Society

Yakuza to be arrested for 2013 murder of Ohsho food chain chief

TOKYO, Oct 28 (Nikkei) - A senior member of one of Japan's major crime syndicates is set to be arrested Friday on suspicion of shooting and killing the president of major fast food chain "Gyoza no Ohsho" in Kyoto in 2013, investigative sources said.

Police have obtained an arrest warrant for Yukio Tanaka, a 56-year-old member of crime syndicate Kudo-kai, after Takayuki Ohigashi, 72, then head of Ohsho Food Service Corp., was shot dead in a parking lot in front of the company's head office in the western Japanese city on Dec. 19, 2013.

The move came after a police investigation demonstrated that traces of DNA from a cigarette butt found near the crime scene matched that of the suspect. The cigarette was the same brand as those Tanaka usually smoked at the time, the sources said.

Tanaka is currently serving time in prison on a 10-year sentence handed down in November 2020, where he was convicted of shooting at a car belonging to a major general contractor in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan.

Ohigashi was shot four times, in his chest and abdomen, when he got out of his car in the parking lot in Kyoto's Yamashina Ward. Several hundred thousands of yen in cash was found left in his car. ...continue reading

Source: ANNnewsCH

Zao’s Snow Monsters Face Extinction

Zao’s iconic snow monsters, the frost-covered trees known as 'juhyo,' face an existential threat. These towering, snow-laden trees have long been a winter highlight in the region, famously resembling monstrous figures covered in snow. However, their survival is now under severe threat.

Japan Ranks 92nd in English Proficiency, Lowest in History

EF Education First, a global education organization, published this year’s English Proficiency Index on Wednesday, ranking nations worldwide. Japan’s ranking stood at 92nd among 116 countries and regions, continuing a 14-year trend of record lows.

Famed Hot Spring Struggles to Handle Visitor Surge

Ginzan Hot Springs in Yamagata, known for its Taisho-era charm, is now at peak season for autumn foliage. While this secluded onsen town is a well-known destination in the Tohoku region, an influx of foreign tourists has led local officials to implement restrictions on day visitors starting next month.

Convenience Stores to Start Selling Over-the-Counter Drugs

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has announced plans to allow the sale of over-the-counter drugs at convenience stores without on-site pharmacists.

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.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

More Elderly Living Alone in Japan

The number of single-person households in Japan is expected to surpass 40% by 2050, according to recent projections.

Japan's Abandoned Car Issue - Millions in Forgotten Legends

It's no secret that Japan is lined with seemingly forgotten about cars. This is the second video I dedicate to showing you guys what I can sometimes run across in my travels and as much as it is sad to see cars left to crumble away into nothingness, there's always something impossibly visual about seeing grimy decay, especially if on cars we all love so much. (Dino DC)