Mainichi Daily News articles from May 2006, page 2

Mainichi Daily News archives from May 2006

Police reinvestigating elementary school girl's death after Yoneyama murder.
May 24, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Police are investigating allegations that an elementary school girl, found drowned under mysterious circumstances in Noshiro, Akita Prefecture, may have been killed, the cabinet minister overseeing police said...

Celebrity lawyer Hashimoto failed to declare 25 million yen in taxable income.
May 24, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) OSAKA -- Celebrity lawyer Toru Hashimoto, who appears in TV programs as a commentator, has been slapped with around 10 million yen in back taxes after failing to declare some 25 million yen as taxable income...

Woman slashes 3-year-old daughter with scissors in 'home discipline'.
May 24, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) OBIHIRO, Hokkaido -- A 31-year-old woman has been arrested for injuring her 3-year-old daughter with scissors during what she called "home discipline," police said. Yumie Kawaguchi, from Obihiro, stands...

Murdered elementary school boy's cap and bag found near body.
May 24, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) AKITA -- The satchel and cap of an elementary school boy who was found murdered near a river were discarded separately from the victim's body, police said on Tuesday. Police believe that the murderer...

Sompo Japan faces suspension order for illegal business practices.
May 24, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Sompo Japan Insurance Inc., a major nonlife insurer, faces an order to suspend part of its business as a punishment for its illegal business practices, the government regulator said Tuesday. The Financial...

Miniature horse at Ueno Zoo desperate to reduce weight.
May 24, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) An overweight miniature horse at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo is doing exercise she hates in a bid to cure a hoof illness caused by her poor blood circulation, zoo officials said. Breeders are aiming to reduce the...

Ex-NHK reporter admits to arson charges.
May 24, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) OTSU -- A former NHK reporter, under indictment for arson-related crimes on eight occasions, admitted to the charges against him during the first hearing of the case at a court here on Tuesday. Hirofumi...

More than 1 in 5 companies ban smoking in the office, poll shows.
May 24, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Over 20 percent of companies entirely ban smoking in their offices, a government survey of 5,000 businesses has found. A recent poll by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare found that 88 percent of...

Japan Post's net profit at 1.9 trillion yen in FY 2006, exceeding Toyota.
May 24, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) The fiscal 2006 net profit of Japan Post, the public corporation that runs the nation's postal services, is estimated to be over 1.9 trillion yen, far surpassing those of Toyota Motor Corp. and other major...

Plant officials face arrest for bid-rigging.
May 24, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) OSAKA -- Several plant manufacturer officials face arrest for fixing bids on contracts for the construction of public sewage facilities in central and western Japan, prosecutors said. The Osaka District...

Anglers flock to Shizuoka river for 'ayu' open season.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) SHIZUOKA -- Anglers flocked to a river here after a local fishermen's cooperative decreed open season on catching "ayu" sweet fish from the river on Saturday. After 5 a.m. when the season officially...

Slow Life, Slow Sex: A prescription for sexlessness.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Mentioning marital "conversations" like Japanese husbands addressing their wives with single-word orders like "bath" "food" and "sleep" to indicate what they want prepared in my previous Slow Life, Slow Sex...

Deer dies after hitting oncoming car on Tomei Expressway.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) ISEHARA, Kanagawa -- A wild deer died instantly after hitting an oncoming car on the Tomei Expressway here in the predawn hours of Monday, police said. The incident occurred only two days after another deer...

Reporter busted for secretly filming 2 women in elementary school lavatory.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) AIZUBANGE, Fukushima -- A regional newspaper reporter has been arrested for secretly filming two women in an elementary school lavatory during the school's athletic meet Sunday, police said. Naoki Watanabe,...

Man who sneaked onto railway tracks dies after being hit by train.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) A man who sneaked onto railway tracks in Tokyo on Sunday night died after being hit by a train, police said. At around 8:05 p.m., a man who appears to be about 40 years old sneaked onto the tracks of the...

KDDI, Sony Ericsson to market 'Walkman' cell phone.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Telecommunications giant KDDI and Sony Ericsson will jointly market a mobile phone that can play 500 songs under the famous "Walkman" brand name, officials said on Monday. The new "Walkman" cell phone will...

