Society

Hotel Okura Tokyo fully booked during 2020 Olympics

Aug 04 (Kyodo) - Hotel Okura Tokyo, the flagship hotel of one of Japan's top hotel chain operators, has been fully booked during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics thanks to stays by officials connected with the International Olympic Committee.

All 508 guest rooms of the Tokyo hotel will be fully occupied during the Summer Games, Chizu Nakashiro, an official of Okura Nikko Hotel Management, a hotel-operating subsidiary of Hotel Okura Co., said at a promotional event in Kuala Lumpur last week.

About half of guest rooms at Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba, located in one of the most popular destinations for foreign tourists in Tokyo, have also been booked by IOC officials, said Nakashiro, who is in charge of international sales for the hotel operator.

A new main building of the Hotel Okura Tokyo, now under construction to replace the old one, is scheduled to open in the fall of 2019, with its name changed to The Okura Tokyo.

Student's Homemade Bomb Sparks School Lockdown in Sapporo

A suspicious object feared to be explosive was discovered at a high school in Sapporo on the afternoon of November 22nd, causing temporary chaos. The object was found to have been brought to the school by one of its students.

China to resume visa-exemptions for short-term Japanese travelers

China says it will resume allowing visa-free visits by Japanese nationals on short-term trips from the end of this month. (NHK)

Japan Grapples with Poverty and Rising 'Invisible Homeless'

Japan is facing a deepening crisis of poverty and inequality, with rising reports of 'invisible homeless' individuals and growing economic hardships among the population. Discussions over reforms to the country's tax and welfare systems have taken center stage, as policymakers grapple with how to provide meaningful support.

Ueno Toshogu Shrine Shines in Gold with Special Lighting

A special lighting ceremony was held on November 20th at Ueno Toshogu Shrine, located in Ueno Park, Taito Ward, Tokyo. The event featured a unique lighting design created by renowned lighting designer Motoko Ishii.

World's First Fiber Made From Bagworm Silk Revolutionizes Industry

A Japanese pharmaceutical company has announced the successful commercialization of fiber made from silk produced by bagworms.

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