JIJI English News-時事通信英語ニュース‪-‬ 時事通信社

In hope of boosting sales of bread, whose consumption slows down during hot season, some specialty stores and manufacturers in Japan are focusing on selling "cold bread," which can be eaten like a dessert.

Japanese scriptwriter Mieko Osanai, known for the hit television drama series "Mr. Kinpachi in Class 3B," died of old age on May 2. She was 94.

An official of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, in a television program Sunday, stressed that the ruling bloc's proposals for revising the political funds control law would be effective in eradicating law violations, while opposition party officials claimed that there are many loopholes.

Wage hikes are spreading among small companies in Japan, which account for about 70pctof the country's employment, on the back of labor shortages and price increases, according to a Japanese government white paper.

The third "Japan Parade" aimed at spreading Japanese culture was held in Manhattan, New York, on Saturday.

Japanese Princess Aiko on Saturday visited the National Archives of Japan in Tokyo to view a special exhibition featuring Japanese literature from the country's Heian period, which continued from the eighth to 12th centuries.