The number of Japanese holiday travelers heading overseas through Tokyo's Haneda airport peaked on Thursday.
With nearly 50 international flights departing from the airport, check-in counters were filled with people off to spend the New Year's holidays overseas, mainly in China, South Korea, Taiwan, and other Asian destinations.
Haneda Airport resumed regular international operations in October for the first time in 32 years.
Its international departure terminal features a shopping area designed to look like an old Tokyo street, called "Edo Koji alley."
Restaurants and souvenir shops on the street were crowded with travelers and those there to see them off.
A couple from Tokyo said they are going to spend their holidays in Taiwan instead of Europe, because they have fewer days off this year.
2010年12月31日金曜日
Huge rice cake placed at Atsuta Shrine
Huge rice cakes have been offered to Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya City to thank god for a safe year and pray for prosperity in 2011.
Some 350 farmers offered 5 rice cakes of different sizes on Thursday at the Shinto shrine's annual ceremony.
The largest was 1.5 meters in diameter and weighed more than 400 kilograms.
The farmers walked slowly for about 200 meters as they carried the rice cakes to the hall of worship.
The offering will be placed in the Shrine until the morning of January 8th. Then on the afternoon of that day, the cakes will be cut into pieces and distributed to shrine visitors.
One farmer who participated said he wished for a good harvest next year. 2010's long hot summer had a negative impact on Japan's rice crop.
More than 2 million people are expected to visit Atsuta Shrine during the first 3 days of the New Year.
Some 350 farmers offered 5 rice cakes of different sizes on Thursday at the Shinto shrine's annual ceremony.
The largest was 1.5 meters in diameter and weighed more than 400 kilograms.
The farmers walked slowly for about 200 meters as they carried the rice cakes to the hall of worship.
The offering will be placed in the Shrine until the morning of January 8th. Then on the afternoon of that day, the cakes will be cut into pieces and distributed to shrine visitors.
One farmer who participated said he wished for a good harvest next year. 2010's long hot summer had a negative impact on Japan's rice crop.
More than 2 million people are expected to visit Atsuta Shrine during the first 3 days of the New Year.
2010年12月28日火曜日
Ebizo reaches settlement in violent incident
Japan's popular kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizo has announced that he has reached a settlement in a violent incident he was involved in last month.
He made the announcement at a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday, after prosecutors indicted a man earlier in the day for injuring the actor in a Tokyo bar in late November.
Ebizo said he agreed to a settlement with the man and a former motorcycle gang leader who was at the scene.
Ebizo's lawyer said that under the settlement, the actor will admit that his behavior toward the gang leader triggered the incident and will make an apology. The man who was indicted will also make an apology.
Ebizo said he deeply regrets that the incident was caused by his lack of social responsibility and his bad drinking habit, adding that he hopes the indicted man will make an early return to society.
In the presence of 300 reporters, Ebizo also said he was deeply sorry for troubling many people and the kabuki world.
Asked about the prospect of a comeback to the stage, the actor said he is not in a position to talk about the timing of a comeback.
The kabuki theater operator that organizes Ebizo's performances had announced that his stage appearances will be cancelled for an indefinite period.
He made the announcement at a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday, after prosecutors indicted a man earlier in the day for injuring the actor in a Tokyo bar in late November.
Ebizo said he agreed to a settlement with the man and a former motorcycle gang leader who was at the scene.
Ebizo's lawyer said that under the settlement, the actor will admit that his behavior toward the gang leader triggered the incident and will make an apology. The man who was indicted will also make an apology.
Ebizo said he deeply regrets that the incident was caused by his lack of social responsibility and his bad drinking habit, adding that he hopes the indicted man will make an early return to society.
In the presence of 300 reporters, Ebizo also said he was deeply sorry for troubling many people and the kabuki world.
Asked about the prospect of a comeback to the stage, the actor said he is not in a position to talk about the timing of a comeback.
The kabuki theater operator that organizes Ebizo's performances had announced that his stage appearances will be cancelled for an indefinite period.
Worsening employment situation
A survey by Japan's labor ministry shows that more than 300,000 non-regular workers lost or will lose their jobs between the October 2008 onset of the global financial crisis and March of next year.
