Society

Emperor Naruhito thanks medical staff battling pandemic

Jan 01 (Japan Times) - Emperor Naruhito thanked medical staff involved in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic in his New Year video address broadcast Friday, bringing attention to the burden front-line health care workers are bearing as infections surge in major population centers.

The emperor set a hopeful tone in his first video message since ascending the Chrysanthemum Throne in May, saying he and his wife, Empress Masako, are looking forward to meeting people again once the situation has improved.

The 60-year-old emperor, delivered the address while seated beside the empress, 57, expressing gratitude to those who have been working “day and night” to “save many patients’ lives,” as well as condolences to people who have lost family and friends to the virus in Japan and across the world.

“Our daily lives have been greatly affected by this infectious disease,” he said. “We are especially concerned for those who are struggling in difficult situations they have found themselves in, such as having lost their jobs or homes, or who are feeling lonely.”

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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