News On Japan

Baby pigs roam at Japan's latest animal-themed cafe

May 18 (euronews.com) - Mipig Cafe, in Tokyo's trendy central Meguro neighbourhood, is the newest addition to Japan's ever-growing list of animal-themed cafes that includes cats, owls and hedgehogs.

Opened in March this year, the cafe lets visitors spend 30 minutes getting acquainted with its oinking occupants for about $8, plus the cost of a drink.

Visitors can pet and play with the tiny trotters on three different floors, while sipping a tea or coffee. The cafe is a new expansion for Mipig, whose main business lies in Japan's Yamanashi prefecture, where they run a micro pig farm.

The ting piglets are imported from the United Kingdom and bred as pets for Japanese families.

While a trip to the cafe might be in your budget, micro pigs themselves can cost around $3,000. Shiho Kitagawa from Mipig says demand for micro pigs is increasing, their waiting list has over 100 names.

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As of early on October 7th, Typhoon No. 22 (Halong) was moving northwest along the southern edge of the Pacific high-pressure system. It is expected to continue following the periphery of the high, gradually shifting its path northward before turning eastward around October 9th. Meteorological agencies forecast that by October 8th it will shift more northward before curving eastward, likely reaching its peak intensity around October 9th. As the system moves over warm waters favorable for development, it is projected to become a “strong” typhoon by October 7th and further intensify into a “very strong” system by October 9th.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump took to social media to congratulate Japan following the selection of its first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, writing that "Japan has just elected its first female Prime Minister, a highly respected person of great wisdom and strength.” While Trump did not name Takaichi directly, his post came as she assumed leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and was set to be formally elected as prime minister.

Train services on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line remained suspended throughout the day on October 6th following a derailment the previous night, leaving commuters and students stranded and forcing many to queue for hours for replacement buses. In areas along the line, long lines formed at bus stops, and rental electric kick scooters quickly ran out as residents searched for alternative transport options.

Osaka University’s Shimon Sakaguchi, a specially appointed professor, has been awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his groundbreaking work in immunology. Sakaguchi is best known for discovering “regulatory T cells,” a type of immune cell that suppresses excessive immune responses, a finding that has had far-reaching implications in medical science.

A collision occurred on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line on the night of October 5th when a local train attempting to arrive at Kajigaya Station in Kawasaki City struck a stationary out-of-service train, causing several cars of the latter to derail. Investigators from the Japan Transport Safety Board arrived at the scene on the morning of October 6th to begin examining the cause of the accident.

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Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako visited Kyoto for the first time in six years to attend an international forum that began on October 5th, where discussions focused on the role and implications of artificial intelligence in society.

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