Principal secretly giving milk to student suspected of malnutrition.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) The principal of an elementary school in Tokyo is secretly giving milk to a student who appears to be suffering from malnutrition from lack of a proper diet, it has been learned. The student was reportedly...

Student cyclist dies when branch pierces his chest after falling off cliff.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) FUKUI -- A high school student on a bicycle training run has bled to death after a tree branch pierced through his chest when he fell over a cliff, police said. Koichi Sugimoto, 16, a member of the Fukui...

Police believe killer of Akita boy transported body to riverbank.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) AKITA -- Fibers were detected in the skin of a 7-year-old boy who was found murdered here recently, prompting police to suspect that the killer might have wrapped the victim's body in a blanket to transport...

Children of abductees settling into Japanese lifestyle.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) OBAMA, Fukui -- The three children of Japanese abductees Yasushi and Fukie Chimura are steadily getting used to life in Japan and showing independence as they mark the second year since their arrival from...

School girls try to drug teacher with sleeping pill stew.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) SAPPORO -- Four junior high school girls tried to drug their homeroom teacher with a stew laced with sleeping pills after he warned one of them about their behavior, officials said on Monday. A girl who had...

Students in Saga warned not to play alone after hit-and-run, abduction incident.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) KARATSU, Saga -- The principal of a an elementary school here issued a warning to students not to play alone after a fifth-year student at the school was apparently injured in a hit-and-run accident, before...

Tokyo firefighter busted for causing traffic accident while driving drunk.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) A Tokyo firefighter has been arrested for causing a car crash while driving under the influence of alcohol, police said Monday. He was released after a summary court slapped him with a 500,000 yen fine for...

Fired bureaucrat accuses bosses of pocketing money from slush fund.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) A noncareer bureaucrat, who has been dismissed for playing a key role in creating a 590 million yen slush fund, accused his bosses of pocketing the money when he filed an appeal over the disciplinary measures...

NTT DoCoMo glitch cuts off thousands of FOMA cell phone users.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Phone services for thousands of NTT DoCoMo cell phone users were disrupted on Monday after a problem developed with communications equipment at one of the company's base transceiver stations, officials said....

Show the world how you see Japanese fashion.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Want the world to know how you see Japanese fashion? If so, send in an entry to the MSN-Mainichi Daily News My Japan readers contest. The theme this week is "Fashion in Japan." Use the world's biggest...

Annan condemns Pyongyang's abductions, urges Japan to improve ties with.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) neighbors Japan and North Korea should settle "painful outstanding issues," including Pyongyang's abduction of Japanese nationals, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a speech at the University of Tokyo...

7-year-old boy found dead near Akita river had been strangled.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) NOSHIRO, Akita -- A 7-year-old boy found dead along the bank of a river here had been strangled, investigators said Friday. Akita Prefectural Police set up a task force comprising of about 100 investigators...

Four people burned to death in house fire in Akita.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) AKITA -- Four people were burned to death in a house fire early Friday morning, police said. At around 3:55 a.m., a fire broke out at the home of Yoshiaki Nogami, 52, a company employee, in the Niida...

Police officer busted for causing car crash while driving under influence of.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) alcohol MATSUDO, Chiba -- An off-duty Tokyo police officer has been arrested for causing a car crash while driving under the influence of alcohol here Thursday night, police said. Hideaki Soba, 55, a...

Japan set to resume imports of US beef.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Japan is set to resume imports of American beef in June after the latest ban for fear of mad cow disease infection, government officials said. Experts from both countries have agreed in recent talks in...

Public Safety Commission chief pledges to crack down on crimes against children.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Japan's police forces should step up measures against crimes victimizing children, said the chief of Japan's National Public Safety Commission, speaking a day after an elementary school boy was found murdered....

Retired pitcher Sasaki to saddle up as horse owner.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) SAPPORO -- Kazuhiro Sasaki, a former closing pitcher for the Yokohama BayStars and Seattle Mariners, has recently got involved in horse racing, local sources said. Sasaki, 38, obtained a license to own a...

Conductor punished for riding train while drunk.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) NIKKO, Tochigi -- A railway conductor has been suspended from duty for being drunk on the job, Yagan Tetsudo railway officials said on Friday. The 30-year-old conductor has been demoted to an office worker...

