Society

Former SMAP member Katsuyuki Mori wins auto race national championship

Nov 04 (Kyodo) - Katsuyuki Mori, a former member of superstar pop idol group SMAP, won the national championship Tuesday in auto race, a Japanese version of motorcycle speedway which allows gambling on races.

The 46-year-old -- who left the immensely popular, now-disbanded group in 1996 -- was in tears after winning his first top-level event in the 5,100-meter race, comprising 10 laps of the Kawaguchi Circuit in Saitama, north of Tokyo.

"I owe this to my friends and all my fans. I want to share (the joy) with my father, who has been my biggest supporter," said Mori, who has competed in the sport for 24 years.

Luck was on Mori's side when he moved up from third to first place on the sixth lap, following a crash that took out both riders ahead of him.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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

A Japanese government information-gathering satellite has successfully been put into a planned orbit around Earth. (NHK)

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

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University of Tokyo Raises Tuition Fees for First Time in 20 Years

The University of Tokyo has officially decided to increase tuition by approximately 110,000 yen for incoming undergraduate students starting next academic year, bringing the total to 642,960 yen.

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