Society

ANA, JAL expand flight cuts as coronavirus hits travel demand

Mar 14 (Japan Times) - All Nippon Airways Co. and Japan Airlines Co. said Friday they will cancel more domestic flights as travel demand is drying up in the wake of the global coronavirus outbreak.

ANA will also cancel some international flights bound for Europe and North America from late March after suspending some Asian services following the outbreak of the virus in China.

Flights connecting Haneda Airport in Tokyo and New York, and those between Narita Airport and Los Angeles will be suspended, while flights between Haneda and Paris would be reduced, ANA said.

An additional 1,360 ANA flights on 42 routes will be cut this month, raising the total number of canceled flights to 2,224.

JAL will cut another 1,468 domestic flights on 60 routes by March 28, bringing its total cancellations due to the virus to over 3,000.

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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Six Police Officers Injured After Man Sprays Liquid at Station

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