Society

Many Japan schools opting not to take children to Tokyo Olympics

Jun 28 (Japan Times) - Many schools near Tokyo are shunning Olympic and Paralympic events, cancelling more than half the 280,000 tickets reserved for them amid worries that the games could further spread COVID-19, a Japanese daily said Sunday.

About 60% of the discount tickets intended for municipalities to purchase for their schoolchildren have been cancelled in the neighboring prefectures of Chiba, Saitama and Kanagawa, the Mainichi Shimbun said.

The Tokyo metropolitan board of education plans to ask each municipality within the capital if it still intends to send schoolchildren to the games, the paper said, without citing sources.

As of August 2019, before the pandemic, the host city expected about 900,000 of its students to watch the games under the program, it added.

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.

Flooding Hits Temporary Housing in Quake-Stricken Wajima

Flooding has reached the temporary housing in Wajima City, built for earthquake victims, and volunteers have begun clearing the mud starting on September 24.

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)

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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.