BEAR SPOTTED NEAR TOKYO'S MOST POPULAR HIKING MOUNTAIN TRAIL - TOKYO JAPAN

BEAR SPOTTED NEAR TOKYO'S MOST POPULAR HIKING MOUNTAIN TRAIL - TOKYO JAPAN 

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

TOKYO

Fall is, by far, the best time of year to go hiking in Japan. Free from worries about the snows of winter, the hay fever-triggering pollen of spring, or the debilitating heat and humidity of summer, a stroll along a mountain trail is one of the best ways to spend a crisp, clear autumn day. You don’t even have to venture all that far from the big city to find good hiking. Mount Takao is only an hour train ride west of the Tokyo city center, and the 599-meter-tall mountain makes for a fun and accessible trek, taking about two hours to hike to the summit and another 90 minutes or so to get back down.

However, officials are calling for visitors to Tokyo’s favorite day-hike destination to be cautious, following a bear sighting near its most popular trail.

Out of the multiple routes to the top of Takao, Trail 1 is the most popular. Also called the Omotesando Route, it takes you through a nice mixture of natural scenery and man-made landmarks, such as the atmospheric Yakuoin Temple. On Wednesday, though, Hachioji City, the district of Tokyo in which Mount Takao is located, announced that video from observation cameras installed on the mountain had shown an adult Asian black bear near the trail.

▼ Mount Takao’s Trail 1

The bear’s presence didn’t come to light until sometime after the fact, with volunteers noticing it on video recorded at around 11 p.m. on August 20. The sighting was reported to the central Tokyo Metropolitan Government, who confirmed that the animal seen in the images was indeed a black bear and then informed Hachioji City.

It should be noted that the animal was roughly 70 meters from the path, and bears have been known to inhabit the area. Still, this is evidently closer than bears usually get to Trail 1.

▼ The bear was reported as being seen in the vicinity of where Trail 1 crosses over the expressway’s Takasosan Tunnel, which wouldn’t be far from the section seen here, which is about a 30 to 40-minute walk from the start of the trail.

With the bear having come closer to the trail than normal, and also bear attacks in general becoming more frequent in recent years, Hachioji officials are understandably concerned, especially as upcoming autumn holidays and the changing colors of the fall leaves will be drawing many people to the mountain in the weeks to come. They’re advising that visitors avoid hiking in early morning, evening, and nighttime hours, to hike with a friend or as part of a group, and to attach either a bell or a radio to their bag or belt, all to prevent startling any bears and triggering an aggressive response.

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TRAVELERS' CROWD AIRPORTS, STATIONS AT START OF JAPAN'S SILVER WEEK HOLIDAYS - TOKYO JAPAN

TRAVELERS' CROWD AIRPORTS, STATIONS AT START OF JAPAN'S SILVER WEEK HOLIDAYS - TOKYO JAPAN  

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TOKYO

Travelers crowded airports and major train stations in Japan on Saturday at the start of the Silver Week autumn holidays, with the five-day stretch the longest in 11 years.

The number of train passengers between Friday and the last day of the holidays on Wednesday will nearly match those typically seen in the New Year and summer holiday seasons, according to six regional companies of the Japan Railways Group.

Many of the flights from Tokyo's Haneda airport were fully booked on Saturday, airlines said.

While Hokkaido and Okinawa are popular destinations during the holidays, flights to Haneda were also crowded, they said.

"It is usually hard for me to take a block of leave so I appreciate the consecutive holidays. I want to enjoy the view of the Seto Inland Sea," said Shigeru Matsuyama, a 52-year-old Tokyo resident who was going on a bike trip along the popular Shimanami Kaido cycling road in western Japan.

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MOUNT KOYA TEMPLE LODGING OPERATORS UNDERREPORTED OVER YEN100 MIL IN INCOME : SOURCE - OSAKA JAPAN

MOUNT KOYA TEMPLE LODGING OPERATORS UNDERREPORTED OVER YEN100 MIL IN INCOME : SOURCE - OSAKA JAPAN

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OSAKA

Several religious corporations operating temple lodgings on Mount Koya, a UNESCO World Heritage site in western Japan, have failed to report a total of more than 100 million yen in income, sources familiar with the matter said.

