Society

Yokohama to Implement Full Smoking Ban in Parks

YOKOHAMA, Mar 08 (News On Japan) - Yokohama City has compiled a policy proposal to make all of its approximately 2,700 parks, including the prominent tourist attraction Yamashita Park, completely smoke-free starting April next year.

According to the city's proposal, the total smoking ban will apply to all parks managed by the city, which are frequented by many people, including children, such as Yamashita Park and Harbor View Park. The city plans to revise the park ordinance to include "smoking" as a prohibited act, and to implement the total smoking ban from April of the following year. Those who violate the ban could face a penalty fee of up to 50,000 yen.

Currently, Yokohama City has designated smoking prohibition areas in eight locations, including around Yokohama Station and the Minato Mirai district. However, regarding parks, the city had only requested consideration, such as not smoking near children and playground equipment. From October to November last year, the city conducted a pilot test to make five parks, including Yamashita Park, completely smoke-free and surveyed over 2,000 park users. The results showed that many called for stronger measures against secondhand smoke. This month, the city plans to announce the full smoking ban policy proposal and proceed with the necessary procedures for amending the ordinance, including soliciting opinions from the public.

Source: NHK

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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