NHK -- Jan 14
A winter phenomenon known as "diamond dust" has been observed in the town of Biei in the northern Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido.
The natural phenomenon is seen when frigid temperatures cause water vapor in the air to freeze and sparkle in the sunlight.
On Sunday, many people with cameras gathered in mountainous areas of the town, where the mercury fell to minus 25.8 degrees Celsius in the morning.
They took photos of the tiny ice crystals in the air shining in the morning sunlight.
Visitors also enjoyed other winter scenes, such as frost-covered trees and a frozen river.
北海道は冷え込みが強まり、北海道旭川市ではダイヤモンドダスト現象が見られました。 空気中の水蒸気が凍り、朝日を浴びて輝いています。13日の北海道は上空に強い寒気が流れ込んだうえ、広い範囲で晴れて放射冷却の影響で冷え込みが強まりました。
Aug 12
The nation entered the dog days of summer Tuesday as temperatures climbed above 40 degrees Celsius in some areas, prompting authorities to issue a heatstroke warning and encourage the removal of face masks in certain situations.
(Japan Times) Aug 12
A court found a 38-year-old man guilty Tuesday for obstructing business at a central Japan town hall in April by acting like a person infected with the novel coronavirus and attempting to spread it to workers. (Kyodo) Aug 12
A Japanese company that operates a cargo ship that ran aground off Mauritius says nearly half of the oil the vessel is believed to have leaked in the Indian Ocean has been collected.
(NHK) Aug 12
The hottest day ever in Japan was 2018 in Kumagaya, Saitama! 41.4℃ or 106.5℉ (ONLY in JAPAN) Aug 12
Swimmer Rikako Ikee, who went public with her leukemia diagnosis in February of last year, will return to competition at a Tokyo meet to be held later this month, sources familiar with the matter said Tuesday. (Japan Times) Aug 11
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government confirmed 188 new cases of COVID-19 infection Tuesday, holding below the 200 mark for a second straight day, but worries over the spread of the new coronavirus remained amid a heat wave in the middle of the Bon summer holiday period.
(Japan Times) Aug 11
Ninety-one people at a high school in Shimane Prefecture have tested positive in recent days for the novel coronavirus in a cluster outbreak centered on the boys’ soccer team, according to local authorities. (Japan Times) Aug 11
The cumulative total of COVD-19 infections in Japan surpassed 50,000 on Monday, including about 700 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama in February. (Japan Times) Aug 11
Narita Airport, one of the main travel hubs for the Tokyo area, has already begun to make changes to keep travelers and workers safe in the coronavirus era. (Nikkei) Aug 11
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government says 197 people were confirmed to have been infected with the new coronavirus on Monday.
(NHK)