Society

Ban on ticket scalping comes into force ahead of Tokyo Olympics

Jun 15 (Japan Today) - A law to prohibit ticket scalping for concerts and sports events came into force Friday ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

The legislation, which was approved by the Diet last December, prohibits the resale of tickets at prices higher than their original ones and taking possession of them for the purpose of scalping. The ban includes online reselling.

Violators will face a possible jail term of up to one year or fine of up to 1 million yen, or both.

Subject to the ban are tickets that designate seats or the name of spectators in advance, as well as quick response or QR codes and IC cards that serve as electronic tickets. The law also requires event organizers to make efforts to identify ticket holders.

Invitation tickets and those distributed for free are not subject to the new law, while individuals who became unable to attend an event they paid for can use the organizer's official website to resell their tickets.

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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