News On Japan

Japan's Emperor, Empress observe rare birds at Kushiro wetland wildlife center

SAPPORO, Sep 18 (NHK) - Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako have observed rare birds at a wildlife conservation center located in the country's largest wetland.

The Imperial couple visited the Kushiro-shitsugen Wildlife Center in the northern prefecture of Hokkaido on Saturday.

The facility is operated by the Environment Ministry and located in a national park centered on the Kushiro Marsh -- Japan's largest wetland registered for international protection under the Ramsar Convention.

Visitors can learn the habits of wild birds designated as endangered species. The Imperial couple viewed a recreation of the habitat of the Blakiston's fish owl, which is native to Hokkaido.

A conservation center official said the Emperor asked how local forests are being preserved.

Rare birds, such as white-tailed sea eagles and Steller's sea eagles, are kept in a cage outside the facility. They are not able to be released back into the wild for various reasons. Some sustained injuries when they were hit by trains or flew into power lines.

The Imperial couple viewed the birds through a small window. They said it is a great effort and that they appreciate the good work.

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

The number of U.S. military personnel arrested for criminal offenses in Okinawa has reached 77 so far this year, already surpassing the record total for all of 2024 as of the end of September.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare plans to introduce a new system starting in June 2027 that will, in principle, deny changes or renewals of residence status for foreign residents who fail to pay their national health insurance premiums despite repeated requests for payment.

As of November 4th, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced that a tropical depression near the Caroline Islands is expected to develop into a typhoon within the next 24 hours. The system is separate from Typhoon No. 25 (Haiyan) currently near the Philippines and is projected to move northwestward once it intensifies.

Japan’s record-breaking bear crisis has entered a new and deadly phase, with authorities confirming that a 79-year-old woman missing in Akita Prefecture was found dead in the mountains, believed to be the 13th fatality from bear attacks this year.

An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed at a poultry farm in Eniwa City, Hokkaido, prompting authorities to begin culling operations on Sunday afternoon.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Education NEWS

In the 18th installment of the series “Paths for Science Students,” Mitsubishi UFJ Trust Bank’s Eguchi offered a detailed look into the little-known but vital world of actuaries—professionals who apply mathematics, probability, and statistics to assess financial risks in pensions and insurance.

The Liberal Democratic Party, Nippon Ishin no Kai, and Komeito have reached an agreement on the framework for Japan’s new free high school tuition program, which will begin in fiscal 2026. Under the plan, tuition support for private full-time high schools will be capped at 457,000 yen, while correspondence courses will have an upper limit of 337,000 yen.

The number of disciplinary actions at public elementary and junior high schools in Aichi Prefecture during the first half of 2025 has exceeded three times that of the same period last year, prompting growing concern among parents over how to engage with schools.

Teachers from across Japan are gathering in Nagoya to compete in a national contest that tests and refines their classroom teaching skills. The event, called the "National Mock Lesson Championship in Nagoya," is organized by the Noda Juku preparatory school to help both cram school instructors and school teachers improve their teaching techniques.

Fonts are an invisible part of daily life, yet they profoundly shape how we perceive information and emotion. From the elegant Mincho to the bold Gothic, these designs are chosen according to purpose—whether to convey clarity, trust, or impact—and their influence extends beyond readability into branding and communication.

Tokyo police have arrested a Chinese national on suspicion of document forgery and other offenses in connection with a case of TOEIC exam fraud involving impersonation.

Tokyo’s seas and rivers, once considered lawless backwaters beyond the reach of regular policing, are now under constant watch by a dedicated force known as the “water police,” specialists who patrol the capital’s waterways, chase down smugglers, stop reckless jet ski riders, and carry out dramatic rescue missions to save lives.

A rapidly growing data science program at the University of Tokyo is attracting an unusually wide range of participants, with junior high and high school students studying alongside university students and working adults.