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Children in Japan observe Crew Dragon launch

Nov 16, 2020 (NHK) - Children cheered on the launch of the Crew Dragon spacecraft at a Japanese elementary school from which astronaut Noguchi Soichi graduated.

About 140 sixth graders of the school in the city of Chigasaki, near Tokyo, watched the launch of the spacecraft carrying Noguchi on a screen in the school gymnasium on Monday morning.

When the rocket blasted off, they cheered and applauded. The students celebrated the successful launch, noticing that the capsule entered orbit 12 minutes later.

A boy said he was impressed that Noguchi took on the difficult space mission. He added if he could go to space, he would want to experience many things he cannot do on earth.

A girl said she was astonished by the powerful launch of the rocket. She said she has been inspired to study hard after seeing Noguchi's efforts as an astronaut.

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Japan’s World Cup campaign ended in the cruelest possible fashion on June 29, as Gabriel Martinelli scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time to give Brazil a 2-1 victory over the Samurai Blue in their knockout match in Houston. Japan had led in the first half and were still level at 1-1 in the final moments, but Martinelli’s late strike sent Brazil into the Round of 16 and eliminated Japan from the tournament.

Strong earthquakes have continued to shake parts of Japan in recent weeks, with 11 temblors measuring lower 5 or above on the Japanese seismic intensity scale recorded across the country since April 2026.

A Kintetsu Railway train derailed inside Kyoto Station on the morning of June 29, forcing partial suspensions on the Kintetsu Kyoto Line for the rest of the day and causing long delays that hit commuters, students and tourists.

A section of stone wall at Hikone Castle, one of Japan’s few surviving original Edo-period castles and a National Treasure whose main keep remains intact more than 400 years after its construction, collapsed after heavy rain caused by Typhoons No. 7 and No. 8, Hikone city officials said.

Japan advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup after a 1-1 draw with Sweden on June 25, finishing second in Group F and setting up a Round of 32 clash with Brazil in Houston.

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