Japan

Halloween celebrations by cosplayers were subdued at Tokyo's Shibuya this weekend, after local authorities strengthened measures to prevent overcrowding and extend the period of alcohol consumption ban on certain streets from seasonal to year-round

Researchers at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology and Shikoku Electric Power are conducting a project exploring the potential of soil microbes for use in fuel cells, as they could serve as a clean, long-lasting, and affordable power source

Saturday 28 was a bittersweet day for panda-lovers across Japan: over 2.000 fans gathered at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo to bid their final tearful goodbyes - 1 minute each - to a beloved pair of giant pandas, Ri Ri and Shin Shin, before they departed to China

Repair work has begun for a white hood believed to have been worn by Uesugi Kenshin, a Japanese feudal lord of the Sengoku Period; the hood is expected to be exhibited in 2028, 450th anniversary of Kenshin's death, or 2030, 500th anniversary of his birth

People who experienced the 1945 atomic bombing of Nagasaki but are not certified as hibakusha victims - Japanese specific word for atomic bomb survivors - will receive medical assistance equivalent to that given to hibakusha, said PM Kishida

Water accidents left 242 people dead or missing nationwide in July and August, marking a third consecutive year-on-year increase, the National Policy Agency said; accidents at sea, in rivers and other waters rose to 488, up 35 from a year ago

Japan Sumo Association announced the tearing down and manual rebuilding of the ring in Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan, with 40 tons of clay and the work of dozens of yobidashi (ring-announcers); dohyō matsuri, the ring purification ceremony, is set for 7 Sept

Around 1.000 women wearing traditional costumes and golden paper lanterns on their heads danced during the Yamaga lantern festival in the southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto yesterday 16 August; the festival draws up around 100.000 visitors each year

Japan was unable to overcome defending champion France in the mixed team judo final at the Paris Olympics; Japan, silver when the event was held for the first time in Tokyo in 2021, fell 4-3 in a new come-from-behind win by host France

Unable to get married legally in Japan, LGBTQ couples are celebrating their special bond by donning traditional kimonos and fashionable formal wear for "photo weddings"; still, these choreographed images are often kept hidden in the conservative society

Bullet train services between Tokyo and Osaka were halted for hours on Saturday afternoon due to a power failure, as a sweltering heat wave hit the Pacific side of the Japanese archipelago; the stop affected around 97.000 travelers

The number of people who required assistance on Japanese mountains hit a record 3.568 cases in 2023, police remind at the start of this summer season, as climbers return to Mount Fuji and other popular peaks after the full easing of COVID-19 restrictions

Millions of cash and vending machines will have to be replaced as they are incompatible with the new 10000, 5.000 and 1.000 yen banknotes that will be put into circulation in July; there are almost 4 million such machines currently in operation