Society

Leukemia survivor Ikee wins another Olympic swimming berth

Apr 10 (Japan Today) - Swimming star Rikako Ikee, recovering from leukemia, claimed a Tokyo Olympics berth in the women's 4x100 freestyle relay on Thursday after winning the 100-meter freestyle at Japan's national championships.

Ikee won in 53.98 seconds and has now qualified for two Olympic events. Her 100 butterfly victory on Sunday at Tokyo Aquatics Centre earned her a place on Japan's 4x100 medley relay team.

She could not grab a women's 100 freestyle spot, which required her to finish first or second and beat 53.31, as required by the Japan Swimming Federation. Relay qualification required a 54.42 time, a top-four finish and a combined time of the top four swimmers better than 3:37.68.

"I'm happy to have come below 54 seconds, but I wanted a little faster time, honestly speaking," Ikee said.

"This event was all about getting in the top four and bettering the required standard. I had a good race and was determined to come below 54 seconds so I'm glad to have got that time."

Natsumi Sakai, Chihiro Igarashi and Rika Omoto joined Ikee in qualifying for the 4x100 freestyle relay team.

In the men's 200 individual medley, Daiya Seto, assured of an Olympic berth as reigning world champion, narrowly edged Rio de Janeiro Olympics silver medalist and rival Kosuke Hagino in 1:57.41.

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.

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