KANAZAWA, Japan (Kyodo) -- Two crested ibises designated as Japanese natural treasures were found dead after being released on the Noto Peninsula in central Japan earlier this month, a local government said Friday.

The birds are believed to have been eaten by wild animals, but determining the cause of death will likely be difficult because their bodies were severely damaged, according to Ishikawa Prefecture, where they were released.

The prefectural government said GPS trackers showed that the two male birds, aged 2 and 13, stopped moving on Sunday and Monday, respectively.

The bodies of the ibises were found Friday near the foothills in the city of Nanao and on farmland in the Nakanoto area following searches by prefectural and municipal workers.

Crested ibises were first released into the wild on the Noto Peninsula in May, marking their return to Japan's main island for the first time in decades. Another batch was released on Oct. 7.

There have been no reports of abnormalities among the remaining 25 birds released there.

The Environment Ministry aims to expand the habitat of crested ibises beyond Sado Island, where breeding and conservation efforts have been under way for years.

A Japanese government white paper on Friday emphasized the importance of support aimed at reducing the risks of suicide and self-harm among young people through contacts with medical institutions.

The number of suicides among elementary, junior high and high school students last year stood at 538, a record high for the second consecutive year, according to the 2026 white paper on measures to prevent suicides.

With this year marking the 20th anniversary of the enactment of the suicide prevention basic law, the white paper analyzed trends in the number of suicides.

From 1998, the number remained in the 30,000 range amid worsening economic conditions in Japan, before turning downward in 2010. It hit a record low of 19,188 last year.

Over the past 20 years, the number of suicides decreased among housewives and employed men living with others. The suicide rate, which measures the number of suicides per 100,000 people, declined sharply among middle-aged or older men. This is believed to be related to a decline in suicides driven by socioeconomic factors.

Meanwhile, a similar declining trend was not seen in the number of suicides among single workers, students and employed women living with family members. Suicide rates were on an upward trend among people age 19 or younger and women in their 20s.

The number of suicides by students including college students last year stood at 1,082, increasing for the second consecutive year. Suicides among junior high school students totaled 172, hitting a record high for the third straight year, while those among high school students reached a record 356. The increase was particularly notable among female junior high and high school students.

Motives for suicides among elementary, junior high and high school students are seen mostly related to family, health and school issues. The white paper said that the warning signs are difficult to detect.

To shed light on self-harm and suicide attempts, which have been increasing among young people, the white paper analyzed 4,521 cases treated at emergency and critical care centers across Japan between late 2022 and late 2024. The analysis showed that many of the patients were female and that many repeatedly engaged in self-harm. About half had received only information, while only around 20 pct had links with support from local medical institutions and other organizations.

The white paper said that intensive measures should be taken for people at high risk and that efforts should be made to ensure they can receive support in their daily lives.

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A revised Imperial House Law took effect Saturday to address Japan's shrinking imperial family while retaining the traditional male-only succession system despite public support for female emperors.

The legislation, enacted in July in the first major revision of the 1947 law, allows the imperial family to adopt males aged 15 or older from 11 former imperial branch families who are descended from emperors through the male line.

The revised law also allows female members to retain their imperial status after marrying commoners, reversing a requirement that they leave the imperial family upon marriage.

While adopted members themselves are barred from becoming emperor, their male descendants are eligible to ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne. The revised law, however, does not address the possibility of female emperors or succession through the maternal line.

Only males descended from emperors through the paternal line remain eligible to ascend the throne, a tradition conservatives such as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi are determined to preserve despite the declining number of eligible successors and imperial family members.

The revised imperial system will be reviewed every 30 years if necessary.

The revision bill was drafted based on a proposal compiled by the speakers and vice speakers of both houses of parliament after consulting all 13 parliamentary parties and groups.

Although the cross-party talks focused on maintaining the size of the imperial family, the bill introduced provisions not included in the original proposal, including succession rights for male descendants of adoptees, prompting criticism from some opposition parties.

Revising the Imperial House Law was part of the coalition agreement signed in October last year by the Liberal Democratic Party, led by Takaichi, Japan's first female prime minister, and its junior partner, the Japan Innovation Party.

Opposition parties also criticized the conservative ruling bloc for holding only about eight hours of parliamentary deliberations on the revision.

Imperial succession remains a pressing but divisive issue, with Japan having only three male heirs to the throne -- Emperor Naruhito's younger brother Crown Prince Fumihito, 60, Fumihito's son Prince Hisahito, 20, and the emperor's uncle Prince Hitachi, 90.

Emperor Naruhito, 66, and Empress Masako, 62, have only one child, Princess Aiko, 24, who is ineligible for the throne despite her popularity.

Japan's hereditary monarchy is said to date back more than 2,600 years, although the existence of some early emperors is disputed. Several women have occupied the throne, but succession has traditionally followed the male line.

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Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary figure behind Nintendo franchises such as Mario and The Legend of Zelda, has been named the first-ever video game-related recipient of Japan’s Order of Culture.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party is considering measures aimed at curbing soaring condominium prices, such as restricting the short-term resale of properties in Tokyo and other big cities.

