Society

Tokyo crowds remain despite fresh coronavirus emergency

Jul 15 (Japan Times) - TOKYO – Despite a fresh state of emergency over the coronavirus taking effect in Tokyo on Monday, pedestrian traffic in busy areas of the capital did not dramatically decrease from the week before.

The finding was based on smartphone location information collected by Agoop Corp., a unit of major mobile phone carrier SoftBank Corp. Agoop Corp. compared data from Monday and July 5, before Tokyo declared a new state of emergency.

The study compared the number of people at the JR East’s Shinjuku Station between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.

Monday’s numbers were down 11.7% from one week earlier.

In contrast, the size of decline was limited to 2.7% to 3.3% at Ikebukuro, Shinbashi and Akihabara stations. Meanwhile, Ueno Station saw a 3.2% increase. Pedestrian traffic remained unchanged at Tokyo and Shibuya stations.

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)

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.