News On Japan

New Osaka school to feature adjustable rooftop pool

OSAKA - A new state-of-the-art public elementary and junior high school is set to open in Osaka next April.

With a construction budget of 6 billion yen, the new public combined elementary and junior high school will open in the heart of Osaka City, in Nakanoshima, next spring.

The school aims to cultivate a "global perspective" without being bound by "traditional methods." The ground will be made of artificial turf.

The seven-story school building will feature large stairs and communal spaces. A pool will be installed on the rooftop, which will have a unique feature specific to combined schools. The pool's movable floor allows the water depth to be adjusted according to the growth of the students.

In the past decade, the population in the Kita Ward of Osaka City, where Nakanoshima is located, has been increasing yearly. Despite the overall city trend of decreasing numbers of children, there has been an increase of more than 1,600 children in Kita Ward compared to 10 years ago, leading to issues like classroom shortages.

The newly established "Nakanoshima Combined School" has the same tuition fees as other public schools and accepts applicants from all over the city. The school's explanatory session held in October was packed.

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Japan will face Tunisia in its second match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on June 21 in Monterrey, a northern Mexican city known for its mountains, modern skyline and unexpectedly strong connections with Japan.

Typhoon No. 7, named Mekkhala, formed east of the Philippines at 3 a.m. on June 20 and is forecast to move westward for the time being before approaching the Philippines early next week with a storm zone, while some simulations show it later turning northward toward the Okinawa area.

Eleven pupils and teachers were injured after a fire broke out at Takinogawa Daisan Elementary School in Tokyo's Kita Ward at around 11 a.m. on June 19, forcing more than 300 children to evacuate and briefly trapping several pupils on a narrow ledge outside a fourth-floor classroom.

Bear attacks and sightings are increasing across Japan, with multiple people injured on June 17 and experts warning that bears are becoming more accustomed to human environments, potentially leading to more dangerous and unpredictable encounters in the years ahead.

JR Central and JR West on June 17 announced pricing and service details for the new private-room seating that will be introduced on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen from October, creating a new top-tier class above the existing Green Car service.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Education NEWS

A certification exam testing knowledge and skills related to ninjas was held in Koka, Shiga Prefecture, a city known as one of Japan's historic ninja centers.

The Tokyo Fire Department has called for greater public cooperation with emergency medical services following a rise in incidents involving interference with ambulance crews, including cases in which paramedics have been assaulted while carrying out rescue operations.

The University of Tokyo and TOPPAN Holdings announced the establishment of the AI Innovation Research Center, a new initiative aimed at advancing research and development for the practical application of artificial intelligence in society.

As bear sightings continue at an unusually high pace across Akita Prefecture, a veteran wildlife photographer who has spent nearly 30 years observing and photographing Asian black bears says the animals are appearing more frequently, moving closer to human settlements, and increasingly adapting their behavior to survive.

The Blue Angels, the cheerleading squad of Joto High School's support and cheering club, are winning over audiences with their sparkling smiles and dynamic performances.

A group of university students in Okinawa is working to combat menstrual poverty and improve understanding of menstruation through educational programs aimed at both children and adults, addressing a problem that affects roughly one in three young women in Japan.

Japan, which records the shortest average sleep duration among OECD countries, is launching new efforts to tackle widespread sleep deprivation, including the opening of specialized sleep disorder departments and programs aimed at improving children's sleep habits through sports and physical activity.

Birthrates in neighboring Kyoto and Shiga prefectures have moved in opposite directions, with experts pointing to housing costs, commuting convenience, and stable employment as key factors shaping where young families choose to live.