Tokyo Olympic committee shows original logo design amid dispute

The organizing committee of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Friday showed the origina
l design of Kenjiro Sano's Olympic and Paralympic Games logo embroiled in a plag
iarism dispute, backing the Japanese designer's claim that he did not copy a Bel
gian theater logo. (Kyodo)
Diet passes bill aimed at boosting women in the workplace
The Diet passed a bill Friday aiming to promote the role of women in the workpla
ce, along with greater female participation in the economy at a time when the co
untry's population is expected to shrink further. (Japan Times)
Police brace for yakuza war after Yamaguchi-gumi splits up
Japanese police fear a bloody gang war could erupt following the breakup of the
Yamaguchi-gumi, the nation's largest organized crime syndicate. (Asahi)
Japan slams Xinhua's demand for apology as being rude to emperor
Japan criticized China's official Xinhua News Agency on Friday for having demand
ed an apology from Emperor Akihito over Japan's wartime acts, saying such a clai
m was "extremely discourteous to His Majesty the Emperor." (Kyodo)
Abe likely to be reelected LDP leader on Sept. 8
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is likely to be reelected president of the ru
ling Liberal Democratic Party as early as Sept. 8, as no one apparently plans to
challenge him, it was learned Thursday. (Jiji Press)

Japan's Empress plays piano to soprano singer

Japan's Empress Michiko has enjoyed playing the piano to the singing voice of a
prominent foreign soprano. (NHK)
Aug 28
Woman's naked corpse found inside Nakano apartment
Tokyo Metropolitan Police have launched a murder investigation following the dis
covery of the body of 25-year-old woman inside her apartment in Nakano Ward, rep
orts Fuji News Network. (Tokyo Reporter)
Aug 27
5 killed after minivan crashes on Nara bridge
Three men and two woman were killed after the minivan they were traveling in fli
pped over and slammed into the railing of a bridge in Asuka, Nara Prefecture, ea
rly Thursday. (Japan Today)
Aug 27
Police riled by flood of 110 calls tied to bogus smartphone tip tweeting the rou
nds
A bogus smartphone tip spreading through tweets is causing a headache for the Na
tional Police Agency as users have been tricked into dialing the emergency numbe
r 110 in at least 22 prefectures. (Japan Times)
Aug 27
Tochigi car chase leads to arrest of yakuza boss
As a part of an investigation into a car accident earlier this year in Utsunomiy
a City, an organized crime boss has been arrested for a firearms violation, repo
rts Fuji News Network (Tokyo Reporter)
[more society news...]
[society blogs...]
BUSINESS
Aug 29
Duty-free stores coming soon in Ginza
A series of new duty-free stores will open in Ginza, Tokyo, from this autumn to
cater to the growing number of foreign customers coming to the shopping district
. (The Japan News)
Aug 28
Ministry to order Pfizer to improve operations
Japan's health ministry has decided to order drug maker Pfizer to revamp its inf
ormation-sharing system. (NHK)

Aug 27
Olympic logo 'was changed before being presented'
The design for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics official emblem initially submitted by ar
t designer Kenjiro Sano is different from the current one, it was learned Wednes
day. (The Japan News)
Aug 27
Amazon to bring video streaming service to Japan
Streaming-media giant Netflix's planned September entry into the Japanese market
has spurred rivals to step up, with Amazon.com set to bring its streaming servi
ce for paying members into Japan as well. (Nikkei)
Aug 27
Nissay in talks to buy Australian bank's insurance business
Nippon Life Insurance Co. is in talks with National Australia Bank to buy the ba
nk's insurance business, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned. (The Japan News)
[more business news...]
[business blogs...]
ECONOMY
Aug 28
Nikkei 225 Up 3.03% On China Rally, Overnight Wall Street Gains; Jobless Report
The Nikkei 225 Friday rose 3.03% in a continuing rebound, in concert with a rall
y in mainland China stocks, and overnight gains on Wall Street. The official une
mployment rate in Japan fell to 3.3% from 3.4% it was reported Friday, against a
season of good earnings reports. (nasdaq.com)
Aug 28
Japan July jobless rate falls to 3.3 pct
The number of jobless people decreased by 260,000 from a year before to 2.22 mil
lion, the ministry also said. (Jiji Press)
Aug 27
Japan relaxing ban on foreign housekeepers on trial basis
Japanese housekeeping services will begin employing foreign workers in two exper
imental policy regions after restrictions are relaxed within the year, heading o
ff a shortage of labor in the field. (Nikkei)
Aug 27
Japan pump price hits 6-month low
The average retail price of regular gasoline in Japan as of Monday decreased 1.5
yen from a week earlier to 136.7 yen per liter, hitting the lowest level since
mid-February, the Natural Resources and Energy Agency said Wednesday. (Jiji Pres
s)
Aug 26
Japan stocks higher at close of trade; Nikkei 225 up 3.20%
Japan stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Power, Fi
nancial Services and Insurance sectors led shares higher. (investing.com)
[more economy news...]
POLITICS
Aug 28
Japan slams Xinhua's demand for apology as being rude to emperor
Japan criticized China's official Xinhua News Agency on Friday for having demand
ed an apology from Emperor Akihito over Japan's wartime acts, saying such a clai
m was "extremely discourteous to His Majesty the Emperor." (Kyodo)
Aug 28
Abe likely to be reelected LDP leader on Sept. 8
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is likely to be reelected president of the ru
ling Liberal Democratic Party as early as Sept. 8, as no one apparently plans to
challenge him, it was learned Thursday. (Jiji Press)
Aug 28
Japan land ministry seeks 6,679 billion yen as FY 2016 budget
Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism said Thursday it
wants 6,679.1 billion yen in its general-account budget for fiscal 2016, up 15.
4 pct from the amount allocated in the government's fiscal 2015 initial budget.
(Jiji Press)
Aug 27

