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Chaos in Japan as crowds rush to buy PS5 - despite surge of Covid cases

Jan 31 (The Telegraph) - A jostling crowd swamped an electronics shop in Tokyo on Saturday morning hoping to buy the new Playstation 5 game console.

The police were called in and the sale was cancelled after 15 minutes of chaos, an eyewitness said.

"There were clearly more patrons than tickets, nobody waited for instruction or an announcement and just swarmed the staff to the point displays were ruined, the staff had to climb onto tables, the cash registers and main sales counter were pushed back into the storage area, customers currently paying for other goods were pushed out of the way," said Dave Gibson who shared the video online.

The capital and other large Japanese cities are currently under a state of emergency as Covid-19 cases surge. Restaurants have been asked to close early and people stay at home, but the measures are voluntary and not enforced.

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A renowned Japanese photographer based in New York, Yasuomi Hashimura, known for his groundbreaking contributions to American advertising photography, died after being pushed on the street by a man.

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A suspicious object feared to be explosive was discovered at a high school in Sapporo on the afternoon of November 22nd, causing temporary chaos. The object was found to have been brought to the school by one of its students.

China says it will resume allowing visa-free visits by Japanese nationals on short-term trips from the end of this month. (NHK)

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The 'Itami Madan' festival promoting multicultural harmony across national boundaries was held on Saturday in Itami, Hyogo Prefecture, featuring the 'janggu,' a traditional Korean drum.

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Hifumi Kato, affectionately known as 'Hifumin,' has been officially recognized by Guinness World Records for the longest-running chess puzzle column in a magazine.

A male caretaker at Tennoji Zoo in Osaka has been sent to prosecutors on suspicion of stealing vegetables and fruits used as monkey feed.

Japan is facing a deepening crisis of poverty and inequality, with rising reports of 'invisible homeless' individuals and growing economic hardships among the population. Discussions over reforms to the country's tax and welfare systems have taken center stage, as policymakers grapple with how to provide meaningful support.

The operator of a strip theater in Osaka's Tenma district, advertised as "Western Japan's largest," has been arrested alongside nine others for exposing dancers' lower bodies to customers, police announced.

Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine in Nachikatsuura Town, Wakayama Prefecture, has begun producing traditional calligraphy artwork for next year’s New Year celebrations.