NEWSWORTHY
In country's first name-change referendum, Sasayama voters back renaming city as Tamba-Sasayama
The city of Sasayama in Hyogo Prefecture will be changing its name to Tamba-Sasayama as early as next May following what city officials described as the country's first referendum on changing a municipality's name. Sunday's referendum passed with a margin of 3,128, with 13,646 voting ...
Hyogo elder care service hires nonprofessional soccer players to work at its facilities
An elder care provider in Kakogawa, Hyogo Prefecture, has hired 10 members of a local soccer team to become nursing care staff, a move that is attracting attention as a way to provide semiprofessional athletes with a stable income and ease the labor shortage ...
In a new approach to helping children with developmental disabilities, a doctor who is also a go enthusiast has been using the strategy game to augment his efforts. Toru Masaoka, 85, is head of Kansai Kiin, an association of professional go players in Osaka, and ...
The Meteorological Agency warned that heavy rain may continue through Sunday in the region, which is still reeling from a deadly earthquake in June.
A man already jailed twice for violent crimes against children was rearrested Wednesday on suspicion of killing a 9-year-old girl in 2004 in Tsuyama, Okayama Prefecture.
Female mayor takes battle to Japan Sumo Association over its barring of women from entering ring
“I won’t give up this time around. … I’m determined to make a petition every six months,” said Takarazuka City Mayor Tomoko Nakagawa.
Hyogo Prefecture dad arrested for confining mentally ill son in cage for over 20 years
Police in Hyogo Prefecture arrest a 73-year-old father for confining his mentally ill son to a cage in a prefabricated building for more than 20 years.
More body parts believed from missing Hyogo woman found in Osaka and Kyoto
Severed arms, legs and a torso were found in mountainous areas of Kyoto and Osaka two days after police discovered a human head during a search for a missing Hyogo Prefecture woman last seen with an American tourist.
Police investigating the disappearance of a Hyogo woman Saturday found what appears to be her severed head in a suitcase left at a lodging facility in Osaka's Nishinari Ward. The Hyogo Prefectural Police set up a special investigative unit for the case, which is being ...
Teen wins annual 'Lucky Man' footrace at Hyogo's Nishinomiya Shrine
An 18-year-old high school sprinter gearing up for university entrance exams won the annual "Lucky Man Run" early Wednesday morning at Nishinomiya Shrine in Hyogo Prefecture. Kurosu Sato, a third-year student from nearby Ashiya, beat out 107 other first-group runners to reach the main hall ...
Local governments in Japan look to clamp down on private lodging services with stricter regulations
With the explosion of overseas tourism, local governments are looking to curb the number of illegal outlets that have sprung up in recent years.
Open waters: Opening of ports 150 years ago remains a watershed moment in the nation's history
The year 2018 marks the 150th anniversary of the Meiji Restoration, which ended about 250 years of self-imposed isolation and marked the beginning of Japan's efforts to become a major international power. That year, 1868, also saw the opening of the ports of Kobe and ...
