News On Japan

In Japan's only bankrupt city, the world's most expensive fruit spreads seeds of hope

Dec 03 (The Star) - Yubari is a city only in name, with few of the modern amenities associated with urban living: There are no train services, no shopping malls, and just a few clinics in an area the size of Singapore.

It is Japan’s only bankrupt municipality among the country’s 1,741 precincts, having declared insolvency in 2007 after raking up more than 35 billion yen (S$315 million) in debt.

But it also lends its name to what is arguably the world’s most expensive fruit.

The fragrantly sweet Yubari King, more commonly referred to as the Yubari melon, fetches eye-watering sums at the season’s first auction every May.

On May 25, 2023, a pair of melons sold for 3.5 million yen – the second-highest bid on record. The 5 million yen fetched in May 2019 – about S$63,000 at the time – still stands unmatched. ...continue reading

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An Idemitsu Kosan crude oil tanker has safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz, becoming the first vessel bound for Japan to do so since attacks on Iran heightened tensions in the region and effectively disrupted maritime traffic.

Japan’s Golden Week holiday period got fully underway on April 29, drawing large crowds to major tourist destinations and airports, where long lines formed as overseas travel surged.

A series of sightings involving unusually large brown bears in Hokkaido has heightened concerns among local residents, with one 330-kilogram animal captured in Tomamae and another 280-kilogram bear attacking a hunter in Shimamaki.

Full-scale Golden Week travel began on April 29, with Chubu Centrair International Airport experiencing its busiest outbound travel day of the holiday period. The airport was crowded from the morning with vacationers heading overseas.

Electricity and gas bills for usage in May will rise slightly in Japan, with the impact of tensions involving Iran expected to appear in utility charges from June onward. Larger increases could follow in subsequent months.

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