Society

More foreign workers in Mie losing jobs and homes in virus pandemic

Apr 25 (Japan Times) - As the spread of COVID-19 infections hits the nationâ€™s economy hard, foreign workers at manufacturers are being severely affected, with some losing their jobs and homes.

At a public employment security office in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, this month, foreign nationals visited the interpretation service counter to complete the procedures required to receive unemployment benefits.

A 31-year-old Japanese Brazilian said he had been working for an auto parts maker until the end of March, when his contract was allowed to expire.

â€œSince Iâ€™m a contract worker, I was told to leave immediately after the firm started reducing production,â€ he said.

According to the Mie Labor Bureau, the number of foreign workers in the prefecture totaled 30,316 as of the end of October. That included 10,446 temporary and contract workers, making up 34.5 percent of the total. The prefectureâ€™s proportion of such workers is the fourth highest in the nation after Shiga, Shizuoka and Tochigi prefectures.

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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