News On Japan

Microsoft Pulls the Plug on Skype

TOKYO - "Skype," once a symbol of digital communication, is set to end its service on May 5th, bringing to a close more than two decades of online calling history.

Launched in 2003, Skype grew into a global internet calling platform, with monthly users surpassing 300 million at its peak in 2016. The app became known for its iconic ringtone and was widely used for both casual and professional conversations. In recent years, however, its popularity has waned amid the rapid rise of video conferencing tools like Zoom.

On social media, the announcement prompted a wave of nostalgia:

"Feels like a part of my youth has disappeared."

"I used to study for exams while chatting on Skype."

"Goodbye, Skype."

Microsoft, which owns Skype, plans to encourage users to migrate to its other communication platform, Teams.

Source: TBS

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Japan's H3 Rocket No. 9 successfully placed the Michibiki No. 7 navigation satellite into its planned orbit after lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 4:23 a.m. on August 11, marking the country's second consecutive successful H3 launch.

The Tokaido Shinkansen operated its first overnight service ahead of the Obon holiday period, offering travelers a 15,000 yen trip from the Tokyo area to Kyoto and Shin-Osaka while allowing them to save on hotel costs and arrive earlier than the first regular morning trains.

Typhoon No. 15 is expected to approach and likely make landfall somewhere in the Kanto region on August 11, bringing strong winds and heavy rain that could disrupt conventional rail services, expressways and flights while also affecting a wider area extending into Tohoku.

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Nagasaki marked the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing on August 9 with a memorial ceremony near the hypocenter, where Mayor Shiro Suzuki declared nuclear weapons an "absolute evil" and called on the Japanese government to uphold its Three Non-Nuclear Principles.

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