Japan

  • Tourism News400 people fall victim to Japan tour scam resulting in 14 million baht loss

    400 people fall victim to Japan tour scam resulting in 14 million baht loss

    Representatives from 10 travel agencies filed a complaint with the Central Investigation Bureau after being lured into buying 14 million baht worth of fake tour packages to Japan. Over 400 victims have been duped by the scam so far. Representatives for the group claimed to have purchased tour packages from a major company based in the central province of Pathum…

  • Thailand NewsHeroic doctor and nurse save panic attack passenger on Japan-Thailand flight

    Heroic doctor and nurse save panic attack passenger on Japan-Thailand flight

    A quick-thinking doctor and nurse became heroes on a Japan to Thailand flight after they promptly administered aid to an anxious passenger suffering from a panic attack. Thai singer and actor Siwat “Tah” Sirichai shared the heartwarming story of two medical workers who went above and beyond the call of duty to save a passenger suffering from a panic attack…

  • World NewsSingapore couple grossed out after finding worm on sashimi at Japanese chain restaurant

    Singapore couple grossed out after finding worm on sashimi at Japanese chain restaurant

    A Singapore couple says they are grossed out after finding a live worm wriggling around on their sashimi at a popular Japanese restaurant chain. The woman, Jayice Tan, says they were happily seated and had received their sashimi when they realised something wasn’t right. Horrified, she posted the video of the wriggling worm on Facebook last Wednesday to advise others…

  • World NewsThai Vietjet to launch only direct Bangkok – Okinawa route

    Thai Vietjet to launch only direct Bangkok – Okinawa route

    Budget airline Thai Vietjet is expanding its wings with new direct flights between Bangkok, Thailand, and Okinawa in Japan, in collaboration with leading Thai travel agency Tourladfah Co., Ltd. The new route is the only nonstop service between the two major Asian hubs. The route between Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and Okinawa’s Naha Airport will fly twice per week on Thursdays…

  • Tourism NewsTake the slow train to monkey city

    Take the slow train to monkey city

    The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is offering trips on a slow train to monkey city, from Bangkok to Lopburi in the Northeast Thailand, on the refurbished Kiha 183 diesel-powered trains from Japan. The trips this weekend and next will cost 599 baht. Only 200 seats will be available each day. The train leaves Bangkok’s historic Hua Lamphong Railway Station…

  • Covid-19 NewsTourist numbers up, positive Covid-19 tests down

    Tourist numbers up, positive Covid-19 tests down

    Positive Covid-19 tests, hospitalisations and deaths dropped substantially in the third week of January. The much-needed return of tourists to the kingdom in substantial numbers has not produced the much-feared spike in Covid cases or deaths. All the metrics were down in the third week of January, with only a handful of foreigners testing positive. The Department of Disease Control…

  • World NewsThai Vietjet to launch direct flight from Chiang Mai to Osaka

    Thai Vietjet to launch direct flight from Chiang Mai to Osaka

    Direct flights between Chiang Mai in northern Thailand and Osaka in Japan will take flight on February 16, 2023, operated by budget airline Thai Vietjet Air. Operated by an Airbus A321, the new route from Chiang Mai International Airport to Kansai International Airport will take five hours in total. To begin with, the route will run three times per week…

  • Hot NewsSuper Mario theme park to open in California ahead of new film

    Super Mario theme park to open in California ahead of new film

    Super Mario is getting its first theme park outside of Japan by way of the US state of California. The Nintendo-themed park is set to open next month just weeks before the old-school characters grace the Hollywood big screen. According to Japan Today, Super Nintendo World will be part of Universal Studios Hollywood- an amusement park that has seen the likes…

  • Covid-19 NewsAirlines up in arms over increase in Covid measures due to influx of Chinese travellers

    Airlines up in arms over increase in Covid measures due to influx of Chinese travellers

    Worldwide airline lobby group International Air Transport Association (IATA) is up in arms over global plans to re-introduce Covid-19 restrictions for passengers arriving from China. The IATA says such measures represent a “knee-jerk” reaction to China’s recent lifting of Covid restrictions. Such a reintroduction of measures for travellers is being criticised by the IATA as it says science should supersede politics.…

  • Thailand NewsTasteless Thai food humbled by American culinary excellence

    Tasteless Thai food humbled by American culinary excellence

    Thai food was humbled by American when TasteAtlas announced their top 50 best cuisines from around the world, and almost everyone was offended. While some obvious countries made it into the top spots, not everyone agreed with the breakdown. Taking the top three spots were Italy, Greece and Spain, who were joined by the likes of Japan, India, Mexico and…