Flood and landslide warning issued for Japan.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Heavy rain is expected on the Pacific coast of eastern and western Japan on Saturday, officials said Friday. Officials at the Meteorological Agency said people should be cautious about possible floods and...

Van and bike belonging to gold medallist Shimizu stolen.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) TORIDE, Ibaraki -- Speed skater Hiroyasu Shimizu, who won a gold medal in the Nagano Winter Olympics in 1998, has had a van and an expensive bicycle stolen, police said Friday. At around 5:45 a.m. on...

Japan officials not concerned over rumor of North Korean missile test.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Top Japanese officials said on Friday said that the launch of a test missile from North Korea was not imminent after Japan earlier received information that Pyongyang was preparing for a launch. Chief...

Police launch probe into mayor accused of indecently assaulting woman.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) TOMAKOMAI, Hokkaido -- Police have launched investigations into allegations that the local mayor molested a restaurant operator after officially accepting a complaint filed by the victim, investigators said....

Woman found murdered in Grand Canyon identified as missing Yokohama woman.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) LOS ANGELES -- A woman found murdered in the Grand Canyon in Arizona has been identified as a missing Yokohama resident, the Japanese consulate general here said. The body has been confirmed to be that of...

Girl bites into needle sandwich.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) OSAKA -- A girl suffered slight injuries to her mouth after eating bread containing a needle Friday morning, police said. Suspecting that someone deliberately pierced the needle into the bread, local police...

Public park golfer accused of negligence after ball hits woman in eye.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) FUKUOKA -- Police on Friday sent documents to prosecutors accusing an amateur golfer of negligence resulting in injury after a practice ball hit a woman in the eye while she was strolling near a park here,...

Fighters outfielder Shinjo told off for wearing rival Tigers uniform during.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) practice Nippon Ham Fighters outfielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo has been told off for wearing a Hanshin Tigers uniform, to which he had previously belonged, during a practice prior to a game between the two clubs. ...

Moderate quake jolts Wakayama Prefecture.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) A moderate earthquake jolted Wakayama Prefecture Saturday morning, the Meteorological Agency said. There was no report of casualties or damage to property, police said. The agency did not issue a tsunami...

Comedy kings Yoshimoto make profits to laugh about.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) OSAKA -- Yoshimoto Kogyo Co., Japan's biggest comedy troupe, has ridden the wave of comics' popularity to record its best-ever profits, the company said. Yoshimoto's success stems from the increasing...

Anglers flock to Shizuoka river after ban on catching 'ayu' fish is lifted.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) SHIZUOKA -- Anglers flocked to a river here after a local fishermen's cooperative lifted a ban on catching "ayu" sweet fish from the river on Saturday. After 5 a.m. when the ban was lifted, numerous anglers...

Harem's 'prophet' convicted, but won't do time.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) A man who formed a harem of 11 women -- nine of who he married at different stages -- has been convicted of intimidation and attempted blackmail by a suburban Tokyo court. The Hachioji Branch of the Tokyo...

Man stabs and seriously injures wife after argument.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) INZAI, Chiba -- A man who stabbed and seriously injured his wife after getting into an argument at their home here Friday night has been arrested, police said Saturday. Kazuyuki Kudo, 33, a taxi driver, is...

Fake Cupids: Matchmaking companies cited for false advertising.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Major matchmaking companies that falsified their success in advertisements issued last year have been ordered to stop using the ads by the Fair Trade Commission (FTC). Matchmaking giants OMMG Inc. and...

Actor on motorcycle fatally hit by car in western Tokyo.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) An actor riding a motorcycle died after being hit by a car while at an intersection on a national highway in western Tokyo early Saturday morning, police said. Police initially arrested the driver of the...

"The Da Vinci Code" on track towards record box office takings in Japan.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Ron Howard's movie adaptation of Dan Brown's controversial "The Da Vinci Code" opened in theaters across Japan Saturday, with box office takings looking at a record pace, according to distributors Sony Pictures...

Ex-bureaucrat busted for operating sex shop says he needed to repay debts.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) YOKOHAMA -- A former bureaucrat at the Finance Ministry who was arrested for operating a sex shop has told investigators that he needed to run the illegal business to make ends meet. "I did it to repay my...

