News On Japan

Princess Aiko Visits Imperial Tombs Solo

TOKYO - Princess Aiko, the eldest daughter of the Emperor and Empress, made her first solo visit to the tombs of the Showa Emperor and Empress Kojun on Thursday, to report her graduation from Gakushuin University and her new employment at the Japanese Red Cross.

Princess Aiko Visits Imperial Tombs Solo

The visit to the Musashi Imperial Graveyard in Hachioji, Tokyo, took place around noon, where Princess Aiko paid respects at the Musashino Mausoleum, resting place of the Showa Emperor. This was her first visit since July 2014, when she visited with her parents at the time of her enrollment at Gakushuin Girls' Junior High School.

Dressed in a gray long dress suitable for the visit, with a hat and holding a fan, Princess Aiko gracefully walked up the approach to the shrine. She offered a tamagushi (ritual offering) with deep reverence. Following this, she also visited the adjacent tomb of Empress Kojun at Musashino East Mausoleum.

The visit on April 25th was to inform of her university graduation and the commencement of her career at the Japanese Red Cross. Last month, Princess Aiko had also visited the Three Palace Sanctuaries within the Imperial Palace, the Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture, dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu and considered the ancestor of the Imperial Family, and the tomb of Emperor Jimmu in Nara, the legendary first emperor of Japan. Earlier this month, on April 11th, she had greeted the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita at the Sento Imperial Palace.

Source: 日テレNEWS

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

East Japan Railway (JR East) announced on November 10th that it will introduce touch-free ticket gates at 40 stations, including every station on Tokyo's Yamanote Line, from spring 2028, allowing passengers using Mobile Suica to pass through without taking their smartphones out of their pockets or bags.

Japan's Children and Families Agency unveiled its first national guidelines on November 10th for parental involvement in children's internet use, dividing those aged 0 to 18 into six developmental stages as the government considers tighter regulations on social media platforms to protect young people from online bullying, exploitation, and other growing risks.

As of 3 a.m. on Wednesday, November 11, Typhoon No. 32 was moving east-northeast over waters east of Chichijima in the Ogasawara Islands, gradually heading away from the Japanese archipelago after passing near the island between late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning.

Odakyu Electric Railway unveiled images of its next-generation Romancecar limited express train on November 10, revealing a striking blue-green design featuring enormous circular windows that will allow passengers to enjoy panoramic views from ceiling to floor when the new trains enter service in March 2029.

A male bear weighing approximately 270 kilograms was killed by hunters in Iwamizawa, Hokkaido, on November 8th after being caught in a box trap, with local hunters suspecting it was responsible for a series of attacks on a nearby poultry farm that left more than 100 chickens and ducks dead since August.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Society NEWS

A 26-year-old woman from Nagoya has been arrested on suspicion of defrauding men by encouraging them to develop romantic feelings for her before repeatedly requesting money, with 13 men reporting losses totaling approximately 30 million yen in a scheme resembling the notorious "Itadaki Joshi" romance fraud case.

A rare red Coca-Cola bench was stolen from outside a prepared-food shop in Nagareyama, Chiba Prefecture, in the early hours of October 24th, with the owner suspecting the thieves intended to resell the collectible item to enthusiasts after similar benches were found listed online for as much as 180,000 yen.

Emperor Naruhito presented prestigious Grand Cordon decorations to Toyota Motor Chairman Akio Toyoda and other recipients of Japan's autumn honors at a ceremony held at the Imperial Palace on November 10th, recognizing their longstanding contributions to the country and society.

A 26-year-old yakuza member suspected of sending young women he met in Tokyo's Kabukicho entertainment district to Cambodia to work as telephone scammers has been arrested for the eighth time, this time on suspicion of conspiring with two women to defraud a man in his 30s of 9.5 million yen.

A 31-year-old Chinese national has been arrested in Tokyo on suspicion of operating an illegal mobile phone base station that forced more than 10,000 smartphones onto a 2G network in less than two hours, allowing phishing messages to be sent to unsuspecting users in busy shopping districts including Ginza, Shinjuku and Shibuya.

A male bear weighing approximately 270 kilograms was killed by hunters in Iwamizawa, Hokkaido, on November 8th after being caught in a box trap, with local hunters suspecting it was responsible for a series of attacks on a nearby poultry farm that left more than 100 chickens and ducks dead since August.

Princess Aiko, the only daughter of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, attended an event in Tokyo aimed at raising awareness and encouraging support for crime victims and their families, becoming the first member of the Imperial Family to participate in the gathering.

Police across Japan are struggling to contain a rapidly spreading social media trend known as "Shorinji Racing," in which children and teenagers shout "Shorinji" outside police stations and police boxes before running away, with Osaka police recording approximately 280 related incidents and taking around 50 minors aged between 7 and 16 into protective custody or questioning them.