KANTO The death of an American resident in Tokyo in a fatal bar fight late last month is not likely to result in any severe punishment being meted out due to the circumstances of the case, legal experts say. [THE JAPAN TIMES]

KANTO At least a dozen students gave a total of 3.4 million yen to the office of the dean of Yokohama City University’s medical school as alleged kickbacks for obtaining doctorates in medicine from the university since 2003, it has been learned. [YOMIURI]

KANTO Most people in Tokyo would try to return home immediately if a major earthquake struck the metropolitan area, even though the government would rather they were temporarily evacuated, according to a recent survey by the Cabinet Office. [YOMIURI]

KANTO Three people died in a residential fire in Chikusei, Ibaraki Prefecture, police said Sunday. [KYODO]

KANTO A South Korean civic group leader was allowed to enter Japan at Narita airport near Tokyo on Saturday after criticism mounted over the refusal Wednesday of her entry at the same airport. [KYODO]

KANTO The Maritime Self-Defense Force on Tuesday recalled its warships from the search for the missing father and son whose fishing boat was run over by a destroyer last month. [THE JAPAN TIMES]

KANTO The president of a construction company with an alleged link to a gang and nine employees were arrested Tuesday for pressuring tenants of a Tokyo office building to vacate their rooms at the request of its owner, police said. [MAINICHI]

KANTO The Japan Coast Guard is set to open investigations into the alleged harassing of the factory ship of Japan’s whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society on Monday, coast guard officials said. [KYODO]

KANTO Police are investigating an incident near Narita Airport after a plastic bag inside a car parked here caught fire over the weekend. [MAINICHI]

KANTO When the Yokosuka Coast Guard Office inspected the sections of the fishing boat that were recovered after the boat was hit by the destroyer Atago, it damaged part of the boat’s bow and had to suspend its work, it has been learned. [YOMIURI]

KANTO The radar crew of the destroyer Atago failed to detect the fishing boat Seitoku Maru until the two vessels collided on Feb. 19, according to sources. [YOMIURI]

KANTO Two former managers of McDonald’s Co. (Japan) Ltd. outlets plan to file a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court in March demanding that the company pay them a total of 7 million yen in unpaid overtime allowances, sources close to the matter said Friday. [KYODO]

KANTO A man who ran away to Tokyo with his 13-year-old girlfriend last year has been convicted of abduction. [MAINICHI]

KANTO The greater Tokyo area — with its current population of 35.7 million inhabitants — is expected to maintain its No. 1 slot as the most populated urban area, according to the latest U.N. report released Tuesday [KYODO]

KANTO Fishermen bowed their heads in silence Monday and decided to end their search for two colleagues missing since their boat was run over by Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer on Feb. 19. [ASAHI]

KANTO A ¥2 gold coin issued in 1880 was sold Sunday for ¥32.1 million at an auction in Tokyo held by the Finance Ministry. [THE JAPAN TIMES]

KANTO Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba indicated Sunday that the Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer Atago was obliged to take evasive action to avoid the collision with a trawler Tuesday that left two fishermen missing, while rejecting the opposition camp’s call for his resignation over the incident. [KYODO]

KANTO A crew member of the destroyer Atago that hit and sank a tuna fishing boat in waters off Chiba Prefecture on Tuesday morning told investigators he sounded a warning whistle five times shortly before the collision, it has been learned. [YOMIURI]

KANTO A Maritime Self-Defense Force Aegis-equipped destroyer might have lost track of a fishing boat after spotting it 12 minutes before the two vessels collided Tuesday, according to sources. [YOMIURI]

KANTO A crew member on lookout duty on the Maritime Self-Defense Force Aegis destroyer Atago saw a light believed to be that of a fishing boat 12 minutes before the two vessels collided, it was learned Wednesday. [YOMIURI]