The ministry found that as of December 17th, around 300,740 non-regular workers had lost their jobs or were expected to lose them because of the termination or expiration of their contracts.
The figure is up by about 2,200 from the previous month.
Around 152,000 of them were workers dispatched from staffing agencies, while about 74,000 were seasonal employees.
The ministry tracked down about 147,000 of the laid-off workers and found that only 67 percent of them had found new jobs.
The ministry also surveyed cases in which 100 or more full-time regular workers were dismissed or will be dismissed at one time between October 2008 and March 2011.
It found that the number of such workers stood at nearly 82,500, marking a month-on-month increase of about 1,700.
The ministry found that as of December 17th, around 300,740 non-regular workers had lost their jobs or were expected to lose them because of the termination or expiration of their contracts.
The figure is up by about 2,200 from the previous month.
Around 152,000 of them were workers dispatched from staffing agencies, while about 74,000 were seasonal employees.
The ministry tracked down about 147,000 of the laid-off workers and found that only 67 percent of them had found new jobs.
The ministry also surveyed cases in which 100 or more full-time regular workers were dismissed or will be dismissed at one time between October 2008 and March 2011.
It found that the number of such workers stood at nearly 82,500, marking a month-on-month increase of about 1,700.
Dazaifu shrine has year-end cleaning ritual
A shrine in Fukuoka Prefecture, western Japan, held its annual year-end cleaning ritual on Tuesday.
The main hall in the Dazaifu-Tenmangu shrine is dusted every year on December 28th.
Seven priests dressed in ceremonial clothing used 4-meter long bamboo stalks to carefully dust the ceiling and other places without damaging the artfully lacquered pillars.
The shrine is dedicated to the 9th century scholar Sugawara Michizane, revered as a patron of learning and the arts. About 2 million people will visit the shrine over the first 3 days of the New Year to pray for good luck.
A visitor from Kagawa Prefecture said his grandchild was born just the previous day, and he hopes next year will be a happy one for children
The main hall in the Dazaifu-Tenmangu shrine is dusted every year on December 28th.
Seven priests dressed in ceremonial clothing used 4-meter long bamboo stalks to carefully dust the ceiling and other places without damaging the artfully lacquered pillars.
The shrine is dedicated to the 9th century scholar Sugawara Michizane, revered as a patron of learning and the arts. About 2 million people will visit the shrine over the first 3 days of the New Year to pray for good luck.
A visitor from Kagawa Prefecture said his grandchild was born just the previous day, and he hopes next year will be a happy one for children
2010年12月27日月曜日
Hard times for job changers
A survey by a major job placement agency shows that Japanese moving to other employers take an average of 5.7 months to start a new position. It is the longest period reported since the survey began 2 years ago.
The quarterly survey is based on data given by 2,000 to 3,000 people who succeeded in changing jobs. Results for the July to September period suggest it took an average of 5.7 months for people to find a new employer. That's up about three weeks from the same period last year, and is the longest ever.
12.9 percent of people took more than a year to find a new position, which is up 5 points.
Asked why they changed jobs, 48.3 percent said they were worried about the future of their firm. 24 percent were not satisfied with their pay. 19.6 percent were forced to change employer due to bankruptcy or restructuring.
Professor Naohiro Yashiro of International Christian University, a labor economics specialist, says firms are being cautious about hiring job changers and new graduates due to the sluggish economy. He says careful selection by firms is making it harder for people to change jobs.
The quarterly survey is based on data given by 2,000 to 3,000 people who succeeded in changing jobs. Results for the July to September period suggest it took an average of 5.7 months for people to find a new employer. That's up about three weeks from the same period last year, and is the longest ever.
12.9 percent of people took more than a year to find a new position, which is up 5 points.
Asked why they changed jobs, 48.3 percent said they were worried about the future of their firm. 24 percent were not satisfied with their pay. 19.6 percent were forced to change employer due to bankruptcy or restructuring.
Professor Naohiro Yashiro of International Christian University, a labor economics specialist, says firms are being cautious about hiring job changers and new graduates due to the sluggish economy. He says careful selection by firms is making it harder for people to change jobs.
