Latest findings related to Himiko shown to public

Many people have gathered at an archeological site near the ancient capital Nara to view the recent discovery of what may be the palace of a legendary ruler of Japan.

Archeologists recently found the remnants of a large structure that dates to the early third century, at the Makimuku ruins in Sakurai City.

Some experts say the find may be the palace of Queen Himiko, who governed the Yamatai Kingdom in that period.

The Yamatai Kingdom is mentioned in ancient Chinese records. The location of the ancient kingdom has been a matter of dispute among Japanese.

Some claim that it was in the Kyushu area, adjacent to the Korean Peninsula, while others say it was in the Kansai area where the Makimuku ruins are situated.

On Saturday, people viewed the remnants of a structure that contained two kinds of posts to make it symmetrical along a line running east to west.

A local woman said she was assured that Queen Himiko had been there, while a man from a different prefecture said he expects the discovery to end the long-standing dispute over the site of the ancient kingdom.

54% of single parent households in poverty

A government survey shows that more than half of Japan's single-parent households were living in poverty in 2007.

The welfare ministry conducted the survey based on disposable income of households and released for the first time in October a part of the findings that shows the country's overall poverty rate was 15.7 percent.

Further analysis of the findings released on Friday shows that the poverty rate for single parent households was 54.3 percent, 44.1 percentage points higher than that for households with 2 or more adults raising a child or children. The poverty rate for that group was 10.2 percent.

A welfare ministry official said many single-parents are non-regular or part-time workers, and that the situation will not improve unless a system under which such people can work full-time is established in Japan.

Japanese comic books going global

A major Japanese publisher is to sell electronic versions of Japanese comic books overseas to compensate for declining domestic sales.

Industry sources say that Shueisha will offer e-books via a Microsoft website that allows users to download software to mobile phones. It plans to begin the service next spring.

The site will be accessible in 28 countries and regions including Japan, the United States and India.

Shueisha intends to offer Japanese and English versions of 20 to 30 popular comics, including Dragon Ball.

The publisher will become the first Japanese firm to operate a full-scale e-book business for overseas customers.

Japanese companies have previously offered limited services due to concern about copyright infringement.

But increases in Internet security and mobile phone functions are contributing to the expansion of the global electronic book market.

Ozawa hints govt-bill on suffrage for foreigners

The secretary general of Japan's governing Democratic Party has hinted that the government may submit a bill granting foreign permanent residents the right to vote in local elections for the Diet early next year.

Ichiro Ozawa on Thursday met Chung Sye Kyun, the leader of South Korea's opposition Democratic Party, who's visiting Japan to attend a memorial event for former South Korean President Kim Dae Jung. Chung strongly called for passage of legislation on foreigners' suffrage.

Ozawa said the government should introduce such a bill, and suggested that the government may do so as early as in next year's ordinary Diet session, but not in the form of lawmaker-sponsored legislation.

Ozawa has been entrusted with handling the issue within the government and the governing party.

The party is studying the possibility of granting foreign permanent residents, many of whom are Koreans, the right to vote in local elections as asked for by South Korea.

Nori seaweed harvest begins in Tokyo Bay

In Japan, fishermen have begun to harvest "nori" seaweed off the coast of Tokyo.

On Tuesday, about 100 fishing boats from a fishing port in Futtsu City on the coast of Tokyo Bay took fully grown seaweed from floating culturing nets.

A producer says some of the nets were broken by Typhoon Melor early last month but that good quality seaweed has grown this season.

In Tokyo Bay, harvesting begins at this time of the year when the seaweed reaches maturity as seawater temperatures fall. It continues until early spring.

Seaweed grown in the area called "Edo-mae nori" is famed for its high quality in Japan.

NHK Poll:54% support tobacco tax hike

An NHK poll shows that 54 percent support a
government-proposed tax hike on tobacco.

The tax increase is one of the key issues in next year's tax reform.

About 1,100 people aged 20 and older responded to the phone survey from November 6th to the 8th.

Asked whether they support a tax increase on tobacco, 54 percent responded yes, while 20 percent said no. 20 percent were undecided.

When asked about a proposed tax to help cut greenhouse gas emissions, 34 percent said they support it, while 23 percent said they do not. 36 percent were undecided.

Regarding the atomic-bombed cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki jointly bidding to host the 2020 Summer Olympics, 36 percent were for it and 18 percent were not. 39 percent were undecided.

Defendant in Akihabara rampage apologizes

A man who killed 7 people and wounded 10 in a random attack in Tokyo's Akihabara shopping district last year has sent a letter of apology to one of the victims.

In June of last year, former part-time worker Tomohiro Kato went on a stabbing spree after ramming a truck into a crowd of pedestrians at a crossing in the district's vehicle-free zone. He has been indicted on murder and other charges.

On Friday, former taxi driver Hiroshi Yuasa, who fell temporarily unconscious after being attacked, received the 6-page letter through Kato's lawyer.

The letter says the defendant truly apologizes and has no excuses for his actions.
It also says that Kato's regrets and apologies could never make up for what he did and he deserves to die 10,000 times for his crimes.

The letter gave no motive or background reasons, saying only that Kato hardly remembers the incident.

Yuasa said he gained the impression from the letter that Kato was a decent young man and that he cannot understand why he caused such an incident.

He said he plans to send a reply to Kato and ask him to tell everything he knows to prevent a similar incident from happening again.