Japan Moves to Grant Science Council Autonomy

With Japan’s junior high school entrance season in full swing, attention is turning not just to test content, but to how students and parents should prepare. At Seikou Gakuin Junior High, for example, the Japanese language exam tests precise word usage, with questions such as the correct usage of similar-sounding words like “setsujoku” (to fulfill a humiliation) versus “kutsujoku” (to clear a disgrace). Such nuanced questions demand a refined linguistic sense, often beyond elementary-level knowledge.

What shape will appear from the soft blur of water and pigment? In this video, I use masking fluid and wet-on-wet watercolor techniques to gently build up a painting where a soft afternoon light, blooming roses, and a resting cat by the window slowly emerge from layers of color. (Watercolor by Shibasaki)

An incident involving a Chinese national attempting to take the TOEIC exam on behalf of someone else has led to revelations that over 800 people were involved in similar cheating schemes.

A completely different feel from watercolor—brilliant colors and stunning texture.In this video, Master Harumichi Shibasaki creates a serious piece using acrylic gouache, which will be featured in his upcoming solo exhibition in Shinjuku.　 (Watercolor by Shibasaki)

At the Turkmenistan Pavilion near the East Gate, one of the most striking displays isn’t just the golden horses or traditional costumes—but a set of Japanese-language textbooks used in Turkmen schools.

This episode of Sengoku Jidai explores Tokugawa Ieyasu’s rise during Japan’s chaotic Warring States era, focusing on his conquest of Totomi Province, alliance with and betrayal of the Takeda clan, and the climactic Battle of Mikatagahara. (Kings and Generals)

Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested two men, including an executive of a meat distribution company, on suspicion of violating the Unfair Competition Prevention Act by selling imported chicken falsely labeled as domestically produced to a school lunch center. The suspects, including Kenzo Namiki, allegedly sold cheap foreign chicken to the Fuchu City public school lunch center in 2023, falsely labeling it as poultry from Miyazaki Prefecture.

A recent survey by a nonprofit organization providing food assistance to low-income single-parent households has revealed that during summer vacation, when school lunches are unavailable, one in three children in these families eat only two meals or less per day.