2010年12月25日土曜日
Teachers with mental problems on the rise
A survey by the education ministry has found that the number of teachers who took leaves due to mental problems has reached a record high.
Eight-thousand-six-hundred-twenty-seven teachers at public elementary, junior high, high, and special-needs schools across the country took leaves due to illness last fiscal year, up 49 from the figure the previous year.
A record 5,458, or 63.3 percent of them, were absent due to mental illness, such as adjustment disorder.
The number was 58 higher than the figure in the previous fiscal year.
School boards where those teachers work say stress caused by increased workload, burden of responding to various requests from parents, and, in the case of young teachers, the gap between the image they had of the job and the reality, are among the causes of the mental problems.
The ministry says that, although more and more education boards and schools are starting to understand the teachers' mental problems, further steps need to be taken to prevent illness and help those who have returned to work.
Eight-thousand-six-hundred-twenty-seven teachers at public elementary, junior high, high, and special-needs schools across the country took leaves due to illness last fiscal year, up 49 from the figure the previous year.
A record 5,458, or 63.3 percent of them, were absent due to mental illness, such as adjustment disorder.
The number was 58 higher than the figure in the previous fiscal year.
School boards where those teachers work say stress caused by increased workload, burden of responding to various requests from parents, and, in the case of young teachers, the gap between the image they had of the job and the reality, are among the causes of the mental problems.
The ministry says that, although more and more education boards and schools are starting to understand the teachers' mental problems, further steps need to be taken to prevent illness and help those who have returned to work.
2010年12月21日火曜日
Kabuki theater memorabilia on display
Memorabilia from the historic Kabuki-za theater has gone on display in Tokyo. The theater, famous for its elaborate facade, was a popular attraction in the Ginza district before being razed earlier this year to be rebuilt as a skyscraper.
200 items, including lobby furniture and roof tiles, are being displayed in a department store in central Tokyo.
The theater's famed runway has been replicated using a curtain and wooden floor boards from the old building.
Visitors can view the nameplates of Kabuki actors who took part in the theater's final performance in April. Photographs of 19th and 20th century Kabuki actors are also being exhibited.
The new theater is scheduled for completion in 2013.
200 items, including lobby furniture and roof tiles, are being displayed in a department store in central Tokyo.
The theater's famed runway has been replicated using a curtain and wooden floor boards from the old building.
Visitors can view the nameplates of Kabuki actors who took part in the theater's final performance in April. Photographs of 19th and 20th century Kabuki actors are also being exhibited.
The new theater is scheduled for completion in 2013.
Nebuta giant float set up in shrine near Tokyo
A giant paper float has been illuminated at a shrine near Tokyo in preparation for worshippers during the New Year.
The wooden-framed float was placed into Samukawa Shrine, south of Tokyo. It is featured in one of Japan's most famous summer events, the Nebuta festival, held annually in Aomori Prefecture. The float was brought from Aomori, and measures 2 meters tall and 8-and-a-half meters wide.
The painted shapes are the main characters of a 10th century Japanese folktale known as the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.
This scene shows the protagonist, Princess Kaguya, on her way back to the Moon while a young aristocratic suitor tries to stop her.
The Princess is holding a rabbit, which is the zodiac sign for 2011.
On Monday night, shrine officials tested the 400 light bulbs inside the float, to the delight of visitors.
One woman said the float was very colorful and beautiful.
The shrine will illuminate the float every night from New Year's Day through February 3rd.
The wooden-framed float was placed into Samukawa Shrine, south of Tokyo. It is featured in one of Japan's most famous summer events, the Nebuta festival, held annually in Aomori Prefecture. The float was brought from Aomori, and measures 2 meters tall and 8-and-a-half meters wide.
The painted shapes are the main characters of a 10th century Japanese folktale known as the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.
This scene shows the protagonist, Princess Kaguya, on her way back to the Moon while a young aristocratic suitor tries to stop her.
The Princess is holding a rabbit, which is the zodiac sign for 2011.
On Monday night, shrine officials tested the 400 light bulbs inside the float, to the delight of visitors.
One woman said the float was very colorful and beautiful.
The shrine will illuminate the float every night from New Year's Day through February 3rd.
