Travel

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Visitors Hit Record High

HIROSHIMA, Feb 24 (News On Japan) - The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum has surpassed 1.76 million visitors this fiscal year as of February 23, setting a new record for attendance, attributed in part to the heightened interest following the G7 Hiroshima Summit.

Established in 1955 within Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park, the museum aims to convey the reality of atomic bomb damage to the world and advocate for the abolition of nuclear weapons. It houses approximately 22,000 items, including personal belongings of bomb victims and materials that tell the story of the bombing's devastation.

According to Hiroshima City officials, 4,709 people visited the museum on February 23, bringing the total number of visitors for the fiscal year to 1,762,252. This exceeds the previous record of 1,758,746 visitors set in the fiscal year 2019 by 1,506 visitors. The city cites several factors for the increase in attendance, including a rise in tourists following the reclassification of COVID-19 to a less severe category, as well as the G7 Hiroshima Summit held in May last year, which raised awareness and interest in the museum.

With the increase in visitors, long lines have been forming even on weekdays. To address this, the museum began selling tickets online on February 16, in addition to the existing ticket counter. Tickets available for purchase are for dates starting from March 1, up to 90 days in advance. Time slots extended by one hour before and after the regular opening hours are exclusively available for purchase online.

Source: NHK

Japan Troops Begin Bear Countermeasures

The worsening string of bear incidents across Akita Prefecture has prompted the deployment of the Ground Self-Defense Force to assist in countermeasures. On November 5th, fifteen members of the 21st Infantry Regiment based at the Akita garrison were sent to Kazuno City, where they began support activities such as transporting box traps for capturing bears.

Kamiya Faces Takaichi in First Diet Debate Over Foreign Worker Policy

In the House of Councillors on November 6th, Prime Minister Takaichi faced her first major challenge from Sanseito leader Sohei Kamiya, who took the podium for the first time to question the government’s stance on accepting foreign workers. Both share conservative leanings, and Kamiya had been approached by Takaichi for cooperation during the prime ministerial election, but the session quickly turned into a pointed exchange over immigration and national priorities.

Typhoon No. 26 Forming, May Impact Japan

As of 3 p.m. on November 5th, a tropical depression over the sea near the Caroline Islands was slowly moving northward, with the Japan Meteorological Agency forecasting that it would develop into a typhoon within the next 24 hours. Once it forms, it will be designated as Typhoon No. 26.

Morning-After Pill to Be Sold Over the Counter by Year-End

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Crimes by U.S. Military Personnel Hit Record High in Okinawa

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.

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