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Princess Kako stars in birthday portraits, embracing elevated role after sister's royal exit

TOKYO, Dec 30 (people.com) - Princess Kako had a busy year of engagements, taking over many of the duties of the former Princess Mako.

The Japanese princess turned 28 on Thursday, and the Imperial Household Agency released new portraits of her to celebrate. In the autumnal photos, Kako smiled and posed on the grounds of the Akasaka imperial property residence in Tokyo, where many members of the Japanese royal family live.

According to The Japan Times, Kako embraced a heavier royal workload throughout the past year after her elder sister, the former Princess Mako, left the royal family to marry Kei Komuro, her commoner boyfriend who she met in college a decade ago.

With local coronavirus-related restrictions officially lifted, Kako attended an urban greenery fair, a high school sign-language contest, Girl Scout events and more this summer and fall, the Japan Times reported. She also became patron of the Japan Tennis Association and the Japan Kogei Association, a cultural preservation group, in her sister's stead. ...continue reading

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Halloween Eve in Shibuya still drew a festive atmosphere, with people gathering in costume and enjoying the night. Tokyo police deployed several hundred officers, including the well-known “DJ police,” to manage the crowds and prevent congestion at the famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing.

A man accused of killing and injuring four family members with a crossbow in Takarazuka City, Hyogo Prefecture, was sentenced to life in prison on October 31st, after the Kobe District Court rejected the prosecution’s demand for the death penalty.

Bear attacks are reaching unprecedented levels across Japan, with a record 12 fatalities so far this year as sightings continue daily from mountain towns to city centers, disrupting schools and local institutions.

Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward has installed barricades around the Hachiko statue in front of Shibuya Station as part of safety measures ahead of Halloween on October 31st.

The trial of Tetsuya Yamagami, the 45-year-old accused of fatally shooting former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, began on October 28th at the Nara District Court. While Yamagami has admitted to killing Abe, the central issue now lies in determining his sentence.

The traditional ritual of Paantu, in which masked gods covered in mud ward off evil spirits, took place on October 28th in Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture, filling the village with laughter and screams.

A passenger car crashed into a Nissan dealership in Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture, on October 29th, damaging a total of nine vehicles including those on display.

Emperor Naruhito met with former U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time in six years at the Imperial Palace on October 27th. The two exchanged greetings in English, with the Emperor saying, "I’m pleased to see you again," as he welcomed Trump to the Imperial residence around 6:30 p.m.