2010年12月16日木曜日
Sanctuary to be set for rare fish in Yamanashi
Local authorities and fishermen will create a sanctuary in a lake near Tokyo where a rare fish has been discovered 70 years after it was declared extinct in Japan.
The decision was made on Wednesday after the Kunimasu, a subspecies of sockeye salmon, was confirmed to inhabit Lake Saiko in Yamanashi Prefecture.
Local officials and fisheries cooperatives agreed to make part of the lake a preserve for the fish after the end of December. That's when the fishing season closes for the Himemasu, a local specialty.
The Kunimasu was originally thought to live only in Lake Tazawa in the northern prefecture of Akita. The fish is believed to have become extinct there.
But a research group led by Professor Tetsuji Nakabo of the Kyoto University Museum examined fish found in Lake Saiko and determined that they were the Kunimasu.
Officials and the fishermen will meet the researcher next week to learn about the ecology of the fish and work out a specific plan on where in the lake fishing should be banned.
Lake Saiko is one of the 5 lakes at the foot of Mt Fuji.
It is said to be preserved in a relatively unspoiled condition.
The decision was made on Wednesday after the Kunimasu, a subspecies of sockeye salmon, was confirmed to inhabit Lake Saiko in Yamanashi Prefecture.
Local officials and fisheries cooperatives agreed to make part of the lake a preserve for the fish after the end of December. That's when the fishing season closes for the Himemasu, a local specialty.
The Kunimasu was originally thought to live only in Lake Tazawa in the northern prefecture of Akita. The fish is believed to have become extinct there.
But a research group led by Professor Tetsuji Nakabo of the Kyoto University Museum examined fish found in Lake Saiko and determined that they were the Kunimasu.
Officials and the fishermen will meet the researcher next week to learn about the ecology of the fish and work out a specific plan on where in the lake fishing should be banned.
Lake Saiko is one of the 5 lakes at the foot of Mt Fuji.
It is said to be preserved in a relatively unspoiled condition.
2010年12月14日火曜日
Japanese publishers: Apple helps illegal acts
Japanese publishers have urged US consumer electronics maker Apple to stop selling pirated copies of novels by popular Japanese writers through its online distribution service.
A joint statement issued on Tuesday by 4 industry groups, including the Japan Book Publishers Association, says many illegal copies are still available for download on Apple's online store.
The statement says the App Store's distribution of content that clearly violates copyrights is illegal and tantamount to assisting in illegal acts. It also says the distributer bears responsibility for the problem.
The publishers say unauthorized editions of popular novels by Haruki Murakami and Keigo Higashino had been distributed through the service.
They urge the App Store to screen materials for copyright status before distributing them, and demand full disclosure of information on pirated items from the store.
Apple's Japanese branch replies that it fully understands the importance of copyrights, and that it will promptly respond to any request on copyright violations.
A joint statement issued on Tuesday by 4 industry groups, including the Japan Book Publishers Association, says many illegal copies are still available for download on Apple's online store.
The statement says the App Store's distribution of content that clearly violates copyrights is illegal and tantamount to assisting in illegal acts. It also says the distributer bears responsibility for the problem.
The publishers say unauthorized editions of popular novels by Haruki Murakami and Keigo Higashino had been distributed through the service.
They urge the App Store to screen materials for copyright status before distributing them, and demand full disclosure of information on pirated items from the store.
Apple's Japanese branch replies that it fully understands the importance of copyrights, and that it will promptly respond to any request on copyright violations.
2010年12月13日月曜日
Year-end cleaning at shrine and temple
Shrines and temples across Japan began their annual cleaning rituals on Monday ahead of the New Year.
At Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine in Kamakura, about 150 priests and shrine officials used five-meter long bamboo stalks to dust the beams and the upper parts of the shrine's pillars. The bamboo stalks were cut on a nearby mountain.
A shrine official says about 2.5 million visitors are expected during the first 3 days of the New Year.
In Gunma Prefecture, north of Tokyo, Buddhist monks also cleaned the Kashozan Mirokuji temple in Numata.
It is known as the temple of the teng -- long-nosed goblin-like creatures in Japanese folklore.
