A new Trump administration regulation set to go into effect Friday directs military secretaries to kick out transgender service members who refuse to serve in their birth sex after being "given an opportunity to correct those deficiencies." The American Medical Association told The Associated Press ...
The first victim of the nightclub shooting arrived shortly after 2 a.m. and was relatively stable, giving doctors working the overnight shift hope that any others would arrive in a similar condition. Then five more came, in much worse shape, and then more, and more ...
Ise-Shima's traditional seafood foragers come up for air
When I arrive at the entrance of Hachiman-kamado, a women divers' hut in the village of Osatsu along the jagged coastline of the Ise-Shima region in Mie Prefecture, matriarch Reiko Nomura and three of her junior female free divers welcome me with beaming smiles. The ...
City withdraws controversial 'ama' divers mascot
The city of Shima in Mie Prefecture has scrapped its endorsement of a controversial mascot slammed by some locals as overly sexual and demeaning to local ama divers. The move, announced Thursday, came after the city, slated to host next year's Group of Seven summit, ...
'Ama' divers denounce 'obscene' city mascot, demand its withdrawal
More than 100 ama divers are demanding that the coastal city of Shima, Mie Prefecture, scrap a newly adopted mascot on the grounds that it is obscene. They say the demure girl cartoon character, with large breasts, tight top and skirt riding up her thighs, ...
Traditional 'ama' diving at risk as numbers plunge
Shinmei Shrine in Osatsu, a small community in Mie Prefecture, is a magnet for tourists from across the country, particularly women attracted by its supposed promise to accommodate at least one of each female worshipper's wishes. But the shrine is more than just an ordinary ...
Sea of Japan's medieval islands of exile luring workers
The Oki Islands in the Sea of Japan are turning history on its head. The remote outposts that were used for centuries by medieval rulers to banish rivals have become a model for regional revival as the town of Ama, on one of the four ...
Prefectures unite on 'ama' diving campaign for UNESCO culture listing
Eight prefectures announce a joint bid to promote “ama” diving culture for inclusion on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
With the number of traditional "ama" female divers declining nationwide, their elderly ranks have stepped up efforts to recruit younger divers and promote their products as a formal brand to make the occupation more financially rewarding. The time and effort put into landing their catches ...
