Society

Drones Deliver Essential Supplies to Isolated Villages

Ishikawa, Jan 17 (News On Japan) - With roads still blocked due to landslides following the Noto Peninsula earthquake, making it impossible for vehicles to pass, drones are being utilized to deliver essential supplies in disaster-stricken areas.

As of January 15, two weeks after the earthquake, 176 people in eight districts of Wajima City remain isolated.

Japan's Self-Defense Forces are distributing supplies to people in isolated villages, but manpower is limited. In light of this, a new initiative using drones to deliver support materials is being implemented.

Essential supplies such as light oil for generators are being delivered by drone to evacuation centers, including a primary school located several kilometers away.

A drone operator commented, "We are transporting goods in response to a request from the Ground Self-Defense Forces. While a human bucket brigade requires many people, with drones, we can transport items with less than one-tenth of the manpower, so we are utilizing that."

The initiative to deliver supplies via drones, including medication for elderly residents with chronic illnesses, is said to be the first of its kind in Japan during a disaster. Sixteen days after the earthquake, further use of drones in the affected areas is anticipated.

by Brian Dentry

Source: MBS NEWS

Water Supply Disruptions Continue in Hakone

A renewed water outage struck Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture after supplies briefly resumed on February 11th morning, with authorities reinstating water restrictions from 9 p.m. as frozen pipes and low reservoir levels linked to an intense cold wave continued to disrupt supply across the region.

Japan’s Oldest Man Dies at 111

Kiyotaka Mizuno, the oldest man in Japan and the oldest resident in Shizuoka Prefecture, died of natural causes at his home in Iwata, Shizuoka Prefecture, on February 8th at the age of 111, according to local authorities.

Can Japan End Hay Fever by Killing Male Cedar Flowers?

The arrival of pollen season has once again begun to affect large parts of Japan, but new research aimed at preventing cedar pollen from dispersing is raising hopes that the future could bring relief for millions of sufferers, with scientists working on a method to wither only the male flowers of cedar trees and stop pollen at its source.

Construction of Yamanashi Prefecture Station for Linear Chuo Shinkansen to Begin March 11

JR Tokai has decided to begin construction on the Yamanashi Prefecture station for the Linear Chuo Shinkansen on March 11, marking the start of work on the only station along the Tokyo–Nagoya section where construction had yet to begin.

Murase Lands Historic Gold With Daring Final Run in Olympic Big Air

The women’s snowboard big air final was held at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, where Beijing Olympic bronze medalist Murase Kokomo, 21, of TOKIO Inkarami captured the gold medal, becoming the first Japanese woman to win gold in the event and the first in women’s snowboarding history to reach the podium at two consecutive Olympics.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Sapporo Orders Removal of All Buildings at Former Safari Park

Sapporo City is set to begin procedures as early as February 12th to issue a demolition order requiring the removal of all buildings at North Safari Sapporo, which closed in September 2025 over illegal construction issues, after more than 30 unauthorized structures were found to remain on the site in Minami Ward, Hokkaido.

Pink Mohawk Councilor Arrested on Extortion Charges

An Inazawa city councilor in Aichi Prefecture known for his trademark pink mohawk has been arrested on suspicion of extortion and assault after allegedly beating a man and demanding money at a restaurant in November 2025.

Chinese Suspect Arrested Over Lamborghini Hit-and-Run

A 41-year-old Chinese man arrested on suspicion of crashing a Lamborghini into a police patrol car and fleeing the scene is believed to have been driving at a speed far exceeding the legal limit, investigators said.

Inside Japan’s Secretive Executions

The death penalty and life imprisonment, often described as shrouded in secrecy when it comes to the details of executions, continue to provoke debate in Japan, where roughly 1,700 inmates are serving life sentences and many live with the knowledge that they were once candidates for execution.

Lamborghini Slams Into Police Car, Five Injured as Driver Flees

A man suspected of a hit-and-run drove a high-end sports car into a police patrol car, leaving five people injured.

Man Sentenced to 22 Years for Strangling 17-Year-Old Girl

A man accused of strangling a 17-year-old girl to death and stealing her wallet at a hotel in Osaka’s Minami district was sentenced to 22 years in prison by the Osaka District Court on February 6th.

Hunter Faces Charges for Killing Bear Without Permit at Golf Course

A hunter in his 70s has been referred to prosecutors for allegedly killing a bear without permission at a golf course, with police sending papers on suspicion of violations of the Wildlife Protection and Management Law, including unpermitted capture, also implicating a golf course manager in his 40s and the company operating the facility.

Remains of Executed Aum Leader to Be Returned to Daughter

The Tokyo High Court on February 5th dismissed an appeal by the state in a lawsuit over the remains and hair of Matsumoto Chizuo, a former death row inmate and leader of the Aum Shinrikyo cult, and ordered the government to hand them over to his second daughter.

< 2 3 4 5 >