Society

Mercury probes by Japan, Europe to be launched

May 15 (the-japan-news.com) - Two probes in a joint Mercury exploration mission between Japan and Europe, named BepiColombo, will be launched from French Guiana in South America aboard an Ariane 5 rocket in October.

Mercury, the closest planet to the sun, is 4,880 kilometers in diameter and two-fifths the size of Earth. It is still shrouded in mystery because of difficulty observing it and sending a probe from Earth.

Scientists are excited about the mission, in which the probes are slated to arrive at the planet at the end of 2025. They say that the mission will bring discoveries that will make it necessary to rewrite textbooks.

In the mission, the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter, developed by Japan, and the Mercury Planetary Orbiter, by the European Space Agency, will enter the orbit of the planet.

The MMO will observe Mercuryâ€™s magnetic field in detail and study the internal structure, including a molten metallic core creating the magnetic field that is believed to exist in the planet. Meanwhile, the MPO will examine the planetâ€™s terrain, the composition of its minerals and other features.

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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Garbage Burnoff Spreads to 3 Buildings in Okayama

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Gang Members Arrested After Opening Office Near Nursery

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Six Police Officers Injured After Man Sprays Liquid at Station

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