The temple houses many tengu masks that come in a variety of sizes from 10 centimeters up to more than 6 meters.
At Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine in Kamakura, about 150 priests and shrine officials used five-meter long bamboo stalks to dust the beams and the upper parts of the shrine's pillars. The bamboo stalks were cut on a nearby mountain.
A shrine official says about 2.5 million visitors are expected during the first 3 days of the New Year.
In Gunma Prefecture, north of Tokyo, Buddhist monks also cleaned the Kashozan Mirokuji temple in Numata.
It is known as the temple of the teng -- long-nosed goblin-like creatures in Japanese folklore.
The temple houses many tengu masks that come in a variety of sizes from 10 centimeters up to more than 6 meters.
Kyoto Geiko offer early New Year greetings
In the ancient Japanese capital of Kyoto, traditional female entertainers made courtesy calls on their dance masters ahead of the New Year.
Apprentice geisha, called geiko and maiko, traditionally visit their masters on December 13th to thank them for the past year and to offer early New Year's greetings.
Yachiyo Inoue was among the masters receiving such visit.
Inoue offered her apprentices words of encouragement and presented each of them with a new fan to use when they dance.
Apprentice geisha, called geiko and maiko, traditionally visit their masters on December 13th to thank them for the past year and to offer early New Year's greetings.
Yachiyo Inoue was among the masters receiving such visit.
Inoue offered her apprentices words of encouragement and presented each of them with a new fan to use when they dance.
2010年12月12日日曜日
Survey to cover indigenous Ainu nationwide
The Japanese government is going to conduct a survey on the living conditions of the indigenous Ainu people ahead of drawing up a new law aimed at providing them with nationwide support.
The central and prefectural government in Hokkaido have been providing support for the Ainu, most of who live in Hokkaido. But, outside of Hokkaido, public assistance for the Ainu lags behind.
The central government will survey about 300 Ainu, living outside Hokkaido, and their offspring aged 15 or older. Their ancestors are believed to have left Hokkaido during the 1800s or later. They were identified in a recent study.
The new survey will study their living conditions including education, employment and annual salaries, and will investigate whether they suffer discrimination.
The results will be complied by March and will serve as the basis for a new law to support the Ainu throughout the country.
The central and prefectural government in Hokkaido have been providing support for the Ainu, most of who live in Hokkaido. But, outside of Hokkaido, public assistance for the Ainu lags behind.
The central government will survey about 300 Ainu, living outside Hokkaido, and their offspring aged 15 or older. Their ancestors are believed to have left Hokkaido during the 1800s or later. They were identified in a recent study.
The new survey will study their living conditions including education, employment and annual salaries, and will investigate whether they suffer discrimination.
The results will be complied by March and will serve as the basis for a new law to support the Ainu throughout the country.
World Heritage bridge cleaned for New Year
A bridge registered as a World Heritage site in Nikko, north of Tokyo, has undergone thorough cleaning to prepare for the New Year.
The arch-shaped, vermillion-lacquered "shinkyo", or "god's bridge", is 28 meters long, and lies at the entrance to Futarasan shrine and Toshogu shrine.
On Sunday, priests at Futarasan shrine carried out a ritual to extend gratitude for safety during the year.
Priests and priestesses wearing masks and gloves dusted off the bridge railings with bamboo branches that are about 3 meters long.
Tourists took photos of the cleaning being performed under clear skies.
Year-end cleaning will also be conducted at Toshogu shrine and Rinnoji temple to prepare for worshippers during the New Year holidays.
The arch-shaped, vermillion-lacquered "shinkyo", or "god's bridge", is 28 meters long, and lies at the entrance to Futarasan shrine and Toshogu shrine.
On Sunday, priests at Futarasan shrine carried out a ritual to extend gratitude for safety during the year.
Priests and priestesses wearing masks and gloves dusted off the bridge railings with bamboo branches that are about 3 meters long.
Tourists took photos of the cleaning being performed under clear skies.
Year-end cleaning will also be conducted at Toshogu shrine and Rinnoji temple to prepare for worshippers during the New Year holidays.
