Worker Found Floating During Runway Setup for Birdman Contest

Jul 06, 2026 | News On Japan

SHIGA - A 59-year-old worker died after apparently falling about 11 meters into Lake Biwa while helping set up the runway for the Birdman Contest in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture.

Another worker found the man floating in the lake at around 9:30 a.m. on July 6. He had suffered fractures to his skull and ribs and was confirmed dead after being taken to a hospital.

The man had been working on construction of the runway for the Birdman Contest, which is scheduled to begin on July 25.

Yomiuri Telecasting Corp., the organizer of the contest, said, "Police and other authorities are confirming the details of the accident, and our company is fully cooperating."

Source: TBS

Violent Typhoon No. 9 Batters Mariana Islands Before Turning Toward Okinawa

Large and violent Typhoon No. 9 passed closest to the Mariana Islands on the morning of July 6, bringing a dangerous storm to Guam, Saipan and Rota, and is forecast to move toward Okinawa later this week while maintaining exceptional strength.

Japan Lowers Passport Fees to 7,000 yen

Japan lowered passport application fees from July 1, drawing large crowds to application counters such as the one in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district, although applicants are being warned that issuance could take as long as about one month.

Tokyo to Set Accommodation Tax at 3% From Next April

Tokyo will introduce a 3% accommodation tax on hotel and other lodging stays from April 2027, formally replacing its current flat-rate system and extending the levy to private lodging services.

Heavy Rain Disrupts Rail Services in Northern Kyushu

Heavy rain continued across northern Kyushu, with some parts of Fukuoka Prefecture recording 120 millimeters of rainfall in the 24 hours through 3 p.m. on July 5.

Osaka Mosasaur Fossil May Rewrite Japan’s Prehistoric Record

A fossil discovered in Osaka has led to Japan’s first finding of its kind, raising the possibility that a giant marine predator believed to have swum in the seas around the Kansai region about 70 million years ago was a previously unknown species.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Woman Arrested After Allegedly Sewing Housemate’s Lips Shut

A 49-year-old woman in Koga, Ibaraki Prefecture, has been arrested on suspicion of injuring a 42-year-old woman she lived with by sewing her upper and lower lips together multiple times with a threaded needle, police said.

Worker Found Floating During Runway Setup for Birdman Contest

A 59-year-old worker died after apparently falling about 11 meters into Lake Biwa while helping set up the runway for the Birdman Contest in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture.

Who Stole 11 Buddhist Statues From a Gifu Temple?

A temple in Yamagata, Gifu Prefecture, reported the theft of 11 Buddhist statues and other items on the morning of July 6, prompting police to investigate the case as a burglary.

Prince Group Boss Rearrested in Japan Over Immigration Violation

A senior figure believed to be one of the top executives of the Prince Group, described as one of Asia’s largest criminal organizations, has been rearrested in Tokyo on suspicion of violating Japan’s Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act by unlawfully handing over his residence card to others, the Metropolitan Police Department said.

Japan’s Youth Overdose Crisis Is Spreading Beyond Street Hangouts

The growing abuse of over-the-counter drugs among young people in Japan reflects not only easy access to medicines but also loneliness, social media influence and a shortage of places where troubled youths can be safely seen and heard, according to a discussion among an addiction specialist, a former overdose user and a recovery worker with experience of drug and alcohol dependence.

Indian Restaurant in Yokohama Destroyed by Fire

An Indian restaurant in a shopping street in Yokohama's Nishi Ward was destroyed by fire on Saturday morning, with 34 fire engines and other emergency vehicles sent to the scene.

The Reality of Male Menopause: Anger and Irritability

Recent symptoms such as fatigue and irritability may be signs of menopause, a condition often seen as a women’s health issue but one that also affects many men, especially those in their 40s and 50s who face growing responsibilities, declining recognition and physical changes that are difficult to discuss.

Teacher Was Drying Clothes in Tokyo School Fire That Injured 11

A female music teacher at a municipal elementary school in Tokyo’s Kita Ward has told officials she was drying private clothing in a music preparation room where a fire broke out last month, injuring 11 pupils and others.

< 2 3 4 5 >