Society

Japan producer prices rise for 2nd straight month

May 17 (NHK) - Japan's producer prices have risen for a second straight month, echoing what's been happening worldwide as economies reopen from the pandemic and crude oil prices climb.

The Bank of Japan said in its preliminary report that the producer price index was up 3.6 percent last month from a year earlier. That is the biggest spike since September 2014.

Higher crude prices pushed up petroleum, coal and chemical products. That suggests there is optimism for an economic recovery as the coronavirus vaccine programs progress.

Rising automobile production also boosted the prices of iron, steel and non-ferrous metals.

Bank of Japan officials say external demand is driving up prices, but the outlook for oil and other products remain highly uncertain because of the surge of infections in India and elsewhere.

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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