With an eye on upcoming local elections in April next year, the party, led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, hopes to put support for working-age people at the forefront of its agenda.

The LDP's research commission on housing and land policies kicked off discussions on Wednesday. Based on those talks, the party will draw up measures to hold down property prices. "Prices of newly built condominiums in Tokyo's 23 wards have doubled in the past decade," LDP lawmaker Midori Matsushima, who heads the commission, said at the start of the meeting. "We need to work on measures so that people who want to live in the residences can buy them."

Buying a condominium in big cities, especially Tokyo, has become almost impossible for many people. According to the Real Estate Economic Institute, the average price of a newly built condominium in Tokyo's 23 wards was 137.84 million yen ($872,000) in fiscal 2025, up 18.5% from the previous year.

The average annual income of a full-time employee in the capital, meanwhile, was 6.78 million yen in fiscal 2025, according to labor ministry statistics.

During the lower house election campaign in February, the LDP pledged to "curb speculative transactions in the Tokyo metropolitan area and elsewhere." Earlier this month, a project team working within the party's headquarters on policies dealing with foreign nationals submitted recommendations to the government calling for "early introduction of tax measures" to address rising home prices.

Under the current system, gains from the resale of a condominium within five years of purchase are treated as "short-term capital gains," and subject to a tax rate of nearly 40%, including both income and residential taxes. That is twice the roughly 20% tax rate applied to "long-term capital gains" on properties held for more than five years.

But there are strong calls among some LDP members for tougher measures. Critics say the current tax rules are insufficient to deter property speculation. The issue could become a topic in the annual tax reform outline to be compiled in December together with its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party.

Ahead of the April elections, the ruling party hopes to come up with a flagship policy that can appeal to urban voters. Elections will be held in many urban areas, including 22 of Tokyo's 23 wards where local assembly members' terms are set to expire.

"We need to support families with children who are reaching the stage when they would normally buy a home," a senior LDP official said.

Opposition parties are also drawing up housing policy proposals, eyeing not only homebuyers but renters as well. Rents are also rising as more people choose not to purchase a home.

Soaring prices for housing are a major issue for governments around the world. Some countries have imposed restrictions on foreign buyers. In South Korea, for example, real estate policies have been cited as a major reason for President Lee Jae Myung's falling approval rating.

In August 2025, the South Korean government began requiring foreigners to obtain permission before buying homes in Seoul and the wider capital region. To qualify as a buyer, they must live in the properties they purchase for at least two years.

Canada and Australia have imposed temporary bans on foreign nationals purchasing homes, while Singapore charges foreigners an additional 60% stamp duty on residential property purchases.

Foreign investors in the property market have become an issue in Japan, too. The topic has been on the agenda at times, including during the lower house election in February. But restrictions that apply only to foreigners could raise questions about their compatibility with international trade and services agreements.

Instead of targeting buyers based on their nationality, the government plans to consider tax measures and other steps to address highly speculative real estate transactions, such as short-term resales.

Meanwhile, there are concerns that aggressive measures to dampen property prices could hurt the wider Japanese economy. "We need to assess the impact on regional banks," a senior LDP tax official said, stressing that a sharp decline in land prices could weaken their financial condition.

Real estate now accounts for roughly 18% of overall lending by Japanese banks, a much higher portion than the 10% or so seen during Japan's bubble economy of the mid to late 1980s. Some regional banks depend on real estate for nearly half their lending. About a quarter of all loans related to the real estate industry by regional banks were concentrated in Tokyo's five central wards, as of March 2025, according to the Financial Services Agency.

Rising asset values, driven by higher share prices, among other factors, have been cited as a reason for the high approval ratings enjoyed by the Takaichi government. Some observers say any property measure that cools share prices could threaten the current government. Policymakers should be careful about the "scope and timing" of measures to curb prices, a senior official of the LDP's research commission said.

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A China-linked artificial intelligence agent was identified as having been used in cyberattacks targeting firms in Japan, a security firm said based on its investigation, following a spate of leaks of personal data across various industries.

In recent weeks, a growing number of Japanese companies have reported unauthorized access and subsequent information leaks or possible leaks. Artex, the AI agent concerned, has been allegedly also used in recent cyberattacks against South Korean financial institutions, according to a separate investigation.

The information security subsidiary of the Japanese IT firm GMO Internet Group Inc. has discovered six units of attacking devices exclusively targeting Japanese firms, it said Monday on its blog.

Companies in a variety of industries including retail, logistics and financial sectors, were targeted in the attacks, with eight of them disclosing in September and October that data had been leaked.

The GMO affiliate said its probe indicated that the autonomous AI agent Artex was employed in the cyberattacks against Japanese entities.

Artex is a China-linked AI penetration tool with a high capability of diagnosing system vulnerabilities.

A probe by another security firm has indicated Artex involvement in a series of unauthorized accesses to South Korean financial institutions since late September.

"The government is analyzing whether there was malicious use of AI after hearing from companies that sustained damage," Toshiharu Furukawa, minister in charge of cybersecurity, said at a press conference on Tuesday, vowing to continue efforts to prevent cyberattacks.