Mayor Hashimoto, Governor Matsui to bolt from Japan Innovation Party

Fed up with the spread of "Nagatacho disease" among their colleagues, Osaka Mayo
r Toru Hashimoto and Osaka Governor Ichiro Matsui said they were leaving the opp
osition Japan Innovation Party. (Asahi)
Aug 27
Tabloid: Ex-LDP lawmaker Takaya Muto linked to male prostitute
A controversial former Lower House member is now being accused of engaging in se
x acts with a male prostitute, according to a report in the September 3 issue of
weekly tabloid Shukan Bunshun. (Tokyo Reporter)
[more politics news...]
EDUCATION
Aug 29
Study: Japanese have the longest healthy lives
The Japanese have the reputation of longevity. Now, the latest studies show that
they also enjoy the longest periods of healthy lives. (NHK)
Aug 27
Youth climbing 'genius' Miwa Oba stars in new commercial and nearly breaks the I
nternet
Rock climbing and bouldering aren't really the first sports we associate with ju
nior high and high school students. (rocketnews24.com)
Aug 25
26 natl universities to abolish humanities, social sciences
Nearly half of the 60 national universities with humanities and social science f
aculties plan to abolish those departments in the 2016 academic year or later, a
ccording to a survey conducted by The Yomiuri Shimbun. (The Japan News)
Aug 24
11 children stung by wasps in Fukuoka Pref
Eleven children were stung by wasps while walking in a wooded area in Koge, Fuku
oka Prefecture, on Sunday. (Japan Today)
Aug 21
Ruins in Nara likely site of largest settlement in 4th century
GOSE, Nara Prefecture--Researchers are excavating what could have been one of th
e nation's largest settlements in the fourth century. (Asahi)
[more education news...]
[education blogs...]
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Aug 28
JR to start maglev construction
Central Japan Railway Company says it will start building a high-speed train lin
e using magnetic levitation, or maglev, technology. (NHK)
Aug 27
Japanese astronaut Kanai assigned to ISS long-stay mission
Japanese astronaut Norishige Kanai will stay at the International Space Station
for about six months from November 2017, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
said Wednesday. (Jiji Press)
Aug 25
Sony unveils drone prototype that looks like a miniature airplane
Sony announced last month that it was teaming up with ZMP Inc, a Tokyo-based rob
otics company, to create commercial drones. The company, called Aerosense, will
use drones to survey and inspect areas that are difficult to access. (theverge.c
om)
Aug 25
Japanese space cargo docks ISS
A Japanese space cargo ship has docked at the International Space Station to bri
ng fresh supplies to the astronauts on board. (NHK)
Aug 22
Sendai reactor power ramp-up halted due to pump problem
Kyushu Electric Power has halted the ramp-up of power output from its Sendai No.
1 nuclear reactor due to a problem with a pump in the plant's secondary cooling
system, a spokesman said on Friday. (Japan Today)
[more sci-tech news...]
[sci-tech blogs...]

