Society

Bach wants athletes from abroad vaccinated

Nov 17 (NHK) - The president of the International Olympic Committee says foreign athletes and visitors to the Tokyo Games next year should be vaccinated for the coronavirus before entering Japan if a vaccine is available.

IOC President Thomas Bach made the remark during a meeting with Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko at the Office of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government on Monday. He arrived in Tokyo on Sunday for the first time since the decision was made in March to postpone the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics to next year.

At the meeting, Koike said she hopes the Tokyo Games will represent a victory over the coronavirus. She said Tokyo and Japan are making a maximum effort to welcome athletes from around the world to the Games and they will be held in a safe manner, free of worries.

She expressed readiness to work closely with the IOC.

Koike spoke about how sports can hearten and impress people, referring to the US Open Tennis championships held earlier this year and the recent international gymnastics competition in Tokyo.

She added that she wants to send a strong message that the Tokyo Games will be a successful beacon of hope for the future.

For his part, Bach expressed his hope to work together with Tokyo to hold the Games in a safe environment, and stressed the need for all people involved in the Games to unite and endeavor to work out anti-virus measures.

He also said the IOC will make a great effort so that as many Olympic participants and visitors as possible will arrive in Japan after being vaccinated -- if a vaccine is available.

Bach pledged to work with Japanese authorities to create a safe environment for the Games for both the participants and Japanese people.

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

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.

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.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Australia nabs four Japanese for smuggling cigarettes

Four Japanese men have been caught at an Australian airport on suspicion of trying to smuggle a large amount of cigarettes into the country. (NHK)

Former 'Breaking Down' Representative Arrested in Fake Investment Scheme

The former representative of the martial arts event company 'Breaking Down,' Yugo Itagaki, along with two other individuals, has been arrested by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police on charges of defrauding a company executive out of 80 million yen.

Woman in Floral Mini-Skirt Targets Zoo Outlets with Mysterious Tape

Strange incidents involving a woman placing black tape on outlets have been occurring around zoos in the Izu area of Shizuoka Prefecture.

Japanese Households with Buddhist Altars Has Drastically Decreased

As the number of households with Buddhist altars continues to decline, largely due to space limitations in modern housing, wholesalers of Buddhist goods are struggling with unsold inventory.

Twelve Referred to Prosecutors for Alleged Abuse at Kuwana Festival Horse Event

Twelve individuals involved in the traditional 'Ageuma Shinji' horse event held last year at Tado Shrine in Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture, have been referred to prosecutors on allegations of violent behavior toward horses, including forcing them up steep slopes.