after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit the region. Following an explanation by Kumamoto Gov. Takashi...
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FOCUS: Japan's boosting of southwest defenses to be easier under new Okinawa gov.
TOKYO - Japan is likely to see smoother sailing in its efforts to bolster its defenses in its southwestern region after the new Okinawa governor, who is more supportive of the state's security plans than his predecessor, takes office Wednesday....
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Asian Games: Japan's Nakai, Hatakeyama win golds in BMX racing
NAGOYA - Japan's Asuma Nakai won the men's cycling BMX racing final at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Monday, successfully defending his title, while Sae Hatakeyama claimed the women's gold. Nakai beat compatriot Hyoga Kiuchi, who took silver, and...
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Sumo: Onosato overwhelms Aonishiki to capture 1st title in year
TOKYO - Yokozuna Onosato defeated title rival ozeki Aonishiki in an emphatic fashion to capture his first title in a year at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday. Having thrown away his two-win lead with successive losses through Saturday,...
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Asian Games: Japan cricket keeps positive outlook after rain ends campaign
NISSHIN, Japan - Host nation Japan saw its Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games men's cricket campaign end Saturday with rain washing out its last Group A match against Nepal, but the team is taking positives from the tournament. Following its opening loss to...
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Sumo: Leader Onosato loses as Aonishiki, Asanoyama move 1 win behind
TOKYO - Yokozuna Onosato fell to his second defeat at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday as ozeki Aonishiki and former ozeki Asanoyama moved a win behind the leader with two days remaining. Onosato (11-2) was second best off the opening clash...
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Japan's Ohashi sets men's 200-meter breaststroke world record
TOKYO - Japan's Shin Ohashi set a world record of 2 minutes, 4.83 seconds to win gold in the men's 200-meter breaststroke at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Thursday. The 17-year-old broke the previous world record of 2:05.48 set by China's Qin Haiyang...
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Asian Games: Japan bags men's gymnastics team silver as China wins
NAGOYA - Japan was edged by China and settled for silver in the artistic gymnastics men's team final on Wednesday at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Daiki Hashimoto topped the vault and horizontal bar events as the Tokyo Olympics individual all-around...
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Iran offers to reopen Hormuz strait within 7 days in push for diplomacy
TEHRAN - Iran has offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the United States takes initial steps toward easing military pressure, a senior Iranian government official told Kyodo News on Tuesday, as part of Tehran's ramped-up efforts...
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Yokozuna Onosato keeps sole lead with win over Fujiryoga
TOKYO - Yokozuna Onosato maintained the outright lead at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Monday, improving to 8-1 with a straightforward win over No. 4 maegashira Fujiryoga. Fujiryoga (3-6) landed a solid opening hit, but Onosato calmly stepped to...
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ASIA WATCH: Homegrown brands reshape China's booming cosmetics market
HUZHOU, China - In a cosmetics exhibition hall tucked away in the mountains of eastern China, shelves of creams, lotions and other beauty products offer a glimpse of how dramatically the country's cosmetics market has changed. "Many Chinese cosmetics...
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Sumo: Onosato breezes to victory, moves into 2way tie with Kotozakura
TOKYO - Yokozuna Onosato blew away No. 3 maegashira Churanoumi to stay on top of the leaderboard at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Saturday. The 26-year-old grand champion improved to 6-1 to finish Day 7 of the 15-day tournament in a two-way tie...
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Fujinokawa stuns Aonishiki, Kirishima also suffers upset
TOKYO - New sekiwake Fujinokawa stunned ozeki Aonishiki, handing the Ukrainian star his third straight defeat at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday. Promotion-seeking ozeki Kirishima (4-2) also suffered an upset loss at the hands of No. 2...
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Australia toughens student, working holiday visa rules to cut migration
SYDNEY - Australia will stop most international students from adding family members to their visas and limit the extension of working holiday visas in a bid to reduce migration, the country's home affairs minister said Thursday. The changes are part of...
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Sumo: Yokozuna Onosato suffers 1st loss, ozeki Kotozakura remains unbeaten
TOKYO - Yokozuna Onosato suffered his first loss at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Wednesday, while ozeki Kotozakura became the only unbeaten wrestler after four days. Ukrainian ozeki Aonishiki surrendered his first loss on Day 4 of the 15-day...
