News On Japan

The Rise of Japanese Street Contest Skaters (and the Fall of America)

Jul 01 (Dumb Data) - Competitive skateboarding is in its infancy given the initial commercial boom in the U.S., but Japanese men and women particularly in street contests in the last three years have shown more growth than any other country in terms of the percentage of total earnings won.

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EF Education First, a global education organization, published this year’s English Proficiency Index on Wednesday, ranking nations worldwide. Japan’s ranking stood at 92nd among 116 countries and regions, continuing a 14-year trend of record lows.

Ginzan Hot Springs in Yamagata, known for its Taisho-era charm, is now at peak season for autumn foliage. While this secluded onsen town is a well-known destination in the Tohoku region, an influx of foreign tourists has led local officials to implement restrictions on day visitors starting next month.

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has announced plans to allow the sale of over-the-counter drugs at convenience stores without on-site pharmacists.

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's advisory panel has outlined a proposal for amending the law to prohibit working more than 14 consecutive days. Under the current system, workers can technically work up to 48 days in a row through a system known as 'four-day-off-per-four-weeks,' while labor agreements also allow for holiday work, meaning there are no effective restrictions on consecutive workdays.

Manhole covers featuring characters from Riyoko Ikeda’s popular manga The Rose of Versailles were unveiled on November 11th at three locations within Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture.

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Japanese Major Leaguer Ohtani Shohei has won the Silver Slugger Award in the National League's designated hitter category for 2024. It is his third career winning of the prize, which he won for the second straight year. (NHK)

Two players from Japan’s Nadeshiko League have taken the rare step of publicly accusing their club of harassment, naming Diossa Izumo FC as the site of alleged sexual and power harassment by the team’s head coach.

Major League Baseball World Series winner the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their championship with a victory parade in downtown Los Angeles on Friday. City officials estimate that more than 200,000 people attended. (NHK)

The Autumn Garden Party hosted by the Emperor and Empress on Wednesday saw lively conversations and laughter, especially with Haruka Kitaguchi, the javelin throw gold medalist.

Shohei Ohtani suffered a subluxation of his left shoulder during an attempted steal of second base Saturday night, potentially putting his availability for the rest of this World Series in jeopardy. (ESPN)

This June, Tencent E-sports officially launched the “Empower Esports Worldwide Series.”

Archery athlete Takaharu Furukawa, who competed in six consecutive Olympic Games and won a silver medal in the individual event at the 2012 London Olympics, announced on October 21st that he would retire from competition after the All-Japan Championships, which begin on October 25th at Tokyo Yumenoshima Park Archery Field.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Third Round AFC Asian Qualifier, Australia v Japan, at Saitama Stadium 2002 on Tuesday 15 October. (Football Australia)