National / Crime & Legal Apr 28, 2018
Man served second warrant over quintuple murder in Kagoshima
The suspect said he was reportedly annoyed by his grandmother’s nagging about his lack of a steady job.
NEWSWORTHY
National / Social Issues Apr 19, 2018
Japan's assemblywomen band together to push for maternity leave
Assemblywomen are joining hands in municipalities across Japan to act a role models for women aiming to have both careers and children. Amid the rise in double-income households, following both paths can often be difficult for female lawmakers absent a legal provision for childbirth or ...
National / Crime & Legal Apr 8, 2018
Two more bodies found in Kagoshima Prefecture mass murder case
Police found two more bodies Sunday after a man was arrested Saturday following the murders of three people in Kagoshima Prefecture. The suspect, 38-year-old Tomohiro Iwakura, has said he killed all five people, according to police. The two bodies are believed to be those of ...
National / Crime & Legal Apr 7, 2018
Police arrest man after relatives, neighbor found dead in Kagoshima house
A man is arrested on suspicion of murder after three people — including two of the suspect’s relatives — are found dead at a home in Kagoshima Prefecture.
National Apr 5, 2018
Another powerful eruption was observed at Mount Shinmoe in southwestern Japan early Thursday, with ash sent spiralling into a plume around 5,000 meters high, the Meteorological Agency said. The eruption at the 1,421-meter volcano that straddles Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures was the largest since March ...
National Mar 12, 2018
Kumamoto assembly bans nonmembers in response to November baby disruption
The Kumamoto Municipal Assembly on Monday approved a proposal to restrict the entry of nonmembers into the assembly hall after a member caused a stir by bringing her baby to one of the sessions. The assembly's rules previously lacked stipulations on who is allowed to ...
National / Crime & Legal Mar 12, 2018
Miyazaki court upholds retrial for 90-year-old woman convicted in '79 murder
The woman spent 10 years in prison for a crime she never admitted to, but fresh doubts about past confessions are giving her a chance to clear her name.
National Mar 7, 2018
Door falls off Japan Air Self-Defense Force helicopter flying over Kagoshima island
A door weighing over 30 kilograms fell from an Air Self-Defense Force helicopter Tuesday during a flight over Okinoerabu Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, the Defense Ministry said.
National Mar 6, 2018
A volcano which was featured in the 1967 James Bond movie "You Only Live Twice" shot smoke and ash thousands of meters into the sky Tuesday, prompting the cancellation of flights to and from a nearby airport. The eruption is likely to continue for ...
National Mar 2, 2018
Eruptions continued Friday at Mount Shinmoe, a volcano in the Kirishima mountain range straddling Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures, after a series of minor eruptions occurred on Thursday, the Meteorological Agency said. The agency said it detected a plume rising about 300 meters above the crater ...
National Feb 27, 2018
Japan launches H-IIA rocket carrying reconnaissance satellite
An H-IIA rocket carrying a government intelligence-gathering satellite was launched Tuesday from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture. The optical reconnaissance satellite will be used for purposes such as monitoring developments at North Korean missile launch facilities, increasing the number of the nation's reconnaissance ...
Travel Feb 16, 2018
Fire, ash and a bicycle ride around the volcanic Sakurajima Island
by Stephen Mansfield
Active Kagoshima Prefecture volcano a hot destination for cycle tourists, best viewed from the safety of Sengan-en, an Edo Period circuit garden.