Travel

Expo Sees 500,000 Visitors in First Week with Long Lines Each Morning

OSAKA, Apr 20 (News On Japan) - The Osaka-Kansai Expo marked its first full week on April 20th, with cumulative attendance surpassing 500,000 and the venue continuing to draw large crowds.

On April 20th, long lines formed early in the morning as people waited for the 9 a.m. opening and rushed to their desired pavilions. The Expo Association reported around 89,000 visitors on April 19th, contributing to the seven-day total. Many attendees expressed interest in returning multiple times, noting that a single visit isn’t enough to see everything. The temperature in Osaka on April 20th was expected to reach 23°C, with possible evening showers.

Source: YOMIURI

Japan's Population Declines for 16th Straight Year

Japan’s population of Japanese nationals has decreased for the 16th consecutive year, according to demographic data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. As of January 1st, 2025, the Japanese population stood at 120.65 million, a drop of roughly 910,000 from the previous year—marking the largest annual decline on record.

Dangerous Heat Leaves Cows Exhausted and Summer Crops Failing

A severe and prolonged heatwave is taking a widespread toll across Japan, affecting everything from traditional summer events to vegetable harvests and dairy farms.

Officials Investigate Fireworks Fiasco

Authorities have launched a full investigation into the fire that broke out during the Minato Mirai fireworks festival in Yokohama, where five workers had to be rescue from an exploding barge.

Japan's Rice Strategy Fails

Japan’s government plan to flood the market with stockpiled rice to lower prices is facing setbacks, as demand slumps and cancellations from retailers increase. Initially popular, the rice is now piling up on shelves, prompting calls to extend the end-of-August sales deadline. Even discounted imported rice is struggling to sell. Meanwhile, rice prices have unexpectedly risen for the first time in 10 weeks.

Australia to Jointly Develop New Warships with Japan

Australia has selected Japan’s proposal for the joint development of next-generation naval vessels, marking a significant milestone in bilateral defense cooperation.

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