The Osaka Regional Taxation Bureau uncovered the undeclared income in audits conducted in fiscal 2025 ended March, with around 60 million yen in additional taxes to be imposed on the entities, the sources said.

While income related to religious activities, including offerings and monetary donations, is tax-exempt for religious corporations in Japan, income from commercial operations such as lodging and restaurant businesses is subject to taxation.

The bureau audited more than 10 of the roughly 50 such operators to examine how the businesses were being run, according to the sources.

Mount Koya is a major center of the Shingon school of Buddhism. Its temple lodgings, known as shukubo, traditionally accommodated monks and worshippers but are now also widely used by tourists, including visitors from overseas.

Mount Koya was listed as a World Heritage Site in 2004 as part of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii mountain range.

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30% OVER OF UNMARRIED PEOPLE IN JAPAN DO NOT WANT CHILDREN: SURVEY TOKYO JAPAN

30% OVER OF UNMARRIED PEOPLE IN JAPAN DO NOT WANT CHILDREN: SURVEY TOKYO JAPAN

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

TOKYO

More than 30 percent of unmarried people aged 18 to 34 in Japan do not wish to have children, the highest percentage since comparable data became available in 2002, a government survey showed Friday, raising concerns that the country's already low birthrate could decline further.

According to the survey by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, the average number of children desired was 1.30 for male respondents and 1.36 for female respondents, both record lows.

Among unmarried men, 33.0 percent said they did not want any children, up 9.8 percentage points from the previous survey in 2021, while the figure for women rose 8.8 points to 32.4 percent. In the previous survey, the average number of children desired was 1.56 for both men and women.

An institute official said diversified lifestyles and values, as well as financial concerns, may be contributing to the decline in the desire among young people to have children.

The findings come as Japan continues to grapple with a falling birthrate despite government efforts to reverse the trend. The number of births has fallen sharply from 2.09 million in 1973, at the height of the country's second baby boom.

The institute has conducted surveys on birth and marriage trends roughly every five years since 1940. The 2025 survey received valid responses from 6,756 unmarried people and 5,024 married couples on their views about marriage and having children.

Among married couples, the ideal number of children averaged 2.18, while the number they planned to have averaged 1.95, falling below two for the first time.

The most common reason cited for not having their ideal number of children was that "raising and educating children costs too much," according to the survey.

Among couples who married in the past five years, 20.2 percent said they had met online, including through dating apps, almost double the figure in the previous survey.

The figure was about the same as the 20.9 percent who met through work and the 20.2 percent who met through friends or siblings.

The survey also found that 24.0 percent of unmarried men and 21.5 percent of unmarried women said they do not intend to ever marry.

Some 42.3 percent of men and 36.7 percent of women said they had never dated a member of the opposite sex.

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CHINA TO HIKE VISA FEES FOR JAPAN NATIONALS AROUND 7-FOLD NEXT WEEK - BEIJING CHINA

CHINA TO HIKE VISA FEES FOR JAPAN NATIONALS AROUND 7-FOLD NEXT WEEK - BEIJING CHINA

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

BEIJING

The Chinese Embassy in Tokyo said Friday that entry visa fees for Japanese nationals will be hiked around sevenfold next week, after the Japanese government raised single-entry visa fees for foreigners fivefold in July.

On next Monday, single-entry visa fees for Japanese citizens will rise from 2,250 yen to 16,750 yen, while those for multi-entry visas will increase from 7,500 yen to 50,250 yen, the embassy said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a press conference that the arrangement has been made "based on a principle of reciprocity."

Tokyo recently raised its visa fees for the first time since 1978 amid inflation and the yen's depreciation against other major currencies.

