Japan

Japan

Olympic opening ceremony director fired for Holocaust joke

Director Kentaro Kobayashi was accused of using a joke about the Holocaust in his comedy act, including the phrase “Let’s play Holocaust."

22/07/2021

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Olympic characters face stiff competition in mascot-mad Japan

Tokyo 2020's cutesy Olympic mascots are plastered across the host city, but they have competition in mascot-mad Japan, where cuddly characters promote everything from prisons to health screenings.

21/07/2021

Living

Tokyo 2020 Olympic beds: Suitable for both sex and saving the planet

No, the beds in the Olympic village are not designed to be anti-sex - they’re just eco-friendly.

20/07/2021

Japan

Carlos Ghosn: US father, son sent to Japan prison for aiding escape

They were charged with helping a criminal in the December 2019 escape of Ghosn, who hid in a big box that was flown on a private jet via Turkey to Lebanon.

19/07/2021

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Art and nature come together in mesmerising exhibition

Japanese art collective teamLab launches a visually spectacular exhibition, propelling a forest in the southwest island of Kyushu to come alive with lights and colourful projections.

16/07/2021

Japan

Olympics chief makes gaffe in first appearance since arrival in Tokyo

Thomas Bach quickly corrected himself after referring to the “Chinese people” rather than “Japanese people.”

13/07/2021

Japan

Tokyo enters fourth state of emergency ahead of Olympic Games

The coronavirus measures will remain in place throughout the Tokyo Olympics, with businesses selling alcohol being asked to shut to stop people from drinking and partying.

12/07/2021

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Giant 3D cat becomes Tokyo’s latest photo hotspot

At Tokyo’s busy shopping and business area of Shinjuku, a giant 3D cat is displayed on a 4K billboard to greet people.

12/07/2021

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3D giant cat billboard turning heads in Tokyo

Tokyo has a new icon - a 3D cat billboard.

09/07/2021

Japan

Olympic flame lighting ceremony marks countdown to 2020 Tokyo Games

Paralympian Aki Taguchi and former tennis player Shuzo Matsuoka handed the Olympic flame over to Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike.

09/07/2021

Japan

Fans banned from Olympics as Tokyo placed under state of emergency

Japan is to place its capital Tokyo under a state of emergency, which will last through the upcoming Olympic games.

08/07/2021

Money

NFTs are throwing Japanese artists a lifeline during COVID

Local Japanese artists are taking stock of how NFTs have changed the stakes in their industry as the first crypto art exhibition opened in Japan last week.

06/07/2021

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Search for dozens missing in deadly Japan mudslide

Search for dozens missing in deadly Japan mudslide

06/07/2021

Japan

Japan searches for dozens missing in mudslide

Rescue workers dug through sludge and debris Monday looking for dozens of people who may be trapped.

05/07/2021

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Devastation in Japanese town after landslide sweeps away homes

Two bodies were found after a huge landslide at a resort town in central Japan swept away homes on Saturday following days of heavy rain, with around 20 people still missing, officials said

04/07/2021

Japan

Dozens feared missing after mudslide tears through town in Japan

A powerful mudslide has torn through dozens of home in Atami, 100 kilometres from Tokyo, after heavy rains deluged the town on Saturday.

03/07/2021

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Search continues for some 20 people missing after landslides in Japan

Officials in Shizuoka Prefecture say they're still trying to confirm the safety of about 20 people after mudslides swept away homes in a coastal city.

03/07/2021

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Cafe staffed with robots opens in Tokyo

Customers at a new cafe in Tokyo give their orders, not to a person, but to a robot.

22/06/2021

Japan

Tokyo Olympics: Limited local fans allowed but no cheering

Up to 10,000 local fans will be allowed in each venue for the Olympic Games. But fan attendance may be stopped completely if COVID cases rise again

21/06/2021

Japan

Protesters in Tokyo urge authorities to cancel Olympic Games

The opening ceremony on July 23rd is just over a month away, and many Japanese remain sceptical about holding the games amidst a global pandemic.

19/06/2021

Japan

Top medical adviser says 'no fans' safest for Tokyo Olympics

Fans from abroad were banned several months ago, and organisers are to announce early next week if some local fans should be allowed.

18/06/2021

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Tokyo unveils Olympic podium, medal tray and music with 50 days to go

The Tokyo 2020 organisers unveil items to be used for the Olympic medal ceremonies, including podiums made with recycled plastic and release the victory music for the medalists, exactly 50 days before the pandemic-postponed Games.

03/06/2021

Japan

10,000 Tokyo Olympics volunteers resigned ahead of opening of Games

Organisers revealed that thousands of volunteers who were expected to take part in the Olympic Games in Tokyo resigned in recent months.

03/06/2021

Japan

US warns against travel to Japan, even for vaccinated people

With the Olympics just two months away, Tokyo was quick to deny that there is any need to avoid travelling to Japan.

25/05/2021

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Japanese forces hold annual fire power exercise

The Japanese Self Defence Forces (JSDF) held their annual fire power exercise on Saturday

22/05/2021

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Tokyo 2020: Anti-Olympic protesters rally to demand cancellation

More than 80 percent of Japanese oppose hosting the virus-postponed Olympics this year, a new poll showed on Monday, underlining public antipathy less than 10 weeks before the Tokyo Games.

17/05/2021