Society

Japan to deny entry from northern Italy

Mar 11 (NHK) - The Japanese government is set to deny entry to visitors from the northern area of Italy which is the latest hot spot in the coronavirus crisis.

The entry ban will cover five regions including hardest-hit Lombardy and the Republic of San Marino.

This is the first time Japan is banning visitors from Europe following the outbreak.

Entry from some parts of South Korea and Iran have been barred since last week... in addition to China's most affected provinces including Hubei.

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed cases in Japan has increased to 520. The tally does not include some 700 people from the Diamond Princess cruise ship... or over a dozen who returned on chartered flights from China.

Ten people have died in Japan so far... as well as seven from the cruise ship.

The hardest-hit area is the northern prefecture of Hokkaido... where more than 110 infections have been confirmed. Dozens of cases have also been reported in other prefectures such as Aichi, Tokyo, and Osaka.

Health officials say around 350 people have recovered and been discharged from hospital.

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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Garbage Burnoff Spreads to 3 Buildings in Okayama

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Gang Members Arrested After Opening Office Near Nursery

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Six Police Officers Injured After Man Sprays Liquid at Station

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