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Japan aims to triple 5G population coverage in 2 years

Mar 30, 2022 (NHK) - The Japanese government is aiming to triple the availability of high-speed 5G wireless services over the next two years. The plan is to cover 95 percent of the population by March 2024.

Mobile carriers have prioritized expanding their networks in urban areas since the launch of 5G in 2020.

But only 30 percent of the population has access to the new technology.

The communications ministry consulted telecom firms and has set a goal of achieving 95 percent coverage by the end of fiscal 2023. It wants to get to 97 percent by fiscal 2025, and 99 percent by fiscal 2030.

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Sudden thunderstorms swept across the Kanto region on June 12th, bringing violent weather, torrential rain, strong winds, and hail, with forecasters warning that similar conditions could develop from Kanto to Hokkaido on Saturday.

The Japanese government on June 12th released new guidelines calling for women’s toilets to have at least as many fixtures as men’s toilets in public facilities, seeking to address the persistent problem of long queues at women’s restrooms in places such as train stations and event venues.

Japan captain Wataru Endo has withdrawn from the national team's World Cup squad due to injury and announced his retirement from international soccer, dealing a major blow ahead of Japan's Group F opener against the Netherlands on June 14th (June 15th Japan time), as the team continued preparations near Nashville, Tennessee, on June 11th.

As bear sightings continue at an unusually high pace across Akita Prefecture, a veteran wildlife photographer who has spent nearly 30 years observing and photographing Asian black bears says the animals are appearing more frequently, moving closer to human settlements, and increasingly adapting their behavior to survive.

A male Asiatic black bear that appeared at Amanohashidate, one of Japan's Three Scenic Views, in Kyoto Prefecture was captured after prompting the temporary closure of the popular tourist destination and surrounding area, authorities said.

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Police have arrested a 19-year-old man on suspicion of murder after a 17-year-old high school student was found unconscious on a riverbank in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, and later pronounced dead.

A fire that broke out in a densely populated residential area of Fukui City early on June 10 left one person dead, destroyed multiple homes, and triggered panic among local residents as flames spread rapidly through the neighborhood.

Four men have been arrested in connection with a mass assault that erupted during a traditional festival in Saijo, Ehime Prefecture, leaving seven people injured after more than 30 participants became involved in the violence.

A gigantic Chinese-made hose measuring about 150 meters in length, up to 2 meters in diameter, and weighing an estimated 300 tons has washed ashore on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, prompting local authorities to launch a large-scale removal operation.

A fire broke out at Arima Inari Shrine near the Arima Onsen hot spring resort area in Kobe on the night of June 9th, destroying multiple buildings and leaving an elderly Shinto priest and his wife with minor injuries.

Two men, including the head of the Japan Cycling Association, have been arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department on suspicion of defrauding two men in Kagoshima Prefecture out of 30 million yen by falsely promising a massive return on a purported patent-related investment.

A bear that had been repeatedly spotted in commercial and residential areas of Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, was captured in a residential neighborhood at around 3:30 p.m. on June 9th after authorities used a tranquilizer gun, but the city remains on alert because police say they cannot rule out the possibility that another bear may still be roaming the area.

Nara Prefectural Police have arrested seven people, including a 46-year-old Yokohama man who described himself as a "messenger of God," on suspicion of unlawfully confining a teenage boy entrusted to their care by his parents, allegedly threatening him, confiscating his belongings, and forcing him to sleep naked.