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Defence minister says possibility of a collision between the two helicopters is being analysedOne person was dead and seven missing after two Japanese military helicopters crashed after possibly colliding while out to sea, officials said.A spokesperson for Japan’s self-defence force said the crash took place late on Saturday and one person was recovered and later confirmed dead. Continue reading...

Gion residents asked city council to crack down after rise in tourist numbers leads to increased harassment of traditional entertainersVisitors to the geisha district of Gion – one of Kyoto’s most popular sightseeing spots – will be banned from entering its picturesque alleyways as authorities in Japan attempt to tackle a dramatic rise in tourism.Residents of Japan’s ancient capital have struggled to reconcile the...

Rail company inundated with requests after putting up for sale 50 of the disused trolleys from the Tokyo-Osaka shinkansen routeThey are simple, practical items that have rolled seamlessly along bullet train aisles for decades, carrying snacks to millions of hungry travellers as they are whisked along at speeds of around 300km/h (186mph).But now the humble food and beverage trolleys of one of Japan’s shinkansen...

Tokyo district public prosecutors’ office says it has arrested Yoshitaka Ikeda, a former vice-education ministerProsecutors in Japan have made their first arrest in a financial scandal that has engulfed the country’s ruling party and sparked speculation about the future of the prime minister, Fumio Kishida.The Tokyo district public prosecutors’ office said on Sunday it had arrested Yoshitaka Ikeda, a former vice-education minister, who is...