Launch of SpaceX's Crew Dragon Carrying Astronaut Takuya Onishi Delayed

Mar 13 (News On Japan) - The launch of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi has been postponed due to a technical issue with ground equipment.

Onishi and his crew were scheduled to launch toward the International Space Station (ISS) on the morning of March 13 (Japan time). However, NASA announced that a malfunction was detected in the hydraulic system of the spacecraft’s support arm, prompting a delay. The launch is now expected to take place on or after March 14.

This marks Onishi’s second spaceflight and long-term stay since 2016. He will also become the third Japanese astronaut to serve as ISS commander.

During his approximately six-month mission, Onishi will conduct experiments, including research related to cancer treatment drugs.

Source: FNN

Southern Kyushu Enters Rainy Season Earlier Than Okinawa for First Time in 49 Years

Southern Kyushu has entered the rainy season, marking the first time in 49 years that it has done so earlier than Okinawa. It is also the earliest rainy season start for any region in Japan since the Meteorological Agency began keeping records. Authorities are warning of heavy rainfall not only in Kyushu but across other parts of the country as well.

Saitama Road Collapse Recovery to Take 5-7 Years

A road collapse in Yashio City, Saitama Prefecture is expected to take five to seven years to fully restore, local officials said on Friday, following the recovery of a truck cab that had remained lodged in the sewer system since the January accident.

Eighty Years On, Okinawa Remembers the Battle of Sugar Loaf Hill

Eighty years have passed since the end of World War II, yet the memories of its fiercest battles continue to echo in the heart of Okinawa. The district of Omoromachi in central Naha, now a lively urban hub filled with people, was once the site of one of the bloodiest clashes of the Battle of Okinawa—the Battle of Sugar Loaf Hill.

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The Aoi Festival, one of Kyoto’s three major traditional festivals, began on May 15th with a vibrant procession of around 500 people dressed in elegant Heian-period garments making their way through the streets of the ancient capital.

Japan Marks 150 Years of Meters

Japan’s prototypes of the kilogram and meter, which once served as national standards for weight and length, were presented to the press this week ahead of the 150th anniversary of the Meter Convention, the international treaty that standardized global measurement systems, to be marked on May 20th.

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