NEWSWORTHY
The Wakayama District Court began hearing arguments Friday over whether dolphin hunting violates animal cruelty laws. The plaintiffs are asking the court to stop the permits from being issued. Wakayama Gov. Yoshinobu Nisaka issues the permits for the town of Taiji, where the hunts have drawn ...
Japan IR Expo opens in Osaka as candidates step up efforts to win integrated casino resort licenses
With the cities of Osaka and Wakayama stepping up their efforts to win a legalized integrated casino resort, the Japan IR Expo opened Wednesday in Osaka. The two-day event was attended by six international casino operators, including MGM Resorts Japan LLC, Melco Resorts & Entertainment ...
Ministry plans to bar four local governments from Japan's new hometown tax donation system
The internal affairs ministry plans to exclude four municipalities from the revamped furusato nōzei (hometown tax donation) program, which will be introduced in June, it was learned Thursday. The excluded municipalities are Izumisano in the prefecture of Osaka, the town of Oyama in Shizuoka Prefecture, ...
Cattle go on diet as new wagyu brand in Wakayama targets health-conscious meat lovers
Some Japanese black cattle in Wakayama Prefecture, renowned for the distinctive fatty marbling of their meat, have been put on a diet. A new less-fatty wagyu brand has been launched in the prefecture in hopes of attracting health-conscious meat lovers looking for leaner beef. Since 2015, ...
Celebrations across Japan mark start of Reiwa Era under new emperor
Many Japanese celebrated the start of the Reiwa Era on Wednesday with their family, friends and loved ones — some with newborn babies — as Shinto shrines and popular spots across the country were crowded with visitors keen to take in the festive atmosphere. About ...
MICE work if you can get it: Kansai cities vie for a bigger slice of Japan's 'meetings industry' pie
About 20 minutes by car from Wakayamashi Station, across a bridge to a reclaimed island, lies Wakayama Marina City and the Porto Europa theme park. Its faux Spanish, Italian, and French buildings and European-style street designs give visitors the impression of being on a ...
Whaling vessel leaves Taiji port for last 'scientific' mission before Japan withdraws from IWC
A whaling vessel left the port of Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, on Friday for the last mission of what the government calls a scientific research program before the country withdraws from the International Whaling Commission and starts commercial whaling from July. The No. 7 Katsu Maru ...
Shrinking Wakayama village cuts assembly to five, tying Okinawa council for fewest members in Japan
A mountainous village in Wakayama Prefecture will have the joint-smallest assembly in the country, represented by only five members, it said Tuesday, in the latest sign of the nation's declining population. The assembly of the village of Kitayama passed an ordinance to cut the number ...
Environmental campaigners have filed an unprecedented lawsuit in a bid to halt the so-called drive hunting of dolphins in Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, arguing that the practice is cruel and illegal. In drive hunting, fishermen force dolphins into a cove by beating on boats to disorient ...
Three areas in Japan to bid to host casino resorts, but many others remain reluctant: survey
The city and prefecture of Osaka and two other prefectures in western Japan plan to apply to host newly legalized casino resorts, but dozens more are reluctant to do so amid concerns over public safety, a Kyodo News survey has found. The survey, conducted in ...
Life of a panda breeder in Japan is no walk in the park
Despite the workload and responsibility, being a giant panda breeder at a zoo is something 37-year-old Kimiyo Shintani takes great pride in. Shintani's day centers around six giant pandas, including a 4-month-old female cub, kept at the Adventure World amusement park in the small resort ...
Japanese whaling towns welcome IWC withdrawal but concerns remain over protests
Japanese whaling towns Wednesday welcomed the government's decision to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission, but some local residents voiced concern that it may lead to an escalation in protests. "It is a major decision that will protect domestic fishermen who live on whaling," said ...
