News On Japan

JAXA aims to build planetary defense system

TOKYO, Dec 20 (News On Japan) - Japan's space agency is looking to develop satellites capable of crashing into an astroid that is heading towards earth in order to change its trajectory and save the planet.

JAXA is planning to conduct an experiment on an actual asteroid in less than 3 years.

Hayabusa2 is currently continuing its flight towards its final destination, an asteroid located between the orbits of Earth and Mars, expected to be reached in 2031. However, in July 2026, JAXA will demonstrate the technology as Hayabusa2 approaches a passing asteroid to a distance of just 10 kilometers.

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A strong earthquake hit Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan, at around 10: 47 p.m. on Tuesday. The quake registered an intensity of lower 5 on the Japanese seismic scale of 0 to 7. No tsunami was observed. There are no reports of damage caused by the earthquake. (NHK)

An explosion and fire have halted a combustion test of Japan's new Epsilon S solid-fuel rocket at the Tanegashima Space Center in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima. (NHK)

Kozo Iizuka, a former senior official convicted in a 2019 car crash in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, that killed two people and injured nine others, has died at the age of 93. Iizuka passed away in October, reportedly due to natural causes.

The Governor of Hyogo Prefecture in western Japan has expressed his view that there were no illegalities in his election campaign. The remark came as some are accusing him of violating the public offices election law over the use of a PR company in the campaign. (NHK)

Cough medicine shortages have been ongoing for over a year in Japan, creating significant challenges for both patients and healthcare providers. Hospitals and pharmacies report dwindling stocks, with some relying on alternative solutions like medicated patches.

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A man in Fukuoka Prefecture who was arrested for breaking into aafter admitting to trespassing over 1,000 times, citing the adrenaline rush as the primary motivation.

Touchless harassment, a form of obscene behavior that does not involve physical contact, is drawing increasing attention in Japan. Last month, Kyoto Prefectural Police arrested a man for persistently sniffing a girl's hair.

The 'Itami Madan' festival promoting multicultural harmony across national boundaries was held on Saturday in Itami, Hyogo Prefecture, featuring the 'janggu,' a traditional Korean drum.

A renowned Japanese photographer based in New York, Yasuomi Hashimura, known for his groundbreaking contributions to American advertising photography, died after being pushed on the street by a man.

A wake for Princess Yuriko of Mikasa was held at her residence within the Akasaka Estate, attended by members of the Imperial family, including Princess Aiko, the eldest daughter of the Emperor and Empress.

A suspicious object feared to be explosive was discovered at a high school in Sapporo on the afternoon of November 22nd, causing temporary chaos. The object was found to have been brought to the school by one of its students.

A man with a distinctive snake-like tattoo on his face has been arrested for shoplifting and assaulting a convenience store employee in Tokyo. The suspect, identified as 49-year-old Masakatsu Echizenya, is accused of stealing items from a store around noon on November 15th and violently attacking the employee who confronted him.

Hifumi Kato, affectionately known as 'Hifumin,' has been officially recognized by Guinness World Records for the longest-running chess puzzle column in a magazine.