Scholars unmask ninja lore

A JAPANESE university is planning what it says will be the world’s first research centre devoted to ninja — the black-clad assassins known for secrecy and stealth.

Ninja have been enjoying a resurgence as Japanese authorities increasingly deploy them to promote tourism ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Now Mie University in central Japan has announced that a ninja research facility will be established in July.

It plans to compile a database of ninja and encourage co-operation between scholars from different disciplines who study ninja. — AFP