Society

Suga: Japan-S.Korea ties cannot stay strained

Sep 25 (NHK) - Japan's Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide asked South Korean President Moon Jae-in to take steps to improve the strained relationship between the two countries in their first telephone conversation.

Suga and Moon spoke for about 20 minutes on Thursday at South Korea's request. The conversation began at 11 a.m.

During the discussion, Suga thanked Moon for congratulating him, after he assumed the post of prime minister. He asked Moon to work with him to tackle the coronavirus and other issues.

Suga noted that Japan and South Korea are important neighbors. He said the partnership between the two countries is vital. The prime minister added that the issue of North Korea is critical to both nations.

Relations between Japan and South Korea have cooled over issues, such as claims by some Koreans that they were forced to work for Japanese companies during World War Two.

Suga told Moon that relations between the countries cannot remain as they are.

Referring to the entry restrictions imposed by the two countries due to the new coronavirus, they agreed to accelerate talks on the resumption of travel by business people and others in the near future.

Prime Minister Suga told reporters later that he plans to maintain Japan's stances on various issues. He also insisted he will demand that South Korea take appropriate action.

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.