Society

Sapporo may bid to host 2030 Winter Olympics

May 11 (NHK) - The Japanese city of Sapporo may aim to become the host city of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in 2030 rather than the 2026 Games.

Sapporo Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto is expected to inform Japanese Olympic Committee President Tsunekazu Takeda before making an official decision on the matter.

Sapporo had been consulting with the JOC and other relevant organizations over its plan to host the Winter Games in 2026.

Sapporo officials say they now find it hard to hold the Games that year and they have begun discussing an alternative plan with the JOC.

If Sapporo wins its bid for the 2026 Games, it means that the Winter Games will be held in Asia for the 3rd consecutive time, and the idea has reportedly drawn objections from other Olympic committees.

The Swiss city of Sion, Canada's Calgary and other western cities are bidding to host the 2026 Games.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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