News On Japan

NASA unveils lunar photos of possible debris of failed Japan lander

May 25 (Kyodo) - NASA on Tuesday unveiled photos of the area of the Moon where a Japanese lander failed in what could have been the world's first lunar touchdown by a private space vehicle.

The images taken by the U.S. probe Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured at least four objects believed to be parts of the lander, a craft originally measuring 2.3 meters in height and 2.6 meters in width as developed by ispace Inc. based in Tokyo.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said in a Twitter post that the orbiter's camera has imaged the impact site of the Hakuto-R Mission 1 lander, "which experienced an anomaly on April 26 during its landing attempt." ...continue reading

Source: ANNnewsCH

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Ceremonies celebrating those turning 20 were held across Japan on January 12th, with events taking place nationwide to mark Coming of Age Day.

The Wall Street Journal reported on January 8th, citing two Chinese exporters, that the Chinese government has started imposing limits on shipments of rare earths and related materials bound for Japan.

Osamu Suwa, an astronaut with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), is set to undertake his first long-term stay aboard the International Space Station, becoming the eighth Japanese astronaut to do so.

A traditional New Year event known as the “Lucky Man Selection,” in which participants compete to be the first to pray for the new year, was held on January 10th at Nishinomiya Shrine in Hyogo Prefecture, the head shrine of “Ebessan,” the deity of prosperous business.

According to vehicle-by-model new car sales figures released on January 8th by the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the National Light Motor Vehicle Association, the best-selling vehicle in Japan in 2025 was Honda’s light vehicle N-BOX, marking its fourth consecutive year at the top of the rankings.

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The steel industry has long supported the backbone of global industry and economic growth, but at the same time it accounts for more than 10 percent of worldwide CO2 emissions, making decarbonization an urgent challenge.

A male whale measuring about 15 meters in length and weighing roughly 32 tons, which strayed into Osaka Bay and died in January 2024, was excavated from the site where it had been buried. The operation was carried out over two days, during which the whale’s bones were gradually uncovered.

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With just over two weeks remaining in 2025, preparations are in full swing for osechi, the elaborately prepared New Year’s dishes that line Japanese dining tables each year, but few may realize that one of osechi’s most essential ingredients is now facing an unprecedented crisis. Experts are issuing stark warnings that, at a realistic level, kelp could disappear from Hokkaido by the end of this century, raising concerns that extend far beyond holiday cuisine and into the very foundations of Japanese food culture.