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'Aibo' the robot dog prays at Shichi-Go-San in Fukuoka

FUKUOKA, Nov 24 (News On Japan) - It's Shichi-Go-San, the Japanese festival season for celebrating the healthy growth of children, with Aibo the robot dog giving prayer at a shrine in Fukuoka, on Friday.

The big question is: can these robots properly perform the traditional bowing and clapping ritual known as "ni-rei ni-hakushu ichi-rei" or "two bows, two claps, one bow"?

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Japan’s H3 Rocket No. 7, carrying a newly developed unmanned cargo spacecraft, successfully launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 9 a.m. on October 26th, marking another milestone for the nation’s space program.

A Tokyo District Court has ruled that addressing a colleague using the 'chan' suffix constitutes sexual harassment, ordering a male employee to pay 220,000 yen in damages.

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.

The Emperor, Empress, and their daughter Princess Aiko visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Memorial Hall in Sumida Ward on Thursday afternoon, marking their first visit to the site as Japan observes the 80th year since the end of World War II. They were greeted upon arrival by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and other officials.

The Kofu Local Meteorological Observatory announced on October 23rd that the season’s first snow had been observed on Mount Fuji, which stands 3,776 meters tall. Around 6 a.m., an official visually confirmed that snow had clearly accumulated near the summit.

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Geothermal energy is drawing growing global attention as a key to combating global warming and achieving a decarbonized society. Among clean energy sources, it stands out for its stability and scalability. Japan, blessed with abundant volcanic activity, possesses the world’s third-largest geothermal reserves—yet its utilization remains limited.

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