Temperature rises to 27.8 C in downtown Tokyo.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) The temperatures rose above 25 degrees Celsius in various parts of Japan Saturday afternoon as warm and wet air flowed toward low-pressure systems above eastern Hokkaido and Kyushu, the Meteorological Agency...

Akita boy's killer struck quickly, according to police.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) NOSHIRO, Akita -- It took less than a minute for 7-year-old Goken Yoneyama's killer to snatch him away, police said Saturday, adding that there is a strong possibility the young boy could have known his...

It's a real shame that the main reason for lacking a sex life for both men and.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) women was that sex is a nuisance. I'm not going to say that sex is the most enjoyable thing you can do in life, but I'd REALLY like to find out what hobbies couples are engaging in that are more enjoyable...

Part of Meiji Era brick warehouse preserved at JR Kofu Station.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) KOFU -- Part of a brick warehouse built in the Meiji Era that has been pulled down as part of a redevelopment project has been preserved on a platform of JR Kofu Station. East Japan Railway Co. hopes that...

'Ballerina of the Sea' -- shrimp that's a giant in the taste stakes.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Sakura-ebi, or spotted shrimp, is often described as the "ballerina of the sea." Sometimes, it's also known as the "ruby of the sea." Sakura-ebi is a rare kind of shrimp that inhabits only Suruga, Tokyo...

Acrobatic seal steals the show at aquarium in Aomori.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) AOMORI -- A female spotted seal that can stand on its head at the bottom of its tank has become popular with visitors to Aquarium Asamushi. "Kyu-chan" often stands on her head for more than 15 minutes and...

Loincloths emerging as cool product for summer in Japan.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Loincloths are being marketed by the Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo's Ginza district as a feature product for the summer months ahead, it has emerged. A boom in the sale of loincloths has been seen...

Candid camera, steamy salesman and Kiwi cutter your images of Japan at work.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) A cameraman caught on the opposite side of the lens, a vendor battling a cloud of smoke and a New Zealander hacking into bamboo were your winning images of Japan at work this week. Raymond Klein's photo of...

Miyazaki teacher caught setting up camera in schoolgirls' toilets.
May 23, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) MIYAZAKI -- A public high school instructor has been arrested after he set up a hidden camera to film the girl's toilets, police said. Tomoki Akihiro, 34, a computer teacher at Sadowara Prefectural High...

Registrations to be accepted for inaugural Tokyo Marathon.
May 19, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Registration applications to compete in the first-ever Tokyo Marathon in February next year were released Thursday, the Tokyo Marathon Office said. Registrations will be accepted from June 18 to Aug. 18 for...

Experts say Japan a chance to pass World Cup group stage.
May 19, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Soccer experts agree that Zico Japan has got what it takes to get past its three Group F opponents at the 2006 Germany World Cup next month. Soccer commentator Yasutaro Matsuki, J-1 team Omiya Ardija Total...

Kurosawa film school closes without teaching a single class.
May 19, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) A private school created to train moviemakers under the name of great director Akira Kurosawa has been closed, after two clerical officials at the school had problems with two of the companies supporting it,...

Students say money isn't everything in life.
May 19, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Some 80 percent of students believe money isn't everything in life, according to a recent poll by a financial public relations commission formed by the Bank of Japan. The commission polled more than 87,400...

Macaque not monkeying around to protect her newborn triplets.
May 19, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) FUTTSU, Chiba -- A Japanese macaque at the Takagoyama Nature Park has given birth to a rare set of triplets, zoo officials said. O-Cho, the mother of the triplets born on May 2, has become fiercely...

NHK hit with back taxes after claiming 300 million yen in expenses.
May 19, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) Public broadcaster NHK was recently slapped with back taxes after it was accused of deducting 300 million yen in expenses from its taxable income over a three-year period until March 2004, NHK sources said...

Japan's soccer team begins last training session before World Cup.
May 19, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) NARAHA, Fukushima -- Japan's national soccer team on Thursday began its last training camp prior to the World Cup that kicks off in Germany on June 9. Manager Zico said he will build on the team's stamina...

Akita police launch search for missing 7-year-old boy.
May 19, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) FUJISATO, Akita -- Police have launched a major search for a 7-year-old boy who went missing here on Wednesday after parting with friends at a local park, police said. Police received a call from...

