Society

Nikkei extends rally to 4th straight day; another 29-year high

Nov 28 (Japan Today) - Tokyo stocks ended higher Friday, with the benchmark Nikkei extending its rally to a fourth straight day and renewing a 29-year high, as buying in real estate and high-tech shares wiped out initial losses on the yen's rise.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 107.40 points, or 0.40 percent, from Thursday at 26,644.71, its highest closing since April 18, 1991. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange finished 8.27 points, or 0.47 percent, higher at 1,786.52.

Other gainers included nonferrous metal, pharmaceutical and electric appliance issues.

The U.S. dollar slid to the upper 103 yen range amid rising concern over a recent resurgence of coronavirus infections in Japan. Yasutoshi Nishimura, the minister in charge of the country's virus response, suggested at a press conference Thursday that the government could declare another state of emergency if the infection situation worsens.

Stock trading was volatile during the day, but the Nikkei managed to reverse course and edged up in the afternoon after it was under pressure from the strong yen, which erodes Japanese companies' overseas profits when repatriated.

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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