Japan's new university entrance exams underway amid virus pandemic

Jan 16, 2021 | News On Japan

Jan 16, 2021 (Japan Times) - Japan’s new unified university entrance exams started Saturday across the country, with organizers taking anti-coronavirus measures, such as requiring test-takers to wear masks and disinfect their hands, and ensuring that venues are well ventilated.

The exams, which replaced the National Center Test for University Admissions, drew a total of 535,245 applicants and are taking place at 681 venues, according to the National Center for University Entrance Examinations.

A record 866 universities, colleges and junior colleges will use the results in their screening processes, the center said.

Geography, history, civics, Japanese and foreign languages were on a list of exams for Saturday, while science and mathematics tests are to take place on Sunday.

The new exams will also be held on Jan. 30 and 31 for third-year high school students whose studies were interrupted due to the temporary closures of schools last year triggered by the coronavirus outbreak.

At the University of Tokyo’s Hongo campus in Bunkyo Ward on Saturday morning, mask-wearing exam-takers waited in line while keeping about 1 meter apart and proceeded quietly as the gates opened at 8 a.m.

Source: ANNnewsCH

Typhoon No. 25 Threatens Kanto and Izu Islands

Large Typhoon No. 25 was moving northwest over waters south of Japan at 3 p.m. on September 19 and is forecast to strengthen as it approaches Kanto and the Izu Islands from September 20 through September 21, bringing the risk of torrential rain, violent winds and further damage in areas still recovering from last year's typhoon.

Bear Sighting Raises Alarm at Popular Tokyo Hiking Spot

A black bear has been spotted near one of the most popular hiking trails on Mount Takao in western Tokyo, prompting authorities to urge visitors to take precautions ahead of the five-day Silver Week holiday and the approaching autumn foliage season.

Starbucks Considers Selling Majority Stake in Japan Business

Starbucks is considering selling a majority stake in its Japanese business, potentially valued at as much as $3 billion, or about 470 billion yen, as the U.S. coffee chain seeks to concentrate management resources on its struggling North American operations.

Halloween Jumbo Lottery Goes on Sale With 400 Million Yen Top Prize

Japan's Halloween Jumbo Lottery went on sale nationwide on September 16, offering a combined top payout of 400 million yen for the first prize and its adjacent-number prizes.

Shinkansen Introduces New Luxury Private Compartment

A new top-tier "Supreme Class" offering fully private compartments above the level of Green Car service will debut on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen on October 1, with passengers able to experience the new seating at a demonstration booth at Shin-Osaka Station.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

'Tokuryu' Criminal Gangs Target Elderly Victims with Refrigerator Trick

Anonymous and fluid criminal groups known in Japan as "tokuryu" are adopting increasingly elaborate tactics, including a scheme in which elderly victims are persuaded to hide cash inside refrigerators before thieves enter their homes, as authorities struggle to combat networks whose members often have no direct contact with one another.

Scam Base Targeting Japanese Run From Lavish Bangkok Mansion

A luxury mansion in Bangkok described as resembling a palace was being used as a base for a specialized fraud operation targeting Japanese people, with Thai authorities detaining 14 people, including four Japanese men.

Copper Thieves Target Remote Nagano Shrine

Copper roofing has been stripped from Shinano-no-miya Shrine in Oshika Village, Nagano Prefecture, leaving the wooden structure exposed in the latest of a series of similar thefts reported at shrines across the prefecture.

Influencer Yamatorino Arrested Over Cocaine Possession

A popular Tokyo nightclub hostess and influencer known as Yamatorino, who says she generated more than 200 million yen in sales during a single month, has been arrested on suspicion of possessing cocaine with her boyfriend at their home in Roppongi.

Tear Gas Prank Leaves 24 Students Injured

A second-year high school student was arrested at the scene after allegedly releasing tear gas spray inside a classroom at Osaka University of Commerce Sakai High School on September 16, leaving 24 students complaining of coughing, throat pain and other symptoms.

Police Arrest 'Tokuryu' Mastermind in Kyoto Criminal Network

Police have arrested a 26-year-old man suspected of acting as a top-level planner in an anonymous, fluid criminal group known as a "Tokuryu," with investigators believing he was involved in a series of theft-related crimes in Kyoto and other areas between December 2025 and March 2026.

Police Injured in Toy Poodle Trouble at Chubu Airport

A 37-year-old man was arrested at Chubu Centrair International Airport after allegedly injuring a police officer who warned him about walking two toy poodles without leashes inside the airport complex.

Japan's Population Aged 100 or Older Tops 100,000 for First Time

The number of people aged 100 or older in Japan has exceeded 100,000 for the first time, reaching a record 107,677 as of September 1, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

< 2 3 4 5 >