Society

'Coming of Age' day sees thousands of young women in colourful kimonos

Jan 09 (dailymail.co.uk) - Dazzling in colourful kimonos and wafting clouds of hairspray in their wake, thousands of young Japanese women marked their entry into adulthood today - before hitting bars and clubs to celebrate.

Formal 'Coming of Age' ceremonies, which began as a rite of ancient samurai families, were held across Japan for its 20-year-olds, reminding them of their responsibilities after becoming old enough to legally drink and smoke.

Their male counterparts looked more like they were attending job interviews as most opted for the kind of plain business suit they will wear as 'salarymen' in the future.

Japan Looks to Limit Continuous Work

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's advisory panel has outlined a proposal for amending the law to prohibit working more than 14 consecutive days. Under the current system, workers can technically work up to 48 days in a row through a system known as 'four-day-off-per-four-weeks,' while labor agreements also allow for holiday work, meaning there are no effective restrictions on consecutive workdays.

First 'Rose of Versailles' Manhole Covers Appear in Chiba’s Kashiwa

Manhole covers featuring characters from Riyoko Ikeda’s popular manga The Rose of Versailles were unveiled on November 11th at three locations within Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture.

USJ to Open 'Donkey Kong Country' in December

Universal Studios Japan (USJ) has announced that the new 'Donkey Kong Country' area will open on December 11th, expanding the 'Super Nintendo World' by 1.7 times.

Japan Plans to Raise Teacher Pay

Japan's Finance Ministry presented a plan on November 11th during the Fiscal System Council to gradually increase the 'teacher adjustment allowance' --currently awarded as a substitute for overtime pay -- from its current 4% of monthly salary to 10% over a span of five years.

Satellite Malfunction Leaves Japan Weather Images Unavailable

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) is currently experiencing issues displaying images from the Himawari weather satellite on its official website. Efforts are underway to identify the cause and restore normal service, but the timeline for recovery remains unclear.

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