  • World NewsFierce snowstorm pounds Japan, disrupts public transport

    Fierce snowstorm pounds Japan, disrupts public transport

    A fierce snowstorm is pounding Japan after starting its wrath on the Sea of Japan coast one day ago, disrupting public transportation. The snowfall caused five trains on the Yamagata Shinkansen line to be suspended due to fallen trees and pantograph problems. The line runs between Tokyo and the northeast city of Shinjo. Meanwhile, one train from Tokyo to Yamagata…

  • LifestyleJapanese government wants to offer additional 80,000 yen to new parents

    Japanese government wants to offer additional 80,000 yen to new parents

    Japan’s government is wanting to boost the amount given to new parents by 80,000 yen (US$585) to motivate citizens to have more babies. As the country’s birthrate has been declining for some time, the government has tried to find ways to boost family planning. According to the Japan Times, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare currently offer a Childbirth…

  • Transport NewsThai Vietjet plans new routes to China, India, Japan, Vietnam

    Thai Vietjet plans new routes to China, India, Japan, Vietnam

    Thai Vietjet has big plans for next year with new routes in the pipeline to destinations in China, India, Japan, and Vietnam. Woranate Laprabang, chief executive of TVJ said… “We want to be driving the Thai economy by bringing in more foreign tourists.” Domestic flights accounted for about a third of flights operated by the airline this year. At the…

  • World NewsJapan is the No.1 tourist destination among Thais

    Japan is the No.1 tourist destination among Thais

    A new study reveals that the top five tourist destinations among Thai tourists include Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. The study by Visa surveyed 2,000 Thai people about their most desirable holiday destinations. The top three deciding factors when choosing where to go include travel expenses (65%), weather (49%), and desire to visit new places (48%).…

  • World NewsAsian international tourism slower than other regions

    Asian international tourism slower than other regions

    While tourism in Thailand is picking up, Southeast Asia has seen a much slower rate of return for international travellers than other parts of the world. Many popular holiday areas in Europe have seen a full recovery, and even record-breaking numbers in some. But Asia lags, flummoxed by the slow lifting of Covid-19 restrictions. Thailand began reopening efforts over a…

  • Transport NewsRoyal Thai Air Force airbus sets flight record

    Royal Thai Air Force airbus sets flight record

    A Royal Thai Air Force Airbus A340-500 completed what appears to be the longest flight ever operated by the aircraft. The record-breaking flight took place with much less fanfare than Singapore Airlines’ commercial record in 2018. The flight from Bangkok to Charlotte, North Carolina, took 18 hours and 14 minutes and covered 14,555 kilometres. The flight landed on Wednesday, November…

  • World NewsBusiness exodus from China will ensure Southeast Asia will flourish

    Business exodus from China will ensure Southeast Asia will flourish

    One of Thailand’s leading business executives believes Southeast Asia will flourish on the back of Chinese President Xi Jinping securing an unprecedented third term as leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The reelection of President Xi as CCP leader tightened his grip on the mainland and also ensured an exodus of businesses looking to relocate from China to Southeast…

  • Hot News81-year-old Japanese man arrested for murder after pushing wife’s wheelchair into sea

    81-year-old Japanese man arrested for murder after pushing wife’s wheelchair into sea

    Police arrested an 81-year-old Japanese man after he allegedly pushed his wheelchair-bound wife into the sea. The man, Hiroshi Fujiwara, was arrested in the Oiso, Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan with police saying he then admitted to killing his 79-year-old wife. Fujiwara said he was worn out from looking after her as she had been in a wheelchair for the past…

  • World NewsShelter warnings in Japan after North Korea conducts presumed failed IBCM test

    Shelter warnings in Japan after North Korea conducts presumed failed IBCM test

    UPDATE Tensions are continuing in the latest episode between North Korea and South Korea. North Korea today conducted what was believed to be a failed launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). A South Korean government source said the presumed Hwasong-17 ICBM successfully separated at the second stage, but is believed to have failed after that, and fell into the…

  • World NewsTokyo becomes latest city in Japan to recognise same-sex partnerships

