Society

Olympic spectators may be allowed to bring own drinks to beat heat

Jun 28 (Japan Today) - Spectators at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games may be allowed to bring their own bottled drinks into event venues, marking a major departure from past security procedures, organizers indicated Thursday.

The proposed step is among a raft of countermeasures outlined by the local organizing committee to protect the health of visitors, volunteers and athletes who may experience extreme heat and humidity during Tokyo's summer.

Other measures include patrols of venues by staff with first-aid training, as well as the installation of "cool spots" for spectators that provide shade and cooling fans.

Ticketholders have been prevented from carrying liquids into past Olympic and other major sporting event venues due to anti-terrorism concerns, as well as to uphold commercial arrangements with sponsors.

Tokyo Games organizers will still consider safety issues and the branding rights of major sponsors, including Coca-Cola Co, in formulating rules on the use of drink bottles, according to Tokyo 2020 Games delivery officer Hidemasa Nakamura.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

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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

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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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