Society

Mothers in Japan feeling greater stress during pandemic, survey finds

Sep 07 (Japan Times) - Mothers raising children are feeling more stress due to the coronavirus pandemic than men or women without kids, as the health crisis has limited their opportunity to go out and chat with other mothers, according to a private survey released Monday.

Of the 5,640 people in their 20s to 70s covered by the poll by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co., 65.3% said they are feeling stressed, with 59.2% of them being men and 71.3% women. Among women with one child or more, the ratio stood higher at 73.8%.

Asked about the cause of their stress, with multiple answers allowed, 62.9% of respondents cited “restrictions on outings,” while 54.9% said they are “worried about infection.”

Among mothers, 59.0% said a cause of stress is the fact they “have less chance to meet people,” higher than the 47.3% who felt the same among respondents as a whole.

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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