2010年12月11日土曜日
Influenza outbreak may spread nationwide
Japanese authorities are warning that an influenza outbreak may spread nationwide this winter.
The National Institute of Infectious Diseases says that 3,333 influenza cases were reported by about 5,000 medical institutions across Japan in the week that ended on Sunday. That's up more than 1,200 from the previous week and is the biggest increase so far this season.
The institute says 69 percent of the patients have seasonal type A influenza, and 27 percent are infected with the H1N1 strain. Japan had a major outbreak of H1N1 influenza last winter.
The institute is advising people to take precautionary measures such as washing their hands and having vaccinations.
The National Institute of Infectious Diseases says that 3,333 influenza cases were reported by about 5,000 medical institutions across Japan in the week that ended on Sunday. That's up more than 1,200 from the previous week and is the biggest increase so far this season.
The institute says 69 percent of the patients have seasonal type A influenza, and 27 percent are infected with the H1N1 strain. Japan had a major outbreak of H1N1 influenza last winter.
The institute is advising people to take precautionary measures such as washing their hands and having vaccinations.
2010年12月10日金曜日
Super low-cost carrier starts service at Haneda
Tokyo's Haneda airport has allowed a foreign low-cost airliner access to the facilities for the first time since the transport hub resumed its international operations last month.
The low-cost Malaysian carrier AirAsia X on Thursday started a shuttle service linking the country's capital Kuala Lumpur with Haneda 3 times a week.
The first flight with 320 passengers on board arrived at the airport on schedule at 10:30 pm local time.
The company's CEO Azran Osman-Rani welcomed the passengers at the airport.
The Malaysian carrier has set discount fares at around 60 dollars and regular economy seats at 165 dollars, one way. These fares are much cheaper than those of major carriers.
The carrier says it has made efforts to cut expenses by omitting some services on board and raising operation rates.
One of the travelers said the fare was less than half of what she used to pay, and her seat was comfortable with enough space.
Increasing numbers of foreign-based air carriers are expanding their services to Japan. Japan's All Nippon Airways will also establish a low-cost carrier next month.
Fri, 10 Dec 2010 07:03:00 +0900(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)
The low-cost Malaysian carrier AirAsia X on Thursday started a shuttle service linking the country's capital Kuala Lumpur with Haneda 3 times a week.
The first flight with 320 passengers on board arrived at the airport on schedule at 10:30 pm local time.
The company's CEO Azran Osman-Rani welcomed the passengers at the airport.
The Malaysian carrier has set discount fares at around 60 dollars and regular economy seats at 165 dollars, one way. These fares are much cheaper than those of major carriers.
The carrier says it has made efforts to cut expenses by omitting some services on board and raising operation rates.
One of the travelers said the fare was less than half of what she used to pay, and her seat was comfortable with enough space.
Increasing numbers of foreign-based air carriers are expanding their services to Japan. Japan's All Nippon Airways will also establish a low-cost carrier next month.
Fri, 10 Dec 2010 07:03:00 +0900(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)
Character meaning "hot" is kanji of the year
People in Japan have chosen the kanji Chinese character meaning "hot" as the one that best symbolizes the year 2010.
An organization promoting the use of kanji characters announced its annual poll results on Friday.
The character for hot was chosen from about 280,000 entries, the most ever submitted since the poll began in 1995.
At the announcement event, the chief priest of Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto wrote the character on a large board with a calligraphy brush.
The organization says people who voted for the kanji had in mind the unusually hot summer that made many people ill and caused vegetable prices to soar.
The 33 Chilean miners who survived searing temperatures underground for more than 2 months also seem to have inspired voters.
Others cited Japan's unmanned space probe Hayabusa as the reason for their choice.
Hayabusa, which brought back to Earth the first-ever asteroid samples in June, burnt up in the 10,000-degrees Celsius heat of its re-entry. But a capsule containing the samples survived the trip.
The second most popular character this year is one meaning "center". It is the first character in the Japanese word for "China". The country drew much attention this year with the Shanghai Expo and bilateral friction with Japan.
The third-most popular character is the pictogram used for such words as "unstable" and "unaccounted".
The choice may reflect the tenuous political and economic environment, as well as revelations this year that the whereabouts of a large number of senior citizens is unknown.
