2 Die in FedEx Plane Crash in Japan

(NEWSER) - A notoriously finicky airplane may have contributed to the Tokyo crash that killed two American FedEx pilots today, the Wall Street Journal reports. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is believed to handle poorly in high winds, which were reported at the time of the crash. Though problems with the flight-control systems were addressed by the company nearly 10 years ago, they were blamed in a series of accidents. More»

Nicola Furlong had apparently met duo at Nicki Manaj show earlier in evening

(NEWSER) - A pair of unnamed Americans have been arrested by Japanese officials after one of them was found in a Tokyo hotel room with a dying Irish exchange student, reports MSNBC . Nicola Furlong, 21, of County Wexford, died about an hour later in what officials are calling a suspicious death and possible strangulation. Details are sketchy: Furlong and a 21-year-old female friend apparently met the Americans at a Nicki Manaj concert earlier Thursday evening. More»

Mao Sugiyama charged $250 a plate

(NEWSER) - A Japanese artist recently cooked and served up his own genitals for diners at $250 a plate—to raise awareness about sexual minorities and pay for his hospital bills, the AFP reports. Mao Sugiyama, who calls himself asexual, had his private parts removed this spring and kept them frozen until the May 13 culinary event. Participants apparently weren't disappointed: Some even asked the 22-year-old when he'll be doing it again. More»

Rare twister destroys some 200 houses

(AP) - A tornado tore through a city northeast of Japan's capital today, killing one person, injuring dozens of others, and destroying scores of houses. Firefighters and medical teams rushed to the area after the tornado struck Tsukuba city, 40 miles from Tokyo. The city is a science center, with dozens of research and academic institutes, but the tornado appeared to mostly hit residential areas. More»

Registered as magnitude 6.1

(AP) - An earthquake has rattled the Tokyo area hours after a stronger tremor caused a small tsunami on the northern Japanese coast. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the second earthquake was magnitude 6.1, and took place just off the coast of Chiba, east of Tokyo, at a rather shallow 6 miles below the sea surface. There was no immediate report of damage or injury from the second quake. The 6.8-magnitude tremor earlier last night caused a small swelling of water on the northern coast, including part of the region hit by last year's massive earthquake and tsunami. More»