Mar 05 (Kyodo) - Japan reached the government's target of administering 1 million COVID-19 booster shots per day in mid-February as it accelerated the inoculation drive to stem infections driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the vaccine minister said Friday.
Noriko Horiuchi, minister in charge of vaccinations, said at a news conference that the number of daily shots surpassed 1 million on Feb. 18 and Feb. 26.
Source: ANNnewsCH
Kansai International Airport’s newly renovated immigration area was unveiled this week, boasting an open-concept design that allows travelers to submit passports, facial photos, and fingerprints in a single step.
With the arrival of the Spring Festival, a surge in Chinese tourists is bringing an influx of foreign patients to Japanese clinics. From a vegetarian suffering appendicitis after indulging in local cuisine to an American traveler sustaining a head injury at a ryokan, clinics are seeing a wide range of medical cases.
Visitors to the Osaka-Kansai Expo will get a glimpse of the future through an innovative pavilion featuring cutting-edge robots. The 'Future of Life' pavilion, designed with water flowing along its four walls, was unveiled on February 19th, showcasing three guiding robots named Panji, Petra, and Punica. These robots will assist visitors inside the pavilion.
A powerful cold wave brought extreme winter weather to Japan on February 19th, with strong northern winds sweeping through Tokyo and heavy snowfall blanketing the Sea of Japan side. In Odaiba, Tokyo, pedestrians struggled to walk against the fierce winds, some forming single-file lines to shield themselves from the chill.
Chiyoda Ward in central Tokyo has announced a new childcare support policy, offering households with junior high and high school students a monthly stipend of 15,000 yen per child, without income restrictions, starting in April 2025.
Kyoto’s annual Miyako Odori, a spring tradition in the Gion Kobu district, is set to return with geiko and maiko performing in stunning asagi-colored costumes.
An exhibition featuring works by young artisans was held Sunday in Naha as part of an initiative to preserve the traditional techniques of Ryukyu lacquerware.
Prince Hisahito, the eldest son of the Akishino family, has obtained a driver's license as part of his preparations to enroll at Tsukuba University.
A 43-year-old company employee was arrested on February 14th for allegedly breaking into a high school clubroom in Nagoya’s Chikusa Ward and stealing uniforms and other items.
Historical footage has surfaced showing Emperor Showa visiting Kumano City, while the Crown Prince and Princess toured agricultural research facilities in Aichi Prefecture.
A US Navy sailor stationed in Japan has been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of negligent driving resulting in death after a car-motorcycle collision in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, last September that killed a 22-year-old man.
Across Japan, aging underground infrastructure is leading to a rising number of road collapses, with an estimated 10,000 cases annually—about 29 per day. Nearly 30% of these incidents in urban areas are attributed to deteriorating sewer pipes.
South Korean police announced the arrest of 39 individuals involved in smuggling gold from Hong Kong to Japan via Incheon Airport, disguising the metal as clay to evade detection.