An organization promoting the use of kanji characters announced its annual poll results on Friday.
The character for hot was chosen from about 280,000 entries, the most ever submitted since the poll began in 1995.
At the announcement event, the chief priest of Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto wrote the character on a large board with a calligraphy brush.
The organization says people who voted for the kanji had in mind the unusually hot summer that made many people ill and caused vegetable prices to soar.
The 33 Chilean miners who survived searing temperatures underground for more than 2 months also seem to have inspired voters.
Others cited Japan's unmanned space probe Hayabusa as the reason for their choice.
Hayabusa, which brought back to Earth the first-ever asteroid samples in June, burnt up in the 10,000-degrees Celsius heat of its re-entry. But a capsule containing the samples survived the trip.
The second most popular character this year is one meaning "center". It is the first character in the Japanese word for "China". The country drew much attention this year with the Shanghai Expo and bilateral friction with Japan.
The third-most popular character is the pictogram used for such words as "unstable" and "unaccounted".
The choice may reflect the tenuous political and economic environment, as well as revelations this year that the whereabouts of a large number of senior citizens is unknown.
2010年12月8日水曜日
Ebizo denies any allegations on violence
Japan's popular kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizo has apologized for his involvement in a bar fight but denied he used violence during the clash. The kabuki theater operator says Ebizo's stage appearances will be cancelled for an indefinite period.
In the November incident, the 33-year-old actor suffered serious facial injuries from the brawl.
After he left a hospital on Tuesday, Ebizo appeared at a news conference, packed with 500 media crew, for the first time since the incident.
With a bloody left eye and puffy eye lids, he bowed deeply and apologized for troubling Kabuki fans and others concerned, while at moments choking with tears.
Ebizo said he met the people he was drinking with, and his assailants, for the first time that night. He stated that he was hit after trying to help his drinking friend who fell down. The actor said he thought he would die while being beaten and running away from the attackers.
The police have an arrest warrant for a 26-year-old man on charges of inflicting injury to the kabuki actor.
The kabuki theater operator president, Jun-ichi Sakomoto, said Ebizo's drinking habit is one of the reasons for the incident and banned him from appearing on stage indefinitely.
In the November incident, the 33-year-old actor suffered serious facial injuries from the brawl.
After he left a hospital on Tuesday, Ebizo appeared at a news conference, packed with 500 media crew, for the first time since the incident.
With a bloody left eye and puffy eye lids, he bowed deeply and apologized for troubling Kabuki fans and others concerned, while at moments choking with tears.
Ebizo said he met the people he was drinking with, and his assailants, for the first time that night. He stated that he was hit after trying to help his drinking friend who fell down. The actor said he thought he would die while being beaten and running away from the attackers.
The police have an arrest warrant for a 26-year-old man on charges of inflicting injury to the kabuki actor.
The kabuki theater operator president, Jun-ichi Sakomoto, said Ebizo's drinking habit is one of the reasons for the incident and banned him from appearing on stage indefinitely.
Horyuji Buddhist statues cleaned for New Year
The annual year-end dusting of Buddhist statues took place at Horyuji temple in Nara Prefecture, western Japan.
On Wednesday morning, monks wearing masks recited a sutra before setting to work in the main hall of the temple.
Using brushes and dusters made of traditional Japanese paper, the monks cleaned the heads and shoulders of the Shaka-sanzon and the sitting Yakushi-nyorai statues, all designated national treasures.
For a while, the ancient hall was filled with white dust.
Worshippers arrived later to offer prayers to the cleaned statues.
On Wednesday morning, monks wearing masks recited a sutra before setting to work in the main hall of the temple.
Using brushes and dusters made of traditional Japanese paper, the monks cleaned the heads and shoulders of the Shaka-sanzon and the sitting Yakushi-nyorai statues, all designated national treasures.
For a while, the ancient hall was filled with white dust.
Worshippers arrived later to offer prayers to the cleaned statues.
2010年12月7日火曜日
Annual year-end clean-up at Dogo Hot Spring
A historic hot spring facility in Matsuyama city, western Japan, has undergone its traditional annual cleaning ahead of the busy holiday season.
