Society

JR unveils new station in Tokyo opening in 2020

Aug 30 (NHK) - East Japan Railway Company held the first media preview on Wednesday of its new station being built in central Tokyo.

JR East plans to open the station in the spring of 2020, in time for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games that summer. It will stand between Shinagawa and Tamachi stations, and the Yamanote and Keihin Tohoku commuter lines will stop there.

The company says about 70 percent of the planned work has been completed.

The station building has 3 stories above ground and one below. It was designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who also designed the new national stadium for the 2020 Games.

The building features white roofs and big glass walls. The railway tracks are already in place.

Kuma said he believes that railway stations will play a bigger role in people's lives. He added that he hopes the new station will fit in well with the surrounding streets.

A JR East official expressed hope that the station will give visitors to the 2020 Games a fresh impression of Japan.

The new station's name will be chosen from proposals submitted by the public. The winning entry will be announced by winter.

Source: ANNnewsCH

Student's Homemade Bomb Sparks School Lockdown in Sapporo

A suspicious object feared to be explosive was discovered at a high school in Sapporo on the afternoon of November 22nd, causing temporary chaos. The object was found to have been brought to the school by one of its students.

China to resume visa-exemptions for short-term Japanese travelers

China says it will resume allowing visa-free visits by Japanese nationals on short-term trips from the end of this month. (NHK)

Japan Grapples with Poverty and Rising 'Invisible Homeless'

Japan is facing a deepening crisis of poverty and inequality, with rising reports of 'invisible homeless' individuals and growing economic hardships among the population. Discussions over reforms to the country's tax and welfare systems have taken center stage, as policymakers grapple with how to provide meaningful support.

Ueno Toshogu Shrine Shines in Gold with Special Lighting

A special lighting ceremony was held on November 20th at Ueno Toshogu Shrine, located in Ueno Park, Taito Ward, Tokyo. The event featured a unique lighting design created by renowned lighting designer Motoko Ishii.

World's First Fiber Made From Bagworm Silk Revolutionizes Industry

A Japanese pharmaceutical company has announced the successful commercialization of fiber made from silk produced by bagworms.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Man With Snake Tattoo Accused of Theft and Headbutting Store Employee

A man with a distinctive snake-like tattoo on his face has been arrested for shoplifting and assaulting a convenience store employee in Tokyo. The suspect, identified as 49-year-old Masakatsu Echizenya, is accused of stealing items from a store around noon on November 15th and violently attacking the employee who confronted him.