In November 2024, China restarted its unilateral visa-free arrangement for short-term Japanese visitors following a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing stays of up to 30 days. Between 2003 and 2020, China allowed Japanese nationals to visit without visas for up to 15 days.

Japan currently requires all Chinese visitors to obtain visas regardless of the length of stay.

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INFLUENZA CASES IN JAPAN RISE 1.87-FOLD FROM PREVIOUS WEEK: GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN

INFLUENZA CASES IN JAPAN RISE 1.87-FOLD FROM PREVIOUS WEEK: GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN  

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

TOKYO

Japan's health ministry said Friday that the number of influenza cases reported by about 3,000 designated medical institutions nationwide averaged 3.29 per facility in the week from Aug 31, up 1.87-fold from the previous week.

A total 12,299 people were reported infected, marking the 11th consecutive weekly increase, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

Among elementary, junior high and high schools in the country, five were fully suspended, another 34 had grade-level closures and 128 classes were shut, up between three and five-fold from the previous year.

By prefecture, Okinawa reported the highest rate of infection with 10.34 people per medical facility, followed by 6.13 in Niigata and 5.87 in Kanagawa.

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JAPAN PLANS TO ADD AVIATION SECTOR TO NEW FOREIGN WORKER PROGRAM - TOKYO JAPAN

JAPAN PLANS TO ADD AVIATION SECTOR TO NEW FOREIGN WORKER PROGRAM - TOKYO JAPAN 

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

TOKYO

The Japanese government has proposed adding the aviation sector to its new foreign-worker training and employment program set to start in April 2027, as the country seeks to secure labor in industries facing severe worker shortages.

The planned expansion, presented to a panel of experts, would bring the number of industries covered by the program to 18, already including nursing care, agriculture and accommodation. The government hopes to approve the framework at a cabinet meeting in December.

The Employment for Skill Development program, which will replace the country's controversial technical intern training program for foreigners, encourages foreign workers to transition to the Specified Skilled Worker status after working for three years in principle, allowing them to work in Japan for longer periods.

The government would allocate 300 of the 4,900 slots available in the aviation sector under the Type I Specified Skilled Worker status to the new program, according to the Immigration Services Agency.

Eligible jobs in the sector would include airport ground handling, such as cargo loading.

The panel also discussed the food service sector, where the government has effectively halted new admissions under the Type I Specified Skilled Worker program since April as the number of workers nears the 50,000 cap.

The suspension has forced some businesses to revise plans to hire foreign workers, raising concerns about labor shortages in the industry.

The government said it had seen "no major change in economic conditions" warranting a higher limit and will maintain the current quota of 50,000 workers through the end of fiscal 2028.

The restriction was introduced after the number of foreign workers with Type I status in the food service industry reached roughly 46,000 at the end of February.

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JAPAN PLANS TO ADD AVIATION SECTOR TO NEW FOREIGN WORKER PROGRAM - TOKYO JAPAN

JAPAN PLANS TO ADD AVIATION SECTOR TO NEW FOREIGN WORKER PROGRAM - TOKYO JAPAN

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

TOKYO

The Japanese government has proposed adding the aviation sector to its new foreign-worker training and employment program set to start in April 2027, as the country seeks to secure labor in industries facing severe worker shortages.

The planned expansion, presented to a panel of experts, would bring the number of industries covered by the program to 18, already including nursing care, agriculture and accommodation. The government hopes to approve the framework at a cabinet meeting in December.

The Employment for Skill Development program, which will replace the country's controversial technical intern training program for foreigners, encourages foreign workers to transition to the Specified Skilled Worker status after working for three years in principle, allowing them to work in Japan for longer periods.

The government would allocate 300 of the 4,900 slots available in the aviation sector under the Type I Specified Skilled Worker status to the new program, according to the Immigration Services Agency.

Eligible jobs in the sector would include airport ground handling, such as cargo loading.

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The suspension has forced some businesses to revise plans to hire foreign workers, raising concerns about labor shortages in the industry.

