Osaka entertainment district gears up for a new century
News On Japan via Asahi -- Jul 25
A muscle-bound local hero is leading the charge in the makeover of the Shinsekai district of Osaka, one of the most popular entertainment areas of the city.
Shinsekai in Naniwa Ward, which lies next to the humble Kamagasaki district where day-laborers concentrate, has retained the distinct flavor of a working-class neighborhood. But visitor numbers have declined and shops and restaurants have been shuttered.
However, thanks to a campaign organized by local leaders and merchants, young crowds and women are coming back to Shinsekai to get a taste of the local specialty, "kushikatsu" (fried cutlets on a skewer), or take in the town's "Showa retro" feel that brings back memories of the 1960s and '70s.
On July 3, a sizable crowd braved the rain to view the unfurling of a colorful banner proudly announcing the 100th anniversary of Shinsekai.
About 150 guests, including local merchants and shop keepers, attended the ceremony at a hall in the basement of Tsutenkaku Tower, a symbol of the district.
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Jun 17
| Population pyramid a thing of the past |
|  The Japanese word "choju," meaning longevity, implies, with its kanji, joyous celebration of long life. Intrinsically, it is a joyful thing for people to live long. But if a society has many people who age in solitude, isolated from their families and local communities, it cannot be called choju. It should rather be called "roka shakai," or a society that weakens as it ages. (Yomiuri  ) |
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Jun 16
| Crown Prince returns from Spain |
|  Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito has ended his official visit to Spain after a trip to a Christian pilgrimage site in the northwest. His visit marked the 400th anniversary of relations between the 2 countries. (NHK ) |
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Jun 16
| Osaka transvestite bar busted for licensing violations |
|  Osaka Prefectural Police on Friday busted a transvestite in bar in Minami Ward for operating illegally. At 11:15 p.m., officers took Anna Ueda, 34, the manager of club Chu-, into custody for violating the Law Regulating Adult Entertainment Businesses after discovering two employees serving one customer alcohol and food. The club did not have a license to provide such services. (Tokyo Reporter) |
Police said Monday they have arrested a 64-year-old woman in connection with the murder of her 59-year-old partner in Seki, Gifu Prefecture. (Japan Today 
Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Monday announced the bust of a massage parlor in the Gotanda area of Shinagawa Ward on charges of prostitution. (Tokyo Reporter 
Saitama Prefectural Police on Monday announced the arrest of 31 suspects connected with special criminal groups for violent incidents that took place earlier this year. (Tokyo Reporter 
Four people were injured in a series of attacks by at least two bears on Saturday and Sunday in Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture. (Japan Today 
Tokyo Metropolitan Police last week arrested the manager of a beauty products company that defrauded women recruited on the social-networking site Mixi. (Tokyo Reporter) 
Police said Sunday they have arrested two men who allegedly pushed a 43-year-old man off the platform onto the tracks on Saturday morning at JR Oimachi Station in Tokyo. (Japan Today 
Police have arrested a 28-year-old man has been arrested for providing a service that illegally put high school girls in contact with men for the purpose of prostitution. (Japan Today