Society

Ireland 60-5 Japan: Johnny Sexton scores 16 points on 100th cap as hosts blow Japan away

Nov 07 (BBC) - Johnny Sexton produced a try-scoring display on his 100th cap as his slick Ireland side dismantled Japan.

The 36-year-old fly-half contributed 16 points as Andrew Conway scored a hat-trick in a brilliant nine-try performance from the hosts in Dublin.

James Lowe and Jamison Gibson Park crossed before the break with Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki and Cian Healy touching down in the second half.

It was a perfect Irish dress rehearsal for next week's visit of New Zealand.

Against the side that derailed their 2019 World Cup campaign with a stunning win, Ireland expected a far tougher test, but Japan barely threw a punch aside from Siosaia Fifita's 57th minute try.

Farrell's vision taking shape

When Andy Farrell took over as head coach his public desire to pursue a more dynamic approach sounded the right note with Ireland fans, but early performances failed to capture the imagination.

In recent matches the tide has started to turn and the free-flowing style that Farrell is seeking has started coming to the fore. Saturday's win, their sixth in a row, was the most complete showing of his reign.

Having packed the front eight with players that are comfortable in the loose with ball in hand, Farrell's side made full use of the pitch and found space out wide for Lowe and Conway to exploit.

Lowe's try after four minutes, a straight sprint for the corner having been put away by Aki and Jack Conan, settled early nerves before Conway's beautiful score after a flowing move from left to right ignited the crowd of roughly 40,000 inside the Aviva Stadium.

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.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Garbage Burnoff Spreads to 3 Buildings in Okayama

A fire that broke out in Kagamino, Okayama Prefecture, shortly after noon on May 20th destroyed three buildings, including a home, after flames from open burning spread to dead leaves and then to nearby structures.

Gang Members Arrested After Opening Office Near Nursery

Six people, including a senior member of a group affiliated with the Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicate's Kohei-ikka faction, have been arrested on suspicion of opening a gang office in a prohibited area near a nursery school in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward.

Six Police Officers Injured After Man Sprays Liquid at Station

A man who visited a police station in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the early hours of May 21st allegedly sprayed a transparent liquid inside the building, causing six police officers to complain of eye and throat pain and be taken to hospital with minor injuries.