News On Japan

Tokyo ranked world's safest city for 3rd consecutive year by EIU

Aug 30, 2019 (Japan Today) - Tokyo has been ranked the world's safest city for the third year running, followed by Singapore and Osaka, according to the latest report by the Economist Intelligence Unit released on Thursday.

The EIU is one of the leading research and analysis firms today that provides relevant and up-to-date information on critical topics worldwide. They produce reports and analyses on global economic, political, and business issues. This latest report about the safest cities will help many people decide whether to invest, settle or travel to the cities in the top ten.

The Safe Cities Index 2019 report, released at a one-day conference on safe cities and organized by The Economist in Singapore, mentioned that Tokyo enjoys a "broad array of strengths" with "low crime levels (both violent and petty), infrastructure designed to withstand natural shocks and low risk of computer malware."

By category, Tokyo saw the strongest performance in digital security, coming in first. But it came in second, behind Osaka, in health security, fourth for infrastructure security and also fourth for personal security, with the report pointing out that the city is still plagued by corruption and organized crime.

Tokyo's Governor Yuriko Koike was quoted as saying in the report that due to the threat of global climate change, and Japan being prone to earthquakes, Tokyo has pursued a range of reforms to protect its residents from natural disasters.

No wonder the vibrant city is being eyed by many, not just as a travel destination but as a place to explore career opportunities. Jobs in the technology, engineering, finance, and health sectors are booming in the city. And if you plan to jumpstart your career here, looking for a neighborhood to settle in can be daunting. There are many online articles about the best Tokyo neighborhoods that you can check on reputable sites.

But to give you a head start, check out Nakameguro with its trendy atmosphere, stylish shops, and friendly cafés. You’d also be delighted to stroll along the streets lined by pretty cherry blossom trees.

Amsterdam was ranked fourth on the index followed by Sydney, Toronto, Washington, Copenhagen, Seoul and Melbourne.

Elsewhere in Asia, Beijing was ranked 31st, while Shanghai trailed at 32 on the list of 60 cities.

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Typhoon No. 31 was located near Minamitorishima Island in the Pacific Ocean, as of 3 a.m. on October 30, and was expected to approach the Ogasawara Islands south of Tokyo over the October 31-November 1 weekend while maintaining very strong intensity, bringing a growing risk of dangerously high waves, powerful swells and extremely rough seas.

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Hokkaido University's famous ginkgo avenue in Sapporo has reached its peak autumn color, attracting residents and tourists to the campus ahead of the two-day Hokudai Golden Leaf Festival on October 31 and November 1, an event that drew 35,000 visitors last year.

A spectacular illumination of the Hashigui Rocks, a nationally designated natural monument in Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, is set to begin on October 30, transforming a series of unusual coastal rock formations into a colorful nighttime attraction.

Japan's first major cold spell of the season brought snow, freezing winds and record-low autumn temperatures across the country, with 639 observation points registering their coldest readings of the season on October 29, while forecasts issued that evening indicated that temperatures would recover on October 30 as rain spread across much of the country.

Typhoon No. 31 was located near Minamitorishima Island in the Pacific Ocean, as of 3 a.m. on October 30, and was expected to approach the Ogasawara Islands south of Tokyo over the October 31-November 1 weekend while maintaining very strong intensity, bringing a growing risk of dangerously high waves, powerful swells and extremely rough seas.

Japan's first significant snowfall of the season has brought winter conditions to Hokkaido and northern Honshu, with snow depths exceeding 10 centimeters in several mountain and inland locations on October 28, while a fresh wave of cold air is expected to bring further snowfall over the weekend of October 31 and November 1.

Osaka's iconic Tsutenkaku Tower celebrated the 70th anniversary of its reopening on October 28, marking seven decades since the landmark was rebuilt in 1956 as a symbol of the city's postwar recovery, while new attractions continue to draw visitors to the surrounding Shinsekai entertainment district.

A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck northeastern Chiba Prefecture at around 12:07 a.m. on October 29, registering a maximum intensity of 5-lower on Japan's seven-level seismic scale and sending tremors across a wide area of eastern and central Japan, including Narita Airport, where footage captured the moment of shaking.

Japan will introduce a major overhaul of its tax-free shopping system for foreign visitors on November 1, replacing immediate tax exemptions at stores with a refund system that requires travelers to pay the full consumption tax upfront and claim reimbursement when leaving the country, a change expected to reshape retail strategies and purchasing behavior across the tourism industry.