Society

Alert level raised as volcano erupts in Japan

Mar 31 (Kyodo) - A volcano on a southwestern Japan island erupted late Tuesday, sending large rocks nearly 1 kilometer from the crater, prompting the weather agency to raise its alert level.

The eruption occurred at the crater of Mt. Otake on Suwanose Island of Kagoshima Prefecture at 10:05 p.m. There were no immediate reports of injuries, according to local authorities.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said early Wednesday that it has raised the volcanic activity alert level by one notch to 3 on a scale of 5, meaning that people should not approach the crater.

Following the eruption on Tuesday night, the volcano erupted again at 2:57 a.m. Wednesday, with large rocks projected nearly 1 km from the crater as before.

The agency warned of the potential for big rocks to be hurled into the air within about a 2-km radius of the crater.

Over 300 New Geoglyphs Discovered by Yamagata University in Nazca

Yamagata University, which has been conducting research on the Nazca geoglyphs in Peru, announced the discovery of over 300 new geoglyphs, depicting a variety of subjects, including humans and animals.

University of Tokyo Raises Tuition Fees for First Time in 20 Years

The University of Tokyo has officially decided to increase tuition by approximately 110,000 yen for incoming undergraduate students starting next academic year, bringing the total to 642,960 yen.

Death toll rises to 9 in Japan's Ishikawa following heavy rain

Emergency officials say the death toll from record rainfall in Japan's Ishikawa Prefecture has risen to nine. (NHK)

Russian military plane intrudes into Japanese airspace, Tokyo lodges protest

A Japanese government spokesperson says a Russian military airplane entered Japanese airspace three times on Monday. (NHK)

Kishida vows in meeting with Zelenskyy continued support for Ukraine

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has conveyed his country's intention to maintain support for Ukraine to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. (NHK)

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Woman in Floral Mini-Skirt Targets Zoo Outlets with Mysterious Tape

Strange incidents involving a woman placing black tape on outlets have been occurring around zoos in the Izu area of Shizuoka Prefecture.

Japanese Households with Buddhist Altars Has Drastically Decreased

As the number of households with Buddhist altars continues to decline, largely due to space limitations in modern housing, wholesalers of Buddhist goods are struggling with unsold inventory.

Twelve Referred to Prosecutors for Alleged Abuse at Kuwana Festival Horse Event

Twelve individuals involved in the traditional 'Ageuma Shinji' horse event held last year at Tado Shrine in Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture, have been referred to prosecutors on allegations of violent behavior toward horses, including forcing them up steep slopes.