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The restriction was introduced after the number of foreign workers with Type I status in the food service industry reached roughly 46,000 at the end of February.

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HAMAOKA NUCLEAR PLANT RESTART APPLICATIONS TO BE WITHDRAW: SOURCE - TOKYO JAPAN

HAMAOKA NUCLEAR PLANT RESTART APPLICATIONS TO BE WITHDRAW: SOURCE - TOKYO JAPAN

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

TOKYO

Chubu Electric Power Co plans to withdraw its applications for regulatory screening to restart reactors at the Hamaoka nuclear power plant in central Japan, a government source said, in a rare move for a utility in the resource-poor country.

Chubu Electric said the same day that it had received a report from a committee investigating the utility's intentional adjustment of seismic data used in the restart screening to meet regulatory requirements.

Chairman Satoru Katsuno has told people close to him that he intends to resign over the scandal, sources close to the matter said.

President Kingo Hayashi is slated to hold a press conference in Nagoya on Monday to explain the report's contents and the company's response. Attention will focus on why the misconduct occurred, whether there was organizational involvement and who bears management responsibility.

The utility may have concluded that continuing the screening would be difficult as the reliability of data forming the basis for the restart review had been undermined. The restart applications have been under regulatory review for more than 10 years.

Chubu Electric announced the irregularities on Jan. 5. In disclosing that it had received the report, the firm said, "We once again offer our deepest apologies from the bottom of our hearts for causing strong public distrust."

According to a report Chubu Electric submitted to the Nuclear Regulation Authority in March, the irregularities included intentionally adjusting data to make them consistent with a seismic motion level that would pass the screening.

The applications for restart screening of the No. 3 and 4 reactors were filed with the regulator between 2014 and 2015.

The utility has been hit by a series of scandals, such as document falsification disclosed in August involving cost claims related to decommissioning work at the Hamaoka plant's Nos. 1 and 2 reactors, as well as overcharging customers for electricity.

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MAN ARRESTED FOR SPRAYING SUBSTANCE AT TEACHERS DURING TOKYO SCHOOL CULTURAL FESTIVAL - TOKYO JAPAN

MAN ARRESTED FOR SPRAYING SUBSTANCE AT TEACHERS DURING TOKYO SCHOOL CULTURAL FESTIVAL - TOKYO JAPAN 

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

TOKYO

A man has been arrested on suspicion of spraying a substance in the faces of two male teachers at a high school in Higashiyamato City, Tokyo, on Saturday.

The incident occurred while the school was holding a cultural festival, TV Asahi reported. A teacher called police at around 11:30 a.m. after being sprayed.

According to police, Teppei Soeta, 28, was spotted attempting to secretly film a girl and was detained by teachers. He sprayed a substance at the teachers in an attempt to get away but was detained.

The two male teachers who were sprayed sustained minor injuries, police said.

A small camera was found concealed in a plastic bottle among Soeta's belongings, police said.

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18-YEAR-OLD FATHER ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY KILLING 2-MONTH-OLD SON BY PLACING PLASTIC BAG OVER HIS HEAD - FUKUYAMA, HIROSHIMA JAPAN

18-YEAR-OLD FATHER ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY KILLING 2-MONTH-OLD SON BY PLACING PLASTIC BAG OVER HIS HEAD - FUKUYAMA, HIROSHIMA JAPAN

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

FUKUYAMA, Hiroshima

Police in in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, on Saturday arrested an 18-year-old father on suspicion of killing his two-month-old son at their home.

Police said the father, who is a company employee, is accused of placing a plastic bag over the infant's head between 5:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Friday, and laying him face down, causing the baby to die, Kyodo News reported. Police quoted the father as saying, "I didn't mean to kill him. He was making a noise crying, and I thought doing that might make him quiet."

The baby’s mother called 119 at around 1:30 p.m. and said the infant appeared to be dead. The baby was taken to hospital where he was confirmed dead due to respiratory failure, police said.

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