Society

Imperial Palace tours to be available in Chinese

Oct 30 (Japan Times) - The Imperial Household Agency said Monday that it will fully start offering Chinese guided tours around the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Thursday, in an addition to the existing Japanese and English tours.

Responding to a rise in the number of foreign visitors to Japan, the agency started English tours around the palace in May.

But given the fact that over a quarter of foreign visitors to the palace are from China, it launched dedicated tours for them on a trial basis in the same month.

BOJ Raises Policy Rate to 0.5%

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) has decided to raise its policy interest rate from an annualized 0.25 percent to 0.5 percent. This marks the first rate hike in six months and appears aimed at correcting the historically weak yen.

Severe Rice Shortage Looms in Japan

Japan is facing an unprecedented rice shortage, with recent data highlighting alarming supply-demand imbalances in the domestic market. The Agricultural Newspaper reported on January 10 that the DI (Demand-Supply Index), a measure of rice market balance, reached a record high of 80. This figure indicates a critical shortfall in rice availability, surpassing even last year's levels when supermarket shelves were emptied.

Media Scandal Deepens as Fuji TV Faces New Allegations

The resignation of popular television personality Masahiro Nakai has sent shockwaves through the Japanese entertainment industry. Announced through his agency’s website, Nakai apologized, stating, “I’m truly sorry for this sudden farewell.” His decision to retire has sparked debates over whether this marks the conclusion of ongoing controversies surrounding him and the television networks involved.

Man Stabs Three Near Nagano Station

Three people were attacked near JR Nagano Station at around 8 p.m., leaving a man in his 40s in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest and two others hospitalized.

Inoue Unfazed as Title Defense Draws Near

Naoya Inoue, the unified world super bantamweight champion across four major boxing organizations, will face Kim Ye-jun, the World Boxing Organization's (WBO) 11th-ranked contender, at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on January 24th.

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Man charged with killing Japanese boy in China sentenced to death

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Testing the Spirit in Freezing Waterfalls

Every year, even in the depths of winter, people take on the challenge of waterfall meditation. The reasons vary: to clear their minds, strengthen their spirits, ward off misfortune, or affirm resolutions for a fresh start.

Man Stabs Three Near Nagano Station

Three people were attacked near JR Nagano Station at around 8 p.m., leaving a man in his 40s in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest and two others hospitalized.

Osaka court awards family full lost wages of girl with disability killed in 2018

A Japanese high court has ruled that the calculation of earnings a girl with a hearing impairment who died in an accident would have made must be 100 percent based on the average income in Japan. (NHK)

Co-pilot Vomits on Plane Just Before Departure

A Japan Airlines (JAL) international flight faced a major delay after one of its pilots was found to have consumed alcohol exceeding the allowable limits the night before departure. Investigations by FNN have revealed conflicting accounts between JAL and the pilot involved regarding the decision to proceed with the flight.

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