Society

Japanese lawmakers visit controversial Yasukuni Shrine for first time in 2 years

Dec 08 (South China Morning Post) - A group of nearly 100 Japanese lawmakers visited the Yasukuni Shrine – a controversial symbol of Japanese imperialism and a reminder of its wartime atrocities – on December 7, 2021.

It was the first visit by Japanese politicians in two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The shrine honours 2.5 million Japanese soldiers killed in World War II, including more than a dozen convicted war criminals like General Hideki Tojo. The shrine has been a source of diplomatic tension in the past, with China and South Korea citing official visits to Yasukuni as symbolic of Japan’s ongoing refusal to fully atone for its legacy of brutality in the region.

Autumn Sleep Day: 80% of Students Not Getting Enough Sleep

September 3 is designated as 'Autumn Sleep Day,' a day to raise awareness about health and sleep, as new data reveals that nearly 80% of high school students are not getting the recommended amount of shut eye.

Man Bitten by Redback Spider in Osaka

A man experienced numbness on Monday after being bitten on his big toe by a Redback spider that had been hiding in his sandal left on the balcony of his apartment in a residential area of Osaka Prefecture.

Typhoon No. 10 Trail of Destruction: 3,000-Year-Old Yakusugi Tree Split in Two

Typhoon No. 10, which brought record-breaking rains across various regions, has left significant damage, including flooding homes and triggering landslides. On Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, a 3,000-year-old Yakusugi tree was split in two, leaving a scar on a popular tourist spot.

Kyoto University Targets 2030 for iPS Cell Therapy to Combat Diabetes

Kyoto University Hospital has announced plans to start a clinical trial using iPS cells for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes as early as February next year.

Price Surge Expected as New Rice Hits the Market

As the Japanese rice harvest season approaches, Tadahiko Komatsu, Chairman of the JA Zenno Akita Steering Committee, has made an emotional appeal: "We are hoping to raise rice prices to help out farmers, even if just a little."

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Tons of Kujo Negi Stolen from Kyoto Farms

Approximately 860 kilograms of Kujo negi, a traditional Kyoto vegetable, have been stolen from the fields of Kuse, Kyoto Prefecture, as police investigate a string of leek thefts in the surrounding area.

Ex-Wife of 'Don Juan of Kishu' Sentenced to 3.5 Years Prison

The former wife of the wealthy businessman known as the 'Don Juan of Kishu,' who is accused of murdering him, has been sentenced to three years and six months in prison for defrauding another man out of a large sum of money.

Elderly Couple's Car Plunges Into Nagoya Bay, Killing Both

Rescuers were unable to save an elderly couple after a local fisherman reported seeing a car plunge into the sea off Nagoya's Minato-ku on Sunday.

Tokyo Honors Korean Victims of Great Kanto Earthquake After 101 Years

A memorial service was held in Tokyo for the Korean victims who lost their lives in the Great Kanto Earthquake 101 years ago.

Girl Jumps from 12th Floor, Killing Pedestrian Below

Two women died after a 17 year-old high school student jumped from the rooftop of a shopping complex connected to Yokohama Station on Saturday evening, landing on a pedestrian in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Japan police: Nearly 4,000 who died alone at home not found for over a month

Japanese police data for the first half of this year has revealed that the bodies of nearly 4,000 people who died alone at home in the country were not discovered for more than a month after their deaths. (NHK)

Japan's New Cycling Law Targets Mobile Phones and Alcohol

Starting November 1, Japan's revised Road Traffic Act will designate the use of mobile phones and cycling under the influence of alcohol as dangerous acts, requiring violators to attend a course at a licensing center.

Tomato Spill Shuts Down Tohoku Expressway

A massive tomato spill covering the Tohoku Expressway led to a temporary road closure on the morning of August 28. The spill, estimated at around 13 tons, turned the highway bright red.

< 2 3 4 5 >