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Japan's land prices up for 5th straight year on housing, tourism demand
TOKYO - The average price of land in Japan as of July 1 climbed for the fifth straight year, led by major metropolitan areas with robust housing demand and tourist destinations amid increasing inbound visitors, government data showed Tuesday. The...
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Kodai Sano nets 1st goal as PSV come back to batter Sparta
EINDHOVEN, Netherlands - Japan midfielder Kodai Sano scored his first goal for PSV Eindhoven on Sunday in their home 4-1 comeback win over Sparta Rotterdam in the Dutch Eredivisie. The 22year-old summer signing from NEC Nijmegen blasted low into the...
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Japan's Hamaoka nuclear power plant operator president to resign: sources
NAGOYA - Chubu Electric Power Co. President Kingo Hayashi intends to resign over the utility's seismic data manipulation scandal during the screening for restarting reactors at the Hamaoka nuclear power plant in central Japan, sources close to the...
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Asian Games: Japanese head coach helps Taiwan shoot for basketball medal
TAIPEI - Taiwan women's basketball head coach Kenzo Maeda aims to elevate the status of the women's game on the island by winning a medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan this month. The Japanese coach began his role in April, with little time...
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Figure skating: Hanyu to stage encore performances of solo ice show
TOKYO - Two-time Olympic men's figure skating champion Yuzuru Hanyu will stage encore performances of his solo ice show "REALIVE" on Nov. 28 and 29 in Saga, southwestern Japan, organizers announced Friday. Hanyu, who won back-to-back Winter Olympic...
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JOC chief ready to revive Winter Olympics bid
TOKYO - Japanese Olympic Committee chief Seiko Hashimoto has stressed the importance of hosting major international multisport events as she expressed readiness to revive a stalled bid for the Winter Olympics. "It is the JOC's mission to bring...
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Sumo: Kirishima dominates practice bouts ahead of yokozuna bid
TOKYO - Ozeki Kirishima signaled his determination to earn yokozuna promotion at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament with a dominant display during a joint training session on Wednesday. Facing off against opponents such as new sekiwake Fujinokawa and...
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Sumo: Aonishiki battles through injury in pursuit of yokozuna promotion
TOKYO - Despite lingering injuries affecting his preparation, ozeki Aonishiki is determined to build on his dramatic July championship and secure promotion to the ultimate rank of yokozuna at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament opening Sunday at Tokyo's...
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URGENT: Japanese yen briefly hits 6-month high at 154 versus U.S. dollar
TOKYO - The Japanese yen briefly strengthened to around a six-month high against the U.S. dollar in the 154 yen range on Monday. Recently, Japan and the United States conducted a rare joint currency market intervention to shore up the yen following its...
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ICC chief Akane vows to continue job no matter what amid U.S. sanctions
Tomoko Akane, president of the International Criminal Court, vowed on Sunday that she will continue to do her job, despite U.S. sanctions against her and the Hague-based judicial body. Appearing online at an event in Tokyo, Akane said she stands firm...
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Sumo: Veteran Takayasu ready for Autumn meet despite injury
TOKYO - Veteran wrestler Takayasu said Saturday he feels ready for the upcoming Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament despite resuming sparring only a day earlier following a left leg injury. The former ozeki fought 13 practice bouts as he geared up to contest...
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Japan remains on high alert over forex moves: top currency diplomat
Japan remains on high alert over foreign exchange movements, its top currency diplomat Atsushi Mimura said Thursday, following the yen's sharp rise against the dollar in the day's trading. "I'm neither reassured nor satisfied" with the yen's current...
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Sumo: Yokozuna Onosato resumes full-scale training ahead of Autumn meet
TOKYO - Yokozuna Onosato resumed full-scale training Wednesday at his Nishonoseki stable in Ami, Ibaraki Prefecture, in preparation for the Sept. 13-27 Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament. The 26-year-old grand champion appeared in good...
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IN PHOTOS: Japan's Disaster Prevention Day drills
TOKYO - The Japanese government held a disaster prevention drill on Tuesday simulating a magnitude 8.3 earthquake off eastern Hokkaido that triggered tsunami from the northern main island to Tokyo to review initial response procedures such as assessing...
