Society

All sumo wrestlers to undergo coronavirus testing

Jan 08 (NHK) - The Japan Sumo Association has decided to have all its members, including wrestlers and stablemasters, tested for coronavirus infection.

The decision comes after Yokozuna Grand Champion Hakuho was confirmed to be infected on Tuesday and infection clusters occurred in some stables from December.

The association's public affairs director, Shibatayama, announced on Thursday that all members will take PCR tests before the New Year tournament begins on Sunday.

They are to be tested using kits provided to their stables on Thursday. All results should be known on Friday.

Shibatayama said the association decided to take the measure as it is most important to secure the safety of fans who come to the tournament.

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

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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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