Tokyo

As Virus Cases Surge, Tokyo Governor says Lockdown May Be Only Way to Stem Rise

Ryusei Takahashi reports: Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said Monday that a citywide lockdown may become “the only option left” if various measures fail to prevent an explosive rise in the novel coronavirus in the capital. “Cities around the world [...]

Honda EV Cub To Have Swappable Batteries

Honda has filed new patents for the electric two-wheeler EV Cub, which will use the same removable battery technology showcased in the Honda PCX Electric scooter. The CarAndBike Team reports: Honda’s EV Cub concept is now gathering momentum [...]

How Killer Rice Crippled Tokyo and the Japanese Navy

One stubborn doctor pioneered a cure. Anne Ewbank writes: In 1877, Japan’s Meiji Emperor watched his aunt, the princess Kazu, die of a common malady: kakke. If her condition was typical, her legs would have swollen, and her speech slowed. Numbness [...]

Reality Check: There Is No Tokyo Restaurant Serving Human Meat

WASHINGTON – There are no Tokyo restaurants offering human meat on the menu and cannibalism has not been legalized in Japan, despite a false story circulating online, writes Thomas Mattingly, a spokesman at the Japanese Embassy in Washington. The [...]

Plyscraper City: Tokyo to Build 350m Tower Made of Wood

The $5.6bn cost of the 70-storey W350 Project is expected to be twice that of a conventional building Elle Hunt reports: A skyscraper set to be built in Tokyo will become the world’s tallest to be made of wood. The Japanese wood products company [...]

Tokyo: Yakuza Used Facebook to Track Down Target in ¥1 Million Extortion

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested an organized crime member and three others over the alleged attempted extortion of a man whose location was found via Facebook, reports TV Asahi (Feb. 6). In March of last year, gang member [...]

Freezing Tokyo Sees Most Ambulance Calls for 80 Years

Tokyo’s ambulance service has experienced its busiest day in more than 80 years, officials said Thursday, amid icy conditions as the Japanese capital shivers through its coldest temperatures in decades. The Tokyo fire department, which [...]

So Many Japanese People Die Alone, There’s a Whole Industry Devoted to Cleaning Up After Them

As family dynamics change in Japan, more people are living by themselves — and dying alone. Anna Fifield writes: There was a putrid smell emanating from the apartment. There was an obvious brown stain on the futon where the body had been. The [...]

Pregnant Subway Riders in Tokyo Can Request a Seat with their Phones

Cailey Rizzo reports: More than 40 years ago, social psychologist Dr. Stanley Milgram gave his students an assignment: Go on the New York City subway and ask fellow passengers to give up their seats. The majority of students reported high anxiety [...]

In Tokyo’s Ginza District, Film Fans Cozy Up for Sleeping Bag Cinema

Ryuzo Suzuki writes: An about 1,000-square-meter vacant lot of land in Tokyo’s Ginza district where a hotel will be built was converted into an outdoor movie theater Nov. 25 for one night only. The events were named Nebukuro (Sleeping bag) Cinema. [...]

World Neighbors Gokokuji: Japanese Millennials Living in ‘Social Apartments’

Communal living spaces known as social apartments are gaining popularity among Japanese millennials. They seek out shared living arrangements for affordable housing, as well as for company — some residents even meet their significant others living [...]

Japanese Business Confidence Hits 11-Year High

Tokyo (AFP) – Confidence among Japan’s biggest manufacturers is at an 11-year high, a key central bank survey showed Friday, as the world’s number-three economy picks up pace. The bullish survey underscored how Japan’s [...]

Glass That Can Completely Heal Itself After Breaking Developed by University of Tokyo

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Confirmed: Godzilla’s Resurgence Expected to Continue

Katsuo Kokaji reports: Since the first film in 1954, a series of works have been released under the Godzilla franchise — albeit with occasional blank years. The series came to halt for a time after “Godzilla Final Wars” in 2004, but a 2014 [...]

Chief Priest Killed in Murder-Suicide Knife Attack at Tokyo Shinto Shrine

After attacking Tomioka, Shigenaga killed the female suspect and then himself. TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The female chief priest of Tomioka Hachimangu in Tokyo was killed in a knife attack that is believed to have happened near the premises of the [...]

[VIDEO] Japan is Seen Through a Lens Warily in ‘You Only Live Twice,’ James Bond’s Sole Sojourn to Tokyo

Philip Patrick writes: ‘You Only Live Twice,” the only “James Bond” film — to date — to be set in Japan, celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. While undoubtedly great fun, it must be admitted that it’s a long way from being a [...]

The Hamburger Trump Ate in Japan Sells Out as Diners Track Down the Presidential Meal

Oona McGee reports: This Tokyo small business owner is at the centre of attention after his signature burger was selected to be served to the President. In amongst all the speeches and outings held during Trump’s first visit to Japan as U.S. [...]

Honda to Celebrate the Super Cub at the 45th Tokyo Motor Show

Spiros Tsantilas reports: Honda never passes on the opportunity to remind the world how important the Cub series has been in its history, so the legendary two-wheeler’s 60th anniversary calls for a special celebration. At the upcoming Tokyo [...]

Will Japan See Long-Term Benefit from Hosting the 2020 Olympics? Nope

Citing an Oxford University study, Zimbalist said on average, the Summer Games since 1980 has averaged a 252 percent cost overrun — or 3.5 times the initial budget — and that Tokyo is not expected to be an exception. Shintaro Kano reports: Tokyo [...]