Society

Adored and endangered: The complex world of the Japanese eel

Dec 15 (euronews) - Eels are a much-loved delicacy in Japan - but the animals are now so endangered that they command eyewatering prices.

Consumed worldwide, eel is particularly popular in Asia - and perhaps nowhere more so than Japan, where remains found in tombs show it has been eaten for thousands of years.

Despite its enduring popularity, much about the eel remains a mystery. Precisely how it reproduces is unclear, and coaxing it to do so in captivity without intervention has proved unsuccessful so far.

Pressures on wild stocks ranging from pollution to overfishing mean supplies have dwindled dramatically in recent decades.

However, the annual catch in Japan of glass eels has fallen to 10 per cent of 1960 levels. That has driven prices sky-high, even in a country that has battled for years to achieve inflation.

Tokyo Court Rules Workplace Use of Honorific 'chan' as Sexual Harassment

A Tokyo District Court has ruled that addressing a colleague using the 'chan' suffix constitutes sexual harassment, ordering a male employee to pay 220,000 yen in damages.

Knife-Wielding Man Arrested Near U.S. Embassy in Tokyo

A man wielding knives in both hands was arrested near the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo’s Minato Ward on the afternoon of October 25th after injuring a riot police officer on duty.

Imperial Family Pays Tribute to War Victims

The Emperor, Empress, and their daughter Princess Aiko visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Memorial Hall in Sumida Ward on Thursday afternoon, marking their first visit to the site as Japan observes the 80th year since the end of World War II. They were greeted upon arrival by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and other officials.

First Snow Caps Mount Fuji, 15 Days Earlier Than Last Year

The Kofu Local Meteorological Observatory announced on October 23rd that the season’s first snow had been observed on Mount Fuji, which stands 3,776 meters tall. Around 6 a.m., an official visually confirmed that snow had clearly accumulated near the summit.

Tokyo’s Aging Expressway Reborn After Major Overhaul

After nearly a decade of construction, the newly rebuilt Haneda Line of the Metropolitan Expressway, one of Tokyo’s key arteries linking the city center with Haneda Airport, has been unveiled to the media ahead of its official switch to a new road on October 29th.

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Families Honor War Dead from Northern Territories

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Osaka Police End 14-Hour Siege

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