Society

Ibaraki roundup: Cops corral 34 over Coming-of-Age Day road rampage

Jan 09 (tokyoreporter.com) - Dozens of persons have been apprehended for allegedly driving and riding vehicles and motorcycles dangerously following Coming-of-Age Day ceremonies last year, police said, reports TBS News (Jan. 7).

Through Tuesday, police had sent 34 persons, including a 21-year-old male member of the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF), to prosecutors for violating the Road Traffic Act.

All of the persons admit to the allegations. â€œI wanted to stand out on

Coming-of-Age Day,â€ one of the persons was quoted.

In footage provided by the network, two vehicles and 12 motorcycles are shown maneuvering in a circle at an intersection in Inashiki City. Flags, including the Japanese hinomaru, are flying above the vehicles.

The GSDF member and two others were arrested in the case. All three have paid a fine.

Coming-of-Age Day takes place on the second Monday of January. Across the nation, ceremonies are held to congratulate those who reached the

age of 20 by April 2 the year before and those who will reach that age by the upcoming April 1.

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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