Itsuki Soeda News Today

GENKAI, Saga Prefecture--The town of Genkai differs greatly in three ways from the other municipalities that have expressed interest in hosting the final disposal site for nuclear waste.

Ishikawa Prefecture announced a plan on Feb. 19 to establish temporary accommodations for workers toiling away on reconstruction efforts in six hard-hit cities and towns by the Noto Peninsula earthquake, including Wajima and Suzu. 

NAHA—Various questions have emerged following a simulation exercise on Jan. 30 examining the evacuation of about 120,000 Okinawa residents in the event of a military conflict in nearby Taiwan.

The odds now overwhelmingly favor the plan of the Osaka city and the prefectural governments to open what would be Japans first casino resort in 2029, with the final approval likely to be granted soon. 

OSAKA—Feline-friendly Osaka Mayor Ichiro Matsui hopes to make the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo the first one to allow pets, but a number of hurdles stand in the way.

OSAKA--A whale affectionally dubbed

TOYONAKA, Osaka Prefecture—Tran Thi Hien’s skills are in heavy demand these days, much to her chagrin.

OSAKA--Ground Self-Defense Force members removed an unexploded U.S. bomb likely dropped during World War II from the site of a future university campus here on Nov. 6.

OSAKA—Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura apologized to taxpayers for the ballooning price tag of the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo caused by soaring costs for materials and the weakened yen.

OSAKA—A “tsukudani” (preserved, boiled food) company here has apologized for mixing old products in its “new” food packages and for using unscientific expiration dates on its items.