Japan

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In Japan, a Bear Does His Grocery Shopping

And recent attacks highlight rising bear encounters in rural Japan

(Newser) - Arizona isn't alone with its bold ursine population : A bear wandered into a grocery store in Numata, Japan, on Tuesday, causing panic and leaving two men with minor injuries. The 4.5-foot animal, likely agitated and confused, entered through the front door and spent about four minutes inside,...

Japan's Likely New PM Is a Margaret Thatcher Fan

Hard-line conservative Sanae Takaichi, set to lead governing party, would be nation's first female PM

(Newser) - Japan's governing party on Saturday elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, a hard-line ultra-conservative and China hawk, as its new leader, making her likely to become the country's first female prime minister. In a country that ranks poorly internationally for gender equality, the 64-year-old Takaichi makes history...

Japan Braces for Shortage of Its Favorite Beer

Cyberattack has halted Asahi's operations

(Newser) - A major cyberattack has brought Asahi's Japanese operations to a halt, leaving convenience stores and supermarkets across the country bracing for a shortage of the nation's best-selling beer and bottled tea. The cyberattack hit ordering and delivery systems, forcing Asahi Group, the nation's largest brewer and...

Japanese City Tries to Curb Phone Use With New Law

Toyoake residents are encouraged to cap leisure use of their phones at 2 hours a day

(Newser) - Japan's Toyoake is trying to get its citizen off its screens by legislating it into reality. An ordinance that went into effect on Wednesday tasks the city's 68,000 residents with keeping recreational screen time (meaning excluding work and school use) to under two hours per day....

China's Robot Army Is Coming Along Nicely

Nation leads the world with 2M factory bots, outpacing every other country combined

(Newser) - China now leads the world in factory robots, outpacing every other country combined, according to a new report from the International Federation of Robotics. More than 2 million robots toiled in Chinese factories in 2024, with nearly 300,000 newly installed—far surpassing the 34,000 added in the...

His Last Meet Here Was 'Super Weird.' This Time, a Record

Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis sets 14th world record for pole vaulting in Tokyo by clearing 6.30 meters

(Newser) - Armand "Mondo" Duplantis traded handshakes and hugs with the pole vaulters he'd just beaten to capture his third world championship. He took a leisurely walk toward the stands to talk to his parents, his brother, and his fiancee. Then, like any great performer in a jam-packed stadium, he...

After Losses and Tariff 'Crisis,' Japan's Prime Minister Resigns
Japan's Prime Minister Resigns
Sep 7, 2025 1:00 PM CDT

Japan's Prime Minister Resigns

Shigeru Ishiba says he has to take responsibility for coalition's loss of majorities in parliament

(Newser) - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation on Sunday after a series of election losses, pushing world's fourth-largest economy into political uncertainty just as it clinched a trade deal with the US. Ishiba, 68, said he must take responsibility after his ruling coalition lost its majorities in...

He Said He Was Stuck in Space, So She Opened Her Wallet
He Said He Was Stuck in Space,
So She Opened Her Wallet
in case you missed it
Sep 6, 2025 4:01 PM CDT

He Said He Was Stuck in Space, So She Opened Her Wallet

Scammer fools elderly Japanese woman with wild story, nabs nearly $7K

(Newser) - And you thought the AI-generated Brad Pitt scam was unbelievable. In a new case, an elderly Japanese woman was tricked out of thousands of dollars by a scammer claiming to be an astronaut stranded in space. The "romance scam" began in July when the two connected on social...

How Jet Lag Factored Into This CEO's Downfall

Supplements probe forces out one of Japan's most high-profile CEOs

(Newser) - A quest to ease jet lag has toppled one of Japan's most prominent CEOs. Takeshi Niinami, the high-profile CEO of Suntory Holdings—the force behind Jim Beam since 2014—resigned Tuesday after a police investigation tied to supplements that he was set to receive. The 66-year-old executive elaborated...

Japan's Fuji Eruption Simulation Causes Unease

It hasn't erupted since 1707, but the government is urging Tokyo residents to be ready

(Newser) - Mount Fuji hasn't erupted since 1707. But for Volcanic Disaster Preparedness Day, Japanese officials have released computer- and AI-generated videos showing a simulation of a potential violent eruption of the active volcano. The videos , released this week, are meant to prepare the 37 million residents in the greater Tokyo...

