Aug 02 (the-japan-news.com) - Maiko (apprentice geiko), dressed in formal black kimono, walk in Kyoto's entertainment district to pay courtesy calls on teahouses and their teachers of traditional arts on Tuesday.
Known as hassaku, which originally referred to Aug. 1 on the lunar calendar, this has become a traditional summer practice in which geiko and maiko express thanks to people who have given them assistance.
The streets of Shibuya became a chaotic scene during the year-end party season, with excessive drinking leading to public disorder. People were found sleeping on the streets, fights broke out among groups of young revelers, and police and emergency services were frequently called to intervene.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has unveiled a new passport design set to be issued from March next year. The new system will allow online applications not only for renewals but also for new passport requests. Submitting an original family register certificate will no longer be required for online applications.
The next generation of solar cells, known as perovskite solar panels, are ultra-thin, lightweight, and bendable. The Japanese government has set a goal of achieving the equivalent of the energy output from 20 nuclear reactors with perovskite solar cells by 2040. With their use set to expand in various locations next year, 2024 is being called "the dawn of domestic perovskite."
The number of teachers taking mental health leave reached a record high of 7,119 in the 2023 fiscal year at public schools across Japan.
Japan's Ministry of Justice has released this year’s crime white paper, revealing that the number of recognized penal code offenses increased for the second consecutive year.
A Lawson convenience store has opened in Ryujin Village, Wakayama Prefecture, bringing a much-needed lifeline to a rural community left without a supermarket. The store, which operates 24/7, was established through the passion of its owner, Atsushi Yamada, who sought to give back to the village where his grandfather was born.
Santa takes to the skies, delivering presents to southern islands. From the rear of an open transport aircraft, boxes equipped with parachutes descend to the ground, marked by the glow of a blue light. These deliveries, bringing joy to residents of remote islands in the South Pacific, are part of an international joint exercise involving Japan's Air Self-Defense Force since 2015.
Japan's Ministry of Justice has released this year’s crime white paper, revealing that the number of recognized penal code offenses increased for the second consecutive year.
Police in Kitakyushu have arrested Masanori Hirahara, a 43-year-old unemployed man living near the crime scene, on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the stabbing of two junior high school students at a fast-food restaurant.
Influenza cases in Japan have surged since early December, with a sharp increase in patient reports per medical institution. At a Towa Pharmaceutical factory in Yamagata, demand has exceeded supply despite last year’s facility expansion.
Police have arrested Takashima Nozomu, a 64-year-old author on suspicion of leaving a body in his apartment in Shinagawa, Tokyo.
An elderly woman was stabbed by another woman inside Kobe’s Sannomiya subway station, leading to the suspect’s arrest at the scene on charges of attempted murder.
Japanese 'kira-kira names,' with atypical pronunciation or meaning, could soon be partially accepted under certain conditions, according to proposed guidelines from Japan's Ministry of Justice.
