Society

Govt. to ask universities to help foreign students

Sep 30 (NHK) - Japan's education minister Hagiuda Koichi says he will ask universities to let foreign students attend extra classes to make up for lost opportunities to study because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Japanese government plans to ease entry restrictions on arrivals from all countries and territories starting in October. Foreign students and businesspeople will be allowed to enter.

The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a delay in such students joining Japanese universities, sparking concerns they may fall behind in their studies.

Hagiuda told reporters on Tuesday he will request that universities offer supplementary lessons and other support for students from abroad.

Hagiuda said he understands that such measures could be a burden on universities. He said the education ministry is willing to support reasonable efforts such as online classes by covering communication expenses.

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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