Asakusa Samba Sizzles as Tokyo Dances Through Record Heatwave

TOKYO, Sep 16 (News On Japan) - A scorching late summer heatwave gripped Tokyo over the long weekend, coinciding with the Asakusa Samba Carnival, where dancers twirled through intense heat.

Across Japan, 70 locations experienced extreme heat, with Kumamoto recording a September high of 37.9°C.

Traditional festivals, such as Shibuya's mikoshi parade and Kawasaki's Okinawa-themed event, also took place in the unseasonable heat, with participants relying on hydration and cooling treats like shaved ice. Many event attendees noted that the heat felt hotter than in Okinawa, despite it being mid-September.

Severe Winter Weather Expected Across Japan

A strong winter air mass is forecast to move over Japan on November 18th and the following days, marking the first full-scale cold front of the season and prompting warnings for heavy snow and storm-force winds.

Japan Is Facing an Unprecedented Surge in Bear Attacks

A reporting team found itself face to face with a bear while investigating the sharp rise in bear-related incidents that has left 13 people dead this year.

Sakurajima Erupts, Sending Plume 4,400 Meters High and Disrupting Flights

Sakurajima erupted in the early hours on October (date not provided in source), sending a plume of ash soaring to 4,400 meters above the crater, the first time it has exceeded 4,000 meters since October last year, with volcanic rocks reaching as far as the sixth station on the mountainside as the volcano continued erupting intermittently throughout the morning and caused ash to fall over Kagoshima Airport, where a thin layer accumulated on aircraft.

JAL Cabin Crew Get OK to Wear Sneakers

Japan Airlines (JAL) has introduced a new policy starting November 13th allowing its cabin crew and ground staff who serve customers at airports to wear sneakers during work hours.

Ski Season Opens in Western Japan

The ski season has officially begun in western Japan, with Grand Snow Okuibuki in Maibara City, Shiga Prefecture, becoming the first resort in the region to open on November 14th.

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Why Saitama Is Overflowing With Local Heroes

Saitama, which drew attention after placing last in the latest prefectural attractiveness rankings, is in fact home to an unexpectedly large number of people dedicated to promoting the prefecture — so many that residents often joke about it.

Sports Car Bursts Into Flames After Losing Control on Yokohama Expressway

A sports car burst into flames on the Metropolitan Expressway in Yokohama on November 16th, with firefighters extinguishing the blaze about 30 minutes after the initial outbreak.

Japan Police Arrest Eight for Selling Fake Gold Bars

A group of eight individuals, including Chinese national and company executive Yang Xiaodong, has been arrested on suspicion of selling gold bars with counterfeit stamps from a major precious metals company and passing them off as genuine, generating what investigators believe was roughly 9.5 billion yen in sales.

Man Stabs Acquaintance, Torches Car on Expressway

A company employee was arrested on November 3rd in Kashiwara City, Osaka Prefecture, after allegedly setting fire to his car on the Nishi-Meihan Expressway, where police later discovered the burned body of a man believed to have been in his 50s or 60s, prompting investigators to consider the possibility of murder in addition to arson.

Tokyo Police Leak Exposes Organized Crime Ties

A senior Tokyo Metropolitan Police officer has been arrested on suspicion of leaking confidential investigation data to members of a decentralized criminal network known as “Tokuryu.”

Man Arrested in Shibuya for Kidnapping Stranger, Allegedly Linked to Foreign Crime Group

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested four men, including 41-year-old Daisuke Takehara, on suspicion of confining a man they did not know inside a car in Shibuya Ward. The suspects, including three Uzbek nationals, allegedly deceived the victim and then threatened him for money.

Rifle-Armed Police Begin Bear Control Operations in Northern Japan

Police bear control units were formally deployed on November 13th in Iwate and Akita prefectures, where the number of bear attacks has become increasingly severe, following the recent authorization for officers to use rifles in bear extermination.

Ryoko Hirosue Faces Prosecution for 180 km/h Collision

Actress Ryoko Hirosue is expected to be referred to prosecutors on November 13th on suspicion of negligent driving resulting in injury, after her car collided with a trailer on the Shin-Tomei Expressway in Shizuoka Prefecture in April.

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