Hyogo Prefecture is the first in Japan to use microchip data from bears to determine population size, balancing conservation and control. The initiative started in 2003 for conservation and shifted to management as numbers recovered.
Himeji Castle in Japan has increased admission prices for non-residents to 2,500 yen ($15.50) from 1,000 yen ($6.20) for city residents. While admissions dropped 17% in the first month, ticket revenue more than doubled. This move is part of Japan's strategy to manage overtourism and fund maintenance for historic sites.
Japanese airlines canceled over 100 flights on Friday due to two approaching tropical storms. Authorities urged evacuations in some areas, fearing flooding and landslides. The storms may interact, creating the Fujiwhara effect and complicating forecasts.
A mother is suing Japanese authorities after her daughter died in December, five months after an 18-day jail ordeal that left her traumatized and weighing just 20kg. The lawsuit, filed in Kobe, highlights concerns about Japan's criminal justice system, where critics argue innocence is not always presumed and "hostage justice" practices are prevalent.
A hotel in Japan's Kochi Prefecture will remove a stone monument honoring Korean independence activist Ahn Jung-geun following protests from conservative groups. The monument, erected to promote bilateral friendship and peace, was unveiled last Saturday.
Typhoon Jangmi made landfall in western Japan on Wednesday, causing widespread flooding, mudslides, and injuring dozens. The highest flood warning was issued for the Koza River before being downgraded. The government reported damage across Kyushu to the Kanto region.
Typhoon No. 6 caused transportation disruptions in Western Japan starting August 2nd. JR Shikoku suspended Seto-Ohashi Line services, while JR West cancelled or rerouted several limited express and local train services on August 3rd.
A Chinese analyst warns that the US deployment of the Typhon missile system to southern Japan could threaten China's coastal cities and block vital maritime passages. The missile launcher is expected to be positioned at Kanoya Airbase in Kagoshima prefecture.
Fuminori Arita once farmed iyokan, a Japanese citrus variety, but about 10 years ago he switched to growing avocados, revelling in the challenge of producing crops of what he describes as a “sensitive and difficult to grow” fruit. The 67-year-old is symbolic of efforts by the western Japanese city of Matsuyama in Ehime prefecture, long known primarily for citrus cultivation, to shift more to avocados, partly as a strategy to adapt to rising temperatures amid climate change. Given the challenge...
PLA warships transited sensitive international waterways off southwestern Japan twice this week, a rare move seen as a clear warning to Tokyo over its recent actions relating to Taiwan. The transits marked the start and end of exercises in the western Pacific, outbound through the Yokoate Channel on Sunday and returning via the Yonaguni-Iriomote Waterway on Wednesday. This is the first publicly recorded instance of PLA warships operating in the waterway between Iriomote Island and Yonaguni, Japan's westernmost island just 110km from Taiwan.