    Tokyo becomes latest city in Japan to recognise same-sex partnerships

    Tokyo, Japan has become the latest city to recognise same-sex partnership rights in terms of housing, child-rearing, and healthcare. But, same-sex marriage is still prohibited nationwide, leaving out other legal protections that are currently only afforded to heterosexual married couples. The Tokyo Partnership Oath System was enacted on Tuesday, with many LGBTQ community members praising the legislation as a step…

  • Hot NewsJapan makes path to enlightenment easier with “AI Buddha” tool

    Japan makes path to enlightenment easier with “AI Buddha” tool

    Japan has once again made use of its advanced technological skills by creating an artificial intelligence (AI) tool to help those attain enlightenment. The Buddhist tool, aka AI Buddha, brings ancient scriptures’ spiritual guidance to smartphones. According to Bangkok Post, the software was co-developed by a team of religious and computer academics at Kyoto University. The software has been programmed to…

  • World NewsLift restrictions, South Korea told, or lose Thai tourists

    Lift restrictions, South Korea told, or lose Thai tourists

    South Korea must lift travel restrictions if it wants to lure Thai tourists back to the country says Thailand’s tourism industry. South Korea lifted some travel restrictions since the Covid-19 pandemic started to ease on April 1 this year but it has not gone far enough, the Thai tourist board insist, adding they must go further otherwise those travellers will…

  • World NewsJapanese woman loses millions in intergalactic romance scam

    Japanese woman loses millions in intergalactic romance scam

    A woman from Japan transferred 4.4 million yen to a man who said he was stuck on an International Space Station (ISS) and needed money for a rocket back to earth so he could marry her. The 65 year old woman, from Shiga Prefecture, told police that she fell in love with a man she met online in June and…

  • World NewsBurmese junta sentences Japanese journalist for sedition and other charges

    Burmese junta sentences Japanese journalist for sedition and other charges

    The Burmese junta sentenced a Japanese journalist for sedition violating a law on electronic communications. The media reported that Toru Kubota, a 26 year old photographer and documentary filmmaker, was arrested at a protest in the South Dagon Township in the southeastern area of Yangon on July 30. The report said he was arrested while gathering information for his documentary. The…

  • Hot NewsNorth Korea fires two ballistic missiles in direction of Japan

    North Korea fires two ballistic missiles in direction of Japan

    North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward Japan just two days after firing an intermediate-range missile over the country on Tuesday. The move was seen as a response to the back-and-forth display of military assets between the countries. North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward its east coast on Thursday in the direction of Japan, following joint South…

  • Hot NewsUS points fingers at Russia and China over North Korea’s latest actions

    US points fingers at Russia and China over North Korea’s latest actions

    The United States is pointing fingers at Russia and China over North Korea’s recent ballistic missile launches as it says the two countries are enabling the latter. Of the accusations, the US says the countries are protecting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un by shielding him from more UN Security Council sanctions. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US Ambassador to the UN, says…

  • Hot NewsUS, South Korea respond to North Korea’s missile over Japan with bombing drills

    US, South Korea respond to North Korea’s missile over Japan with bombing drills

    In response to North Korea firing an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile over Japan, the US and South Korea carried out precision bombing drills. South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said the drills aimed to demonstrate the allies’ “capabilities to conduct a precision strike at the origin of provocations.” “With the participation of four South Korean Air Force F-15Ks and four…

  • World NewsJapanese warned to take cover over North Korea missile test

    Japanese warned to take cover over North Korea missile test

    Japanese residents were warned to take cover as North Korea launched a ballistic missile over Japan. It was the first time in five years that the nuclear-capable isolated country had taken such action. The missile was launched from North Korea and passed over Japan before plunging into the Pacific Ocean. This is the first time since 2017 that the country…

  • World NewsJapan to welcome visa-free tourists from October 11

    Japan to welcome visa-free tourists from October 11

    Japan announced it will resume visa-free entry for all travellers from October 11 and scrap the arrival cap of 50,000 visitors per day. Before the pandemic Japan allowed travellers from 69 countries to enter without visas and visitors could stay between 15 to 90 days, according to the conditions of each country. Japan had over 32 million arrivals in 2019…

  • Tourism NewsTAT looks to draw more Japanese tourists to Thailand with new campaign

    TAT looks to draw more Japanese tourists to Thailand with new campaign

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand is looking to draw in more Japanese tourists. TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn announced that TAT will introduce a new partnership campaign in the last three months of the year called “It’s Time to Go To Thailand”. The campaign aims to increase Japanese tourists’ average spending per trip, which right now is only 6,400 baht, the…