Society

Rugby: Launch of Japan's new league may be delayed: JRFU executive

May 12 (Kyodo) - The launch of a new domestic rugby competition in Japan, originally scheduled for fall next year, may be delayed due to the one-year postponement of the Summer Olympics, a Japan Rugby Football Union executive said Monday.

Speaking to reporters online, Mayumi Taniguchi, a member of a group set up to establish the new league, said it "may be difficult" to launch in the early fall of 2021 because the Tokyo Games are slated to take place in that summer.

She indicated the possibility of the opening being pushed back to early 2022.

The league is projected to comprise three divisions including teams from the Japan Rugby Top League and the second-tier Top Challenge League, in addition to a number of other clubs applying to join.

The Japan-based Sunwolves, who will be excluded from Super Rugby starting next year, aim to compete in a league in Australia including other Super Rugby sides, CEO Yuji Watase said Monday.

According to Watase, the Australian league is expected to open as early as July, but the Sunwolves' participation is still being negotiated as the Australian government must approve the team's entry into the country during competition.

Ishiba Shigeru elected LDP leader

Ishiba Shigeru has been elected leader of Japan's main ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The former LDP Secretary-General is now virtually assured of becoming the next prime minister. (NHK)

Hakamada Case Ends With Acquittal After 58 Years

The Hakamada case, a decades-long legal struggle, ended with an acquittal for Iwao Hakamada (88), who, along with his sister Hideko, fought for 58 years. Hakamada was suspected of the 1966 murder of a miso company executive’s family.

Japan launches information-gathering satellite on H2A rocket

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New Red Lights for Japan's Police Cars

Japan's National Police Agency is introducing new patrol cars equipped with red lights designed to assist people with hearing impairments, flashing differently depending on whether the vehicle is on an emergency run or a routine patrol.

Over 300 New Geoglyphs Discovered by Yamagata University in Nazca

Yamagata University, which has been conducting research on the Nazca geoglyphs in Peru, announced the discovery of over 300 new geoglyphs, depicting a variety of subjects, including humans and animals.

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