The BBC reports local officials in Iga, which styles itself as the birthplace of ninja-dom, had received a flood of applications from around the world following reports that it was facing a shortage of skilled assassins.

The mix-up apparently began with a report by US broadcaster National Public Radio (NPR), who earlier this month reported in its The Indicator from Planet Money podcast that Iga was struggling to expand its ninja-based tourism strategy because of a labour shortage.

But Iga officials have since claimed they are not hiring ninjas after all. They are, of course, still encouraging visitors to come and experience the town where “ninjas originated”.

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