Society

New virus case in Japan raises alarm over screening

Jan 17 (Nikkei) - The report Thursday of Japan's first case of the new coronavirus that emerged in China last month has underscored issues with Tokyo's defenses against cross-border outbreaks as the region's busiest travel season of the year begins.

A 30-something resident of Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, tested positive for the virus on Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. This was nine days after his return from a visit to Wuhan, the eastern Chinese city where the virus appears to have originated.

The case has lent added urgency to Japan's rethinking of its screening processes in response to the outbreak, which resulted in a second death on Wednesday. China expects travelers to take 3 billion trips over the 40-day Lunar New Year season that began on Jan. 10 -- and according to Ctrip.com, China's largest online travel operator, Japan is the top foreign destination.

The Kanagawa patient began feeling feverish on Jan. 3 while still in Wuhan. He returned to Japan on Jan. 6, passing through a quarantine station on arrival. While incoming travelers routinely undergo body temperature scans, the test is believed to have found nothing out of the ordinary in this case, owing to the man taking fever-reducing medication.

The man visited a clinic the same day and reported having traveled to Wuhan, but he returned home after the consultation. His temperature reached 39 C on Jan. 9, and he was hospitalized the next day after showing symptoms of pneumonia.

The hospital reported the case to a public health office on Tuesday. Testing by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases confirmed Wednesday night that the patient was infected with the new virus.

Japan implemented a monitoring system for suspected cases of infectious diseases last April. But this applies only in certain circumstances, such as severe illnesses that require intensive treatment. The ministry found the reporting process in this case to be "appropriate" under the rules but said it would discuss whether the system should be changed to require quicker reporting.

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.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Garbage Burnoff Spreads to 3 Buildings in Okayama

A fire that broke out in Kagamino, Okayama Prefecture, shortly after noon on May 20th destroyed three buildings, including a home, after flames from open burning spread to dead leaves and then to nearby structures.

Gang Members Arrested After Opening Office Near Nursery

Six people, including a senior member of a group affiliated with the Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicate's Kohei-ikka faction, have been arrested on suspicion of opening a gang office in a prohibited area near a nursery school in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward.

Six Police Officers Injured After Man Sprays Liquid at Station

A man who visited a police station in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the early hours of May 21st allegedly sprayed a transparent liquid inside the building, causing six police officers to complain of eye and throat pain and be taken to hospital with minor injuries.