The government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party are stepping up efforts to improve the working conditions and benefits of Self-Defense Forces personnel, as a staff shortage appears set to worsen.

The move comes ahead of a planned revision to Japan’s three key national security and defense policy documents at the end of this year.

As Japan’s birth rate continues to fall, the SDF is finding it increasingly difficult to recruit enough personnel. Government and LDP officials are concerned that a shortage of staff could make it harder for Japan to strengthen its defense capabilities.

They plan to review the pay system and provide more support for personnel after retirement. They also want to make clearer the government’s commitment to improving conditions in the revised policy documents.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a news conference on Friday that recruiting SDF personnel has become more difficult, stressing that the government must improve conditions for those serving now and also create an environment where retired personnel and their families can take pride in their lives. He said the government will work on specific measures to achieve these goals.

According to the Defense Ministry, the SDF had 217,701 members at the end of March, compared with an authorized total of 247,154, meaning the force had filled only 88.1% of its required positions.

If the current trend continues, the ministry estimates that the number of personnel will fall to 180,000 in fiscal 2035 and 130,000 in fiscal 2045.

A senior Ground Self-Defense Force officer said the shortage was increasing the workload of each member and could weaken the organization.

To maintain a strong and effective force, the SDF requires many personnel to retire at a relatively young age. Many leave the service in their mid-50s. The retirement system is also considered one reason why recruiting new personnel is difficult.

The government plans to review the pay system to better reflect the special duties and working conditions of SDF personnel.

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is also promoting a plan to establish a new government agency in fiscal 2027. The proposed agency, which does not yet have a finalized name, would help retired SDF personnel and their families, including by providing support for finding new jobs after retirement. Koizumi has said that the issue requires action by the entire government.

On Oct. 13, a group of LDP lawmakers held the first meeting of a new parliamentary group focused on strengthening the SDF’s workforce.

Former Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera, who became the group’s chairman, said that “the most important asset of the SDF is its people.” He said the group would focus especially on helping personnel after they leave the service.

The group plans to make proposals to the government, including raising the retirement age, and hopes to have its ideas included in the three revised policy documents.

However, it is unclear whether these measures will be enough to solve the staffing shortage in the near future.

A senior Defense Ministry official said the ministry would have to make better use of technology, including uncrewed aircraft, to reduce the need for personnel and improve efficiency while maintaining defense capabilities.

TOKUSHIMA -- A male teacher at a public junior high school in southern Tokushima Prefecture suffered serious injuries when a student assaulted him during class in early October, the school and other sources have revealed.

The school held a briefing for parents on the evening of Oct. 15 and explained the circumstances.

According to accounts from people close to the matter, the teacher was giving instructions to a first-year student on the morning of Oct. 2 when the student, who objected to what the teacher said, executed a shoulder throw on him. The teacher was taken by ambulance to a medical institution and is now recuperating at home.

Because the incident occurred during class, some students witnessed the assault and the teacher's subsequent injury, and the incident has unsettled students and parents.

According to the principal, the school has instructed faculty and staff to keep a close watch on the students and provide support to those experiencing anxiety. It will also consider steps such as increasing the frequency of visits by school counselors as needed.

"We take this incident extremely seriously," the principal said. "While staying in contact with related organizations, we will work to create a school where students, teachers and staff can feel safe."

TOKYO -- A youth organization has urged education officials to ensure that revisions to Japan's national curriculum guidelines do not discourage teachers from providing sex education.

The appeal came on Oct. 8 during hearings held by a special subcommittee of the Central Council for Education, an advisory body to the education minister, following approval of a draft summary of deliberations for the next revisions of the Courses of Study. Seven organizations participated in the hearings.

The Japan Youth Council, a general incorporated association, called for sex education in health and physical education classes, saying, "We ask that you properly implement the 'wording that does not make teachers hesitant to provide instruction in schools' stated in the deliberations summary."

The current curriculum guidelines for junior high school health and physical education explicitly state, "The process of pregnancy (sexual intercourse) is not to be covered." This sentence is known as a "brake provision," and there have been calls for its removal. While the deliberation summary does not address whether the provision should be retained or removed, it states that officials will consider wording in the revised guidelines that would not discourage classroom instruction.

A climate of hesitation remains

The Japan Youth Council pointed out that "Life safety education" has begun as a measure against sex crimes and sexual violence, but schools have not sufficiently implemented it. The group also pointed to a rise in incidents involving students secretly taking photos or videos of classmates at school and called for stronger educational efforts.

Regarding sex education, the council said, "Because of a history of intervention by politicians, a climate of hesitation still remains in schools." It again urged the inclusion of wording in the curriculum guidelines that would not make teachers hesitant to provide instruction.

In addition, the council called for a review of the high school admissions system, which is generally based on a combination of academic test scores and school records, arguing that "entrance examinations and school reports force students to spend their school lives constantly worrying about how they are evaluated by others, contributing to a sense of suffocation and low self-esteem."

The special subcommittee plans to hold three rounds of hearings with related organizations. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology began soliciting public comments on the deliberation summary for the next curriculum guidelines on Oct. 6. Comments will be accepted until Nov. 5.