SPORTS
Aug 28
Japan draws up new plan for Olympic stadium
The Japanese government has decided on a new plan for a national stadium to be u
sed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. (NHK)
Aug 26
Super Rugby crisis looms as Japan struggles with expansion franchise
Super Rugby's 2016 expansion is under threat because of Japan's slow progress in
recruiting players and a coach for a competitive team. (smh.com.au)
Aug 25
IOC wants new Tokyo stadium by January 2020
The International Olympic Committee has asked the Japanese government to have th
e new main stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Games ready by January of that year. (NHK)
Aug 25
Formula E race car draws crowds in Tokyo
Crowds flocked to central Tokyo on Sunday to catch a glimpse of a Formula E car
-- a race car minus the exhaust and ear-splitting noise of its gasoline-powered
counterparts. (NHK)
Aug 25
Ishikawa secures PGA Tour card for next season
Ryo Ishikawa won next season's U.S. PGA Tour card after finishing 31st at the Wy
ndham Championship and placing 124th in the FedEx Cup standings on Sunday. (Japa
n Times)
[more sports news...]
TRAVEL
Aug 29
Tuna back in clear view
Visitors to Tokyo Sea Life Park can now enjoy a clear view of the bluefin tuna i
n its large tank, following the complete removal Friday of the crash prevention
tape attached to the glass. (The Japan News)
Aug 28
'War of hotels' breaks out ahead of Tokyo Olympics
Readying for a large influx of foreign visitors for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and
Paralympics, luxurious hotels are opening one after another in the heart of the
metropolis in what can be likened to a "war of hotels." (The Japan News)
Aug 28
Fire festival at Mt. Fuji bids farefell to summer
Flames of giant torches have lighted up a shrine and its vicinity at the foot of
Mount Fuji in an annual festival to bid farewell to the summer climbing season.
(NHK)
Aug 27
Overseas visitors flock to Osaka's 'triumphal arch of the future'
Offering a sweeping view of the city of Osaka, the twin-towered Umeda Sky Buildi
ng and its floating garden have been drawing an increasing number of foreign tou
rists and is on pace to set a record for total annual visitors. (Asahi)
Aug 26
Kyoto turns to toilet etiquette signs in a bid to flush out bad behavior
Japan has rolled out the welcome mat for foreign visitors and this is benefittin
g businesses nationwide, but there's a not so rosy catch. For the city of Kyoto,
one of the most popular destinations for tourists, the result has been reeking
public lavatories. (Japan Times)
[more travel news...]
[travel blogs...]
FEATURED BLOGS
Aug 29
Why suburban Tokyo is teeming with female cyclists.
Wander the streets of any typical Tokyo suburb on a weekday morning and you're l
ikely to be astounded by the number of mothers cycling with one, sometimes two,
and occasionally three children on their bicycles as they ferry their little one
s to ki...
Aug 28

Gay Asia should resist liberal assimilation

A Filipino protester from a gay and lesbian activist group mocks 'Lady Justice'
in a rally calling for the resignation of Philippine President Benigno Aquino II
I, 24 July 2014. The group condemned the social injustices caused by the Aquino
regime. (Photo: AAP)
Author: Sherman Tan, ANU
While it is incredibly difficult to make generalisations about LGBTIQ advocacy e
fforts or debates over gay rights across Asia, many commentators have expressed
optimism after a number of public expressions or political in...
Aug 28
SepOct Tokyo Cheapo Calendar: 5 Autumn Events Not to Miss
As summer gives way to fall, expect the weather to start getting slightly cooler
in September. That also means that the festive summer spirit will also come to
a halt (it's back to school for kids, anyway!). That still doesn't mean that Sep
tember ...
Aug 28
How to approach people.. in Japanese?
kingyo
Photo from TruShu on flikr.com
Today's post is
ith someone you
meet new people
Aug 28
Escape the Heat
manza-1

all about how to approach people.. how to start a conversation w

might not know too well in Japanese. On a daily basis, you might
as well as old friends whom you ...
for the Cool Mountain Air of Manza Onsen

There comes a point each summer in Tokyo when you just cannot take another day o
f the combination of the oppressive heat and humidity, and you've just got to ge
t out of the city to escape to a cooler place.
Well, if you only want to be warm whi...
Aug 28
Iwami Seaside Park
Iwami Seaside Park, Shimane.
The Japan Sea Coast is usually considered the best place to swim in Japan. The P
acific Coast is much more populated and industrialized with Japan's major cities
dotting the seaside down from Tokyo to Yokohama, through Shizuoka, N...
Aug 28
Taste main turn-off for tap water
Do you have an emergency drinking water stock at home? graph of japanese statist
ics
DIMSDRIVE Research recently conducted a survey into mineral water.
Demographics
Between the 23rd of June and the 3rd of July 2015 5,202 members of the DIMSDRIVE
monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 60.7% of the sa
mpl...
Aug 27
New Fish Species Has Penis And Anus On Head
Yes, you read that that headline correctly, so let the jokes begin, but please n
ote that it's a real fish.
Discovered in July 2009 by Shibukawa Koichi (surname first) of the Nagao Natural
Environment Foundation in Tokyo, the 2 cm (20 mm) long Phal...

Aug 27
Losing Weight in Japan: A Personal Journey
liam-a
It could be said that I am not the man I used to be, or at least I am only about
65% of the man I used to be. When I started writing for GaijinPot, almost exact
ly one year ago, my writing was a distraction.
Truth be told, mentally, emotionally, ...
Aug 27
Cheapo Weekend for Aug 29-30: Summer Send Off
It's that time again. Summer is drawing to a close. And although that means noth
ing in terms of weather (since the temperature will remain in the high 20s/low 3
0s Celsius range well into September), it's still a subconscious bummer that bac
k-to-sc...