Tomakomai mayor indecently assaults woman.
May 19, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) TOMAKOMAI, Hokkaido -- Tomakomai Mayor Tadashi Sakurai admitted Thursday to indecently assaulting a woman here and is preparing for a battle in the courts. Sakurai admitted molesting a restaurant operator...

Woman arrested for burying mom in garden of Saitama home.
May 19, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) GYODA, Saitama -- A 53-year-old woman who confessed to burying her 85-year-old mother here was arrested after police searched her home based on a report from social workers and found a body in the garden,...

Boy diagnosed as suffering gender disorder enrolled in elementary school as.
May 19, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) girl KOBE -- In a rare move, a 7-year-old boy diagnosed as suffering a gender identity disorder has been enrolled in a public elementary school as a girl, the local board of education said Thursday. The...

Man convicted of using stimulants in appeal trial after friend gave false.
May 19, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) testimony A man who had been acquitted of using stimulants was convicted in an appeal trial on Thursday after an acquaintance was found guilty of providing false testimony over the case. The Tokyo High...

High school baseball club coach dismissed for hitting captain.
May 19, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) ASAHIKAWA, Hokkaido -- A private high school has dismissed one of the coaches of its baseball club for hitting the team's captain, it was learned Thursday. The school's principal was apologetic about the...

Police searching for missing 7-year-old find body near Akita river.
May 19, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) FUJISATO, Akita -- Police searching for a 7-year-old boy who was reported missing on Wednesday retrieved a body along the bank of a river in Noshiro, Akita Prefecture, on Thursday afternoon, law enforcers said....

Annan condemns Pyongyang's abductions, urges Japan to improve ties with.
May 19, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) neighbors Japan and North Korea should settle "painful outstanding issues," including Pyongyang's abduction of Japanese nationals, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a speech at the University of Tokyo...

Share your view on Japan at work with the world.
May 18, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) What's your view on work in Japan? Why not share it with the world through the MSN-Mainichi Daily News "My Japan" photo contest. This week's theme is "Japan at Work" -- people, places and products, or...

Indebted comedian busted for selling obscene DVDs through Net auction.
May 18, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) YOKOHAMA -- An indebted comedian has been arrested for selling obscene DVDs through an Internet auction, police said. Yoichi Mitsushima, 27, a bartender who was previously a member of the "Unlimited" comedy...

Mid-air collision with bird forces Hokkaido airline to cancel 8 flights.
May 18, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) SAPPORO -- A Hokkaido International Airlines (Air Do) jet hit a bird shortly before landing on Tuesday, forcing the airline to cancel eight flights on Wednesday, airline officials said. An Air Do Boeing 767...

Tenant who kept 100 dead cats 'could not bear' to burn their bodies.
May 18, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) ATSUGI, Kanagawa -- A woman who had kept about 100 dead cats in an apartment she had rented has told investigators that she could not bear to incinerate their bodies, local police said. "It was...

NTV announcer gets slap on the wrist for photographing up school girl's skirt.
May 18, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) YOKOHAMA -- A Nippon Television Network Corp. (NTV) announcer has evaded charges for photographing up the skirt of a high school girl, officials at the broadcaster and police said Wednesday. Kanagawa...

Drivers barging through ETC tollgates prompts installation of cameras.
May 18, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) The number of drivers barging through electronic toll collection (ETC) gates on expressways without paying is beginning to surge across Japan, prompting expressway operators to take action such as installing...

NHK punishes worker over illicit discounts for family members.
May 18, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) YOKOHAMA -- Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) punished a worker at its Yokohama bureau for illicitly obtaining hotel and sports club discounts for his wife and relatives by using other people's names and forging...

Rival North, South Korean groups have historic meeting in Tokyo.
May 18, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) The pro-North Korean General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), came face to face with the rival pro-South Korean Residents Union in Japan (Mindan) in a historic meeting on Wednesday, with...

Convicted quadruple killer dealt death penalty.
May 18, 2006... (From Mainichi Daily News) NAGANO -- A jobless man under indictment on charges of murdering four people in Nagano and Aichi prefectures in 2004 was handed the death penalty Wednesday. The Nagano District Court ordered that Shojiro...