Sports

Olympic Judo Stars' Hometown Unveils Giant Mural

Jul 26 (News On Japan) - A massive mural of siblings Hifumi and Uta Abe, who are set to compete in judo at the Paris Olympics and aim for consecutive gold medals, was unveiled on July 26 in their hometown of Kobe.

Hifumi Abe's mural appears at his alma mater, Shinko Gakuen High School in Chuo Ward, Kobe. The mural reaches up to the third floor of the school building and depicts him in a blue judo uniform, staring intently at his opponent.

Uta Abe's mural is painted on the wall of a building near the shopping street in the Suido-suji area of Nada Ward, Kobe. The project was organized by Adidas Japan, the Tokyo-based company with which the siblings have a sponsorship agreement.

Source: Kyodo

Japan’s H3 Rocket Sends New Cargo Vehicle to Space Station

Japan’s H3 Rocket No. 7, carrying a newly developed unmanned cargo spacecraft, successfully launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 9 a.m. on October 26th, marking another milestone for the nation’s space program.

Tokyo Court Rules Workplace Use of '-chan' as Sexual Harassment

A Tokyo District Court has ruled that addressing a colleague using the 'chan' suffix constitutes sexual harassment, ordering a male employee to pay 220,000 yen in damages.

Inside Japanese Fonts: How Designers Shape the Way We Read

Fonts are an invisible part of daily life, yet they profoundly shape how we perceive information and emotion. From the elegant Mincho to the bold Gothic, these designs are chosen according to purpose—whether to convey clarity, trust, or impact—and their influence extends beyond readability into branding and communication.

Imperial Family Pays Tribute to War Victims

The Emperor, Empress, and their daughter Princess Aiko visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Memorial Hall in Sumida Ward on Thursday afternoon, marking their first visit to the site as Japan observes the 80th year since the end of World War II. They were greeted upon arrival by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and other officials.

First Snow Caps Mount Fuji, 15 Days Earlier Than Last Year

The Kofu Local Meteorological Observatory announced on October 23rd that the season’s first snow had been observed on Mount Fuji, which stands 3,776 meters tall. Around 6 a.m., an official visually confirmed that snow had clearly accumulated near the summit.

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Sadaharu Oh Receives Order of Culture,

Baseball legend Sadaharu Oh, 85, chairman of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, has been awarded this year’s Order of Culture, while voice actress Masako Nozawa, 88, known for voicing the protagonist Son Goku in the anime "Dragon Ball," has been named a Person of Cultural Merit — the first voice actor ever to receive the distinction.