Society

Suga: Japan vaccinations will start next week

Feb 11 (NHK) - Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide says the government will start coronavirus vaccinations in the middle of next week.

Suga spoke at a meeting on Wednesday with officials from the government and ruling parties.

Suga said the inoculations will begin once the vaccine's efficacy and safety are confirmed. He said cooperation from local governments, doctors and nurses is absolutely necessary. He pledged to make every effort to prepare for the vaccine rollout.

Suga also commented on his recent decision to extend the state of emergency in Tokyo, Osaka and other eight prefectures, which was originally supposed to end on Sunday.

He said he feels very sorry for putting additional burdens on people, but he stressed the need to contain the virus at any cost.

Suga said the government will continue to take thorough coronavirus measures, focusing on restaurants and bars. He pledged to curb new infections and reduce the number of inpatients, including those who are seriously ill.

He said the government will continue to analyze the daily situation carefully and seek experts' advice. He added that he will make necessary decisions accordingly.

Suga also talked about the revised legislation for special measures to respond to the coronavirus, which is due to take effect on Saturday.

Suga said he wants to take effective measures under the revised law, while considering the rights of individuals and businesses.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato Katsunobu also revealed that the government plans to make some changes to its anti-coronavirus guidelines on Friday.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Garbage Burnoff Spreads to 3 Buildings in Okayama

A fire that broke out in Kagamino, Okayama Prefecture, shortly after noon on May 20th destroyed three buildings, including a home, after flames from open burning spread to dead leaves and then to nearby structures.

Gang Members Arrested After Opening Office Near Nursery

Six people, including a senior member of a group affiliated with the Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicate's Kohei-ikka faction, have been arrested on suspicion of opening a gang office in a prohibited area near a nursery school in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward.

Six Police Officers Injured After Man Sprays Liquid at Station

A man who visited a police station in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the early hours of May 21st allegedly sprayed a transparent liquid inside the building, causing six police officers to complain of eye and throat pain and be taken to hospital with minor injuries.