Society

Tokyo Police Crack Down on Kids Loitering, Drinking and Smoking

TOKYO, Apr 14 (News On Japan) - Tokyo police conducted a coordinated crackdown in the Kabukicho entertainment district over a two-week period, taking 21 youths aged between 13 and 19 into custody for offenses including late-night loitering, underage drinking, and smoking.

The Metropolitan Police Department said the operation targeted the so-called “To-Yoko” area of Kabukicho, where large numbers of young people are known to gather, particularly late at night.

Authorities reported that many of those taken into custody were found wandering the streets after hours, with some engaged in drinking alcohol or smoking despite being underage.

In addition to the enforcement action, police also issued a warning to local pharmacies, urging them to remain vigilant against forged prescriptions, as part of efforts to prevent the misuse and overconsumption of medications among youths.

Source: テレ東BIZ

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.

Japanese Cinema in Cannes Spotlight

The Cannes Film Festival opened this week with three Japanese films nominated for the festival’s top prize, the Palme d'Or, including 'Sheep in the Box' directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, 'Nagi Notes' directed by Koji Fukada, and 'Suddenly Feeling Unwell' directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi.

Japan Greenlights Coverage for iPS Parkinson’s Treatment

Japan has approved the application of public health insurance to a regenerative medicine product using iPS cells to treat Parkinson’s disease, marking the world’s first practical use of iPS cell-based regenerative medicine.

Chinese Buyers Drive Property Surge in Japan’s Luxury Districts

Foreign acquisition of Japanese land has become a growing topic of debate in recent years, and now the trend is reaching Ashiya, one of the Kansai region’s most prestigious residential areas, where soaring property prices are increasingly being linked to demand from wealthy Chinese buyers.

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.