Dec 18 (News On Japan) - Across Japan, participation in citizen marathons has been steadily declining. In Aichi Prefecture, a citizen marathon with a history of over 50 years will come to an end in 2024.
Runners and participants expressed regret over the decision to discontinue the event.
Source: 東海テレビ NEWS ONE
The Kanji of the Year for 2025 was announced at Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto on December 12th, with the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation selecting the character for bear for the first time after nationwide sightings, record-high damage and injuries.
Northern Japan was hit by warning-level blizzards and whiteout conditions on December 12th, with heavy snow, violent winds and subzero temperatures disrupting transport across wide areas while recovery continued in communities already damaged by last week’s powerful earthquake.
A train running on the Akita Nairiku Jukan Railway derailed and overturned near Kayakusa Station in Kitaakita City on the morning of December 12th, with the incident reported to police and fire authorities shortly before 6:50 a.m.
The Nobel Prize award ceremony was held on the evening of December 10th, or early on December 11th in Japan, at the Stockholm Concert Hall, where King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden presented the highest honors — the medal and certificate — to Osaka University specially appointed professor Shimon Sakaguchi, 74, the recipient of this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, and Kyoto University distinguished professor Susumu Kitagawa, 74, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
America’s business magazine Forbes announced on December 10th that Prime Minister Takaichi has been ranked third on its list of the “World’s Most Powerful Women,” placing the Japanese leader near the top of a global ranking of 100 figures across politics, business, and culture, and marking a prominent acknowledgment of Japan’s first female prime minister.
As global interest in Formula One continues to surge, with the sport’s reach expanding rapidly across continents, enthusiasm for F1 is also returning in Japan, especially among younger fans on social media and at domestic motorsport events on the rise in recent years, and major Japanese companies including Toyota have begun strengthening their involvement as they look to secure a role in the sport’s next growth phase.
Shogi player Kana Fukuma, who currently holds six women’s titles, revealed on December 10th that she has submitted a formal request calling for revisions to the Japan Shogi Association’s rule that prevents players from competing in title matches during a set period before and after childbirth.
If you’ve walked around Tokyo recently, you’ve probably noticed something: gyms still exist, but they’re not as crowded as they used to be.
Shohei Ohtani announced on November 25th that he will take part in the World Baseball Classic to be held in March 2026, stating on his Instagram account that he intends to join Japan’s national team, Samurai Japan.
Aonishiki captured his first championship at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on November 23rd, winning a title-deciding playoff against yokozuna Hoshoryu at the Fukuoka International Center and closing the 15-day basho with a 12–3 record.
A triathlon held in Kin Town on November 16th drew athletes from across Japan and overseas as participants pushed themselves to the limits of physical endurance in the second edition of the Kin Triathlon.
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player on November 13th (local time), marking his fourth career MVP award and his third consecutive year receiving the honor, including his previous selections in the American League.
Shogi champion Sota Fujii, who defended his title in the prestigious Ryuo Tournament, expressed his joy on November 11th after becoming the youngest player in history to qualify for the lifetime title of "Eisei Ryuo" (Lifetime Ryuo).