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OPINION: After diplomatic flop, Japan must return shipping to the path of ambition
TOKYO - Japan is a powerful maritime nation and has been a key player in U.N. shipping climate negotiations. Japan's shipyards have built a reputation for high quality, fuel efficient, and energysaving vessels. As such, this strategic sector naturally...
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Football: Japan defender Itakura returns to Borussia from Ajax
TOKYO - Japan defender Ko Itakura has returned to Borussia Monchengladbach from Dutch football club Ajax, the German top-flight side said Thursday. The 29-year-old, who captained Japan at this year's World Cup, has signed a contract through 2030. After...
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Foreign visitors to Japan hit 3.44 mil. in July, new record for month
TOKYO - The number of foreign visitors to Japan in July inched up 0.1 percent from a year earlier to 3.44 million, a record for the month, government estimates showed Wednesday, with travel demand remaining strong amid the summer holiday season in the...
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Japan fighter jet blocks Okinawa airport runway after landing gear breaks
NAHA, Japan - A runway was closed for hours at Naha Airport in the southern island prefecture of Okinawa on Tuesday after a Japanese Self-Defense Forces fighter jet became immobilized following landing, according to the transport ministry. There were...
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Japan eyes introducing U.S.-made AI into SDF operations, command
TOKYO - Japan's Defense Ministry is considering introducing U.S.-developed artificial intelligence into command and control for Self-Defense Forces units, sources close to the matter said Monday. The aim is to speed up decision-making by using AI to...
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Damage reports from Chiba rain disaster grow, death toll stands at 10
CHIBA, Japan - Reports of flood damage continue to grow three days after torrential rain pounded Chiba Prefecture east of Tokyo, with the prefectural government saying Sunday that some 1,300 homes were flooded, 10 people were killed and one remained...
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FOCUS: Japanese auto, motorcycle makers back India's drive to cut fossil fuel use
NEW DELHI - Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent appeal to Indians to reduce petrol and diesel consumption is reinforcing a broader shift in the country's mobility strategy, with Japanese automakers, a major presence in the country's market, taking a...
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Baseball: Sasaki throws 6 innings of 2-run ball in Dodgers' loss to Brewers
LOS ANGELES - Roki Sasaki pitched six innings of two-run ball as the Los Angeles Dodgers lost to the Milwaukee Brewers 5-4 on Thursday. Sasaki did not factor in the decision after allowing two runs on four hits and five walks, while striking out two at...
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Wrestling: Aonishiki-inspired Kusaka eyes Asian Games gold after Paris win
TOKYO - After winning Greco-Roman wrestling gold at the Paris Olympics, Japan's Nao Kusaka is yearning for triumph at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games while drawing inspiration from sumo's Ukrainian sensation Aonishiki. The 25-year-old Kusaka won the men's...
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Sumo: Mongolian-born Joshoyu eyes quick rise after pro debut
TOKYO - Mongolian-born Joshoyu has vowed a rapid rise through the ranks as he made his longawaited professional sumo debut at last month's Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament. "I want to reach sekitori as soon as possible," the 22-year-old Joshoyu said,...
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Awa Odori, Japan's signature summer dance festival, opens with 600 dancers
TOKUSHIMA, Japan - Awa Odori, one of Japan's signature summer dance festivals, opened Tuesday in Tokushima Prefecture, where about 600 performers from leading local troupes staged a joint show at a hall. The opening day featured three performances. In...
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Japan PM calls for free, safe passage of Hormuz in phone talks with Oman
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called for the resumption of free and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in phone talks with Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on Monday, amid stalled U.S.-Iranian negotiations on the conflict. Oman...
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Baseball: Murakami launches 26th homer, White Sox snap losing streak
CHICAGO - Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami homered for the second straight game, taking his tally to 26 for the season, in Saturday's 6-3 comeback win over the Cleveland Guardians. The Guardians took a 2-0 lead in the top of the sixth at...
