Society

Emperor Plays Viola at State Banquet, Celebrates Japan-Mongolia Ties

Ulaanbaatar, Jul 09 (News On Japan) - The Emperor and Empress, currently on an official visit to Mongolia as state guests, attended a banquet hosted by the country’s president and first lady, where the Emperor performed music alongside a traditional Mongolian horsehead fiddle orchestra.

Just before 8 p.m. Japan time, the imperial couple was welcomed by the presidential couple at a hotel in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. The banquet was held in a hall where attendees included individuals who have contributed to Japan-Mongolia friendship and cultural exchange.

In his address, the Emperor began in Mongolian, saying, "Tа бүхэнтэй дахин уулзаж байгаадаа баяртай байна (I am pleased to see you all again)." He continued, "Under the deep blue sky, during this most beautiful season when plants compete to bud and flowers bloom magnificently, I am delighted to visit your country with the Empress."

The Emperor also noted that since his previous visit as Crown Prince in 2007, the number of Mongolian students studying in Japan has quadrupled. Emphasizing the deepening exchange among younger generations, he remarked, "I hope that young people will fully demonstrate their vitality and that our bilateral ties will rise ever higher toward the Mongolian blue sky, Tengger."

During the event, the Emperor joined the Mongolian State Morin Khuur Symphony Orchestra in a musical performance. He played two pieces on his viola, including the Japanese classic "Hamabe no Uta" ("Song of the Seashore"), a personal hobby of his.

This marked the second time the Emperor has performed with the same orchestra, the previous occasion being during his 2007 visit to Mongolia.

Source: TBS

Kagome Adapts to Ink Shortages

Kagome announced on May 14th that it will temporarily redesign several ketchup products by reducing printed packaging areas and adopting mostly transparent labels as worsening tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt supplies of white ink and other petroleum-based packaging materials across Japan.

Bear Crashes Into ATM and Shatters Glass Door

Spring bear sightings are continuing across Japan, with wild bears increasingly appearing in residential neighborhoods and urban districts, including incidents involving damaged property and close encounters with residents.

16-Year-Old Arrested Over Fatal Robbery at Tochigi Home

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of robbery-murder after a group of intruders broke into a house in Kamimikawa Town, Tochigi Prefecture, on May 14th, killing a 69-year-old woman and injuring two other family members in what police suspect may have been a crime carried out by a loosely connected criminal group known as "Tokuryu."

Bluefin Tuna Prices Tumble on Record Haul

Bluefin tuna, now being caught in unusually large numbers around areas such as Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture, is becoming significantly more affordable, with some restaurant operators even saying it is cheaper than horse mackerel.

Is Japan Really Running Short of Naphtha?

The impact of Japan’s growing naphtha shortage is spreading across a widening range of industries, raising concerns about manufacturing, logistics, and even daily consumer life.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Yakuza Boss Found Not Guilty Again in Shooting of Rival Gang Member

The Osaka High Court upheld the acquittal on May 12th of Hiroshi Nakata, the 67-year-old head of the Yamaken-gumi faction, who had been charged with shooting and seriously injuring a member of a rival crime syndicate in Kobe in 2019.

Parents and Brother Arrested Over Confinement of Teenage Girl in Closet

Police have arrested a couple in their 40s and their son in his 20s for allegedly confining a teenage girl inside a locked closet at their Tokyo home under the guise of discipline.

Empress Masako Attends National Red Cross Convention as Honorary President

The National Red Cross Convention held on May 12 honored people involved in Red Cross activities across Japan. Empress Masako, serving as honorary president, attended the event alongside other female members of the Imperial Family, including Crown Princess Kiko, who serves as vice honorary president.

Suspects Use Bear Spray in Failed Backpack Robbery

Three men, including 22-year-old Sakuya Murakami from Takatsuki City in Osaka Prefecture, were arrested on suspicion of robbery resulting in injury after allegedly spraying a man in the face with what is believed to have been bear repellent and attempting to steal his backpack on a street in Nagaokakyo, Kyoto Prefecture, in April.