News
China bans comedian's social media account over marriage jokes
2+ hour, 5+ min ago (210+ words) GUANGZHOU, China - Chinese authorities have banned a social media account belonging to an ethnic Uyghur female comedian over her jokes about married life, saying they "exaggerated fear of marriage and anxiety about childbirth" amid a continued population decline in the…...
Births in Japan fall in 2025 to 706,000, record low for 10th straight year
3+ day, 23+ hour ago (19+ words) Births in Japan fall in 2025 to 706,000, record low for 10th straight year'Japan Wire by KYODO NEWS...
FEATURE: Monster parents drive Japan teachers to breaking point
1+ mon, 11+ hour ago (824+ words) TOKYO - For some teachers in Japan, the most punishing part of the job does not happen in the classroom. It comes in the form of late-night phone calls, prolonged confrontations and relentless demands from so-called monster parents -- a growing problem…...
Child-rearing families back tax-cut election pledges with caution
1+ mon, 3+ day ago (422+ words) TOKYO - Many Japanese child-rearing households are welcoming moves by both the ruling and opposition parties ahead of the Feb. 8 general election toward reducing the consumption tax rate on food items, either temporarily or permanently, but they are doing so with…...
Podcast [English World] Episode 131: Japanese struggling to improve English proficiency
1+ mon, 3+ week ago (132+ words) Podcast [English World] Episode 131: Japanese struggling to improve English proficiency'Japan Wire by KYODO NEWS Podcast [English World] Episode 131: Japanese struggling to improve English proficiency Kyodo News presents a bilingual podcast for English learners about the ins and outs of news…...
'The best gift ever': Baby is born after the rarest of pregnancies, defying all odds
2+ mon, 1+ week ago (731+ words) Suze Lopez holds her baby boy on her lap and marvels at the remarkable way he came into the world. Before little Ryu was born, he developed outside his mom's womb, hidden by a basketball-sized ovarian cyst " a dangerous situation…...
FEATURE: Japan program offers exhausted mothers rare chance to rest
2+ mon, 2+ week ago (655+ words) SENDAI - A newborn baby was found dead in the snow in Shiogama earlier this year, shocking the local community and prompting residents to launch a program giving exhausted mothers a chance to rest while volunteers care for their children. The…...
Taiwan's 4th animate Store: Pop-Up Collabs & Special Drinks for a Unique Experience!
2+ mon, 2+ week ago (282+ words) animate has opened its fourth store in Taiwan! Following the established locations in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung, the new "animate Ximen Station POPUP SHOP" celebrated its grand opening on December 4, 2025. Conveniently located inside the Ximen Underground Mall, the store offers…...
Japan eyes legal ban, penalties on implanting gene-edited human embryos
2+ mon, 4+ week ago (346+ words) TOKYO - A Japanese government expert panel agreed Thursday to legally ban and penalize research or medical practices that genetically modify human embryos to implant into humans or animals for the purpose of producing babies. The policy discussed by a joint…...
FEATURE: Finance plans being explored for "hikikomori" after parents' deaths
2+ mon, 4+ week ago (552+ words) OITA, Japan - As the "hikikomori" phenomenon increasingly intersects with Japan's rapidly aging society, support organizations are introducing new tools to help socially withdrawn individuals calculate assets, understand pension systems, and create long-term financial plans for them. With an estimated 1.46 million…...