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Rugby: Player for League One 2nd-tier team dies after suffering heatstroke
TOKYO - Japan Rugby League One announced Saturday that Saimoni Vunilagi, a Fijian-born forward for second-division club Kyuden Voltex, died after being hospitalized with symptoms of heatstroke. The 26-year-old died Friday at a hospital in Fukuoka,...
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Japan's food self-sufficiency rate falls to record low 37% in FY 2025
TOKYO - Japan's food self-sufficiency rate on a caloric intake basis reached a record low 37 percent in the fiscal year that ended March, marking a decline for the first time in five years, farm ministry data showed Friday. The figure, on par with the...
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FOCUS: Japan's 2-year food tax cut risks becoming political football
TOKYO - Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has decided to cut the consumption tax on food and beverages for two years starting next April, but the measure she described as "temporary" could become a vote-winning tool in future elections and remain in place...
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Japan public broadcaster NHK says employee sexually assaulted by program participant
TOKYO - Japan's public broadcaster NHK said Wednesday that one of its employees was sexually assaulted by a participant in one of its programs. The broadcaster said the employee, whose health deteriorated following the incident, took a leave of absence...
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Takagi, 10-time Olympic skating medalist, given People's Honor Award
TOKYO - Speed skater Miho Takagi, who won a record 10 Olympic medals for a Japanese woman, received the People's Honor Award from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at an event in Tokyo on Tuesday. The honor comes after Takagi, 32, announced her retirement...
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URGENT: Nissan posts 3.76 billion yen net profit in April-June
Nissan Motor Co. said Monday it posted a net profit of 3.76 billion yen ($24 million) in the three months through June, making further progress in its restructuring efforts. The Japanese automaker logged an operating profit of 77.89 billion yen in the...
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Possible 1st disaster-related death reported after Kumamoto quake
KUMAMOTO, Japan - A woman in her 70s, who according to local officials had been sleeping in her car following Tuesday's powerful earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, died of suspected heatstroke, the prefecture said Sunday. Her death...
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Baseball: Murakami joined by Ohtani with 24th homer of season
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida - Chicago White Sox rookie Munetaka Murakami hit his 24th home run on Friday as Shohei Ohtani also reached the same number for the season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Murakami got his fourth homer in six games as the White Sox...
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N. Korea economy believed to have grown in 2025, 3rd straight yr: S. Korea
SEOUL - North Korea's economy is estimated to have grown 3.5 percent in 2025 from a year earlier, South Korea's central bank said Friday. The Bank of Korea said the North is believed to have achieved growth in the 3 percent range for the third straight...
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Fire breaks out at World Heritage traditional Japanese-style building in central Japan
TOYAMA, Japan - A traditional Japanese-style building in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Gokayama in Toyama Prefecture, central Japan, caught fire Thursday, but the blaze was brought under control about 50 minutes later, local authorities said. The...
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Decision on Japan consumption tax cut left to PM after cross-party talks fail
TOKYO - Japan's ruling and opposition parties on Wednesday wrapped up months of discussions on a proposed consumption tax cut on food and beverages without a consensus, leaving the decision on the step aimed at mitigating the impact of inflation on...
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Earthquake alert (automated)
TOKYO - The following is an earthquake alert issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency. * Day and Time: July 28, 2026, 7:03 p.m. Epicenter: Kumamoto Prefecture. N 32.6 , E 130.7 Depth: 10 kilometers Preliminary magnitude: 4.2 Seismic intensity scale:...
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GSDF officer indicted over Chinese Embassy trespass, threats
TOKYO - A Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force officer was indicted Monday for unlawfully entering the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo with a kitchen knife and threatening staff in March, prosecutors said. Kodai Murata, a 24-year-old second lieutenant assigned...
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Football: 59-yr-old Miura scores 1st competitive goal in 4 yrs
TOKYO - Kazuyoshi Miura scored his first competitive goal in four years Saturday at age 59 to help J-League third-division club Fukushima United secure a place in the Emperor's Cup. "King Kazu" started for Fukushima United and scored in the 52nd minute...
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Football: Japan midfielder Morita joins promoted Hull on 2-yr deal
LONDON - Japan midfielder Hidemasa Morita has signed for Hull City after agreeing a two-year contract with a club option of another year, the newly promoted English Premier League team announced Friday. The 31-year-old was a free agent this summer...
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