Outcry Follows Town's Proposed Phone Use Limit

Residents in Toyoake, Japan, object to 2-hour daily cap designed to address health concerns

(Newser) - In a bold bid to combat online addiction and sleepless nights, one Japanese town is urging its residents to limit leisurely smartphone use to just two hours a day. Toyoake, a city in the Aichi prefecture, is floating the proposal that would apply to everyone—kids, teens, and parents...

Wife of Man Who Died After Wrongful Arrest: 'I Will Never Forgive'

Top Japanese officials from police, prosecutor's office apologize to Shizuo Aishima's family at grave

(Newser) - An unusual graveside visit went down this week in Japan, after a businessman there who was wrongfully arrested died after his illegal detention. CBS News notes that Shizuo Aishima, a former consultant for the Ohkawara Kakohki machinery company, was one of three execs unlawfully detained and indicted in March 2020...

Cops Who Thought Bear Killed Elderly Man Have New Theory

Police now say son actually stabbed 93-year-old Fujiyoshi Shindo to death in Japan

(Newser) - When Fujiyoshi Shindo's wife found the 93-year-old's body Monday in a bedroom in their home in the Japanese city of Daisen, authorities initially suspected he'd been mauled by a bear. Looks like an ursine suspect is now off the hook, as police have updated their analysis to...

Japan's Pokemon Happy Meal Promo Ends Poorly

People were buying up the collectors' items, tossing the food outside the stores

(Newser) - Fast-food chain McDonald's Japan has canceled a Happy Meal campaign that came with coveted Pokemon cards, apologizing after resellers rushed to buy the meals and then discarded the food, leaving trash outside stores. The meals, called Happy Sets in Japan, were meant for children. They came with a toy, such...

In Japan, Creepy-Crawlies Are Cool Pets

Bugs are popular in nature-loving Japan, buzzing with lessons about ecology and species

(Newser) - The pet of choice in Japan, as much as cuddly kitties and playful puppies, is the humble bug. The bug has been a key part of Japanese culture from the Heian era classic The Tale of Genji to popular modern-day manga and animation like Mushishi, featuring insect-like supernatural creatures. Japanese...

Japan's Population Decline Is Accelerating

There were more than 2 deaths for every birth last year

(Newser) - Japan's demographic crisis deepened in 2024, as government data revealed nearly a million more deaths than births—a record drop since such tracking began in 1968. The country logged just 686,061 births, the fewest since 1899, while almost 1.6 million people died. For every child born,...

Survivors of Hiroshima Worry on Atom Bomb's 80th Anniversary

As global leaders lean into nukes for deterrence, those who lived through 1945 bombing speak out

(Newser) - Hiroshima on Wednesday marked the 80th anniversary of the US atomic bombing of the Japanese city, with many survivors expressing frustration about the growing support of global leaders for nuclear weapons as a deterrent. With the survivors' numbers rapidly declining (the average age now exceeds 86), the anniversary is considered...

Japan Fireworks Festival Goes Badly Wrong
Japan Fireworks Festival
Ends in Chaos
VIDEO
Aug 5, 2025 9:26 PM CDT

Japan Fireworks Festival Ends in Chaos

Fires broke out on 2 launch barges in Yokohama

(Newser) - A fireworks display at a festival in Japan was halted early after fireworks hit two of the eight launch barges packed with fireworks. Organizers of the Yokohoma festival say a launch system malfunction caused pyrotechnics to land on the barges Monday night, causing fires that set off more fireworks, the...

Trump Announces Trade Deal With Japan

He says tariff will be reduced from 25% to 15%

(Newser) - President Trump announced a trade framework with Japan on Tuesday, placing a 15% tax on goods imported from that nation. "This Deal will create Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs — There has never been anything like it," Trump posted on Truth Social , adding that the United States "...

Japan's Ruling Coalition Loses Critical Election

Prime minister vows to stay on

(Newser) - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling coalition failed Monday to secure a majority in the 248-seat upper house in a crucial parliamentary election, further shaking the stability of his government as Japan faces challenges such as rising prices and high US tariffs, the AP reports. Ishiba's Liberal Democratic...

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