The Dogo Hot Spring main building, which is designated an important cultural asset, is one of the city's top tourist attractions. The facility receives more than 700,000 bathers a year. During the year-end and New Year holidays, it draws a whopping 6,000 people a day --- triple the usual average.
Every year in December, the building is shut down for one day for a top-to-bottom scouring.
On Tuesday, 80 municipal employees and staff at local inns carried out tatami mats for airing, and dusted the ceiling and lights.
They also cleaned the roof and under the eaves using brooms tied to 6-meter-long bamboo poles.
A tourist from Osaka said she was surprised by the scale of the clean-up, but that she felt lucky to have witnessed an event held only once a year.
2010年12月4日土曜日
Shimotsuki festival starts in Nagano
The annual Shimotsuki Festival has begun in a remote mountain village in Nagano Prefecture, central Japan.
Nine Shinto shrines in the Toyama-go area of Iida City take turns to host the event in the lunar month of November. Water is boiled on a furnace and splashed to pray for good health. The festival has been designated as an important intangible cultural property of Japan.
Nichigetsu Shrine hosted the event on Wednesday.
Elementary school students performed festival music with flutes while adults played drums. A shrine worker wearing a long-nosed tengu mask splashed boiling water, drawing cheers from the onlookers.
A pupil in the musical troupe joined a dance performed by adults taking the role of gods.
The festival continues until December 15th.
Nine Shinto shrines in the Toyama-go area of Iida City take turns to host the event in the lunar month of November. Water is boiled on a furnace and splashed to pray for good health. The festival has been designated as an important intangible cultural property of Japan.
Nichigetsu Shrine hosted the event on Wednesday.
Elementary school students performed festival music with flutes while adults played drums. A shrine worker wearing a long-nosed tengu mask splashed boiling water, drawing cheers from the onlookers.
A pupil in the musical troupe joined a dance performed by adults taking the role of gods.
The festival continues until December 15th.
Mixi suspends social search service
Japan's leading social networking site, mixi, has suspended its new search service in the face of growing concerns about violations of privacy.
Mixi, which boasts around 22 million subscribers in Japan, halted the service on Thursday due to a number of complaints by users.
The search service, launched on Tuesday, allows users to find out whether someone else is also a mixi user by merely entering the person's e-mail address.
But the operator of the site was flooded with complaints that third parties are abusing the service by entering whatever e-mail addresses are available on the Internet.
The operator says it will resume the service after modifying it to prevent abuse.
Similar services have already been introduced by major social networking sites overseas.
Mixi, which boasts around 22 million subscribers in Japan, halted the service on Thursday due to a number of complaints by users.
The search service, launched on Tuesday, allows users to find out whether someone else is also a mixi user by merely entering the person's e-mail address.
But the operator of the site was flooded with complaints that third parties are abusing the service by entering whatever e-mail addresses are available on the Internet.
The operator says it will resume the service after modifying it to prevent abuse.
Similar services have already been introduced by major social networking sites overseas.
2010年12月1日水曜日
50% more college students visit public job centers
Of the current crop of college students due to graduate from Japan's universities next March, far more than usual are visiting a large public job center in Tokyo as the tough employment situation continues.
The Shinagawa job center has a consultation counter exclusively for college students who will graduate next year and those who graduated in the past three years.
On Wednesday, the first day of December, many college students looking for jobs visited the center, where they can find out about vacancies at companies or receive advice on how to handle job interviews.
The center says the number of students who used its services during the seven months through to October rose 50 percent from a year earlier.
One senior at a university in Tokyo says the employment situation is so severe that almost no friends have secured jobs so far and that any job opportunities should not be missed.
A man who graduated from university in March this year says he did not consider working for a small to midsized company last year but that he has had to expand his search to include such firms this year.
The head of the job center says students who are unable to find a job after visiting several dozens or even hundreds of companies come to his center. He says he wants to be able to continue helping those students.
The Shinagawa job center has a consultation counter exclusively for college students who will graduate next year and those who graduated in the past three years.
On Wednesday, the first day of December, many college students looking for jobs visited the center, where they can find out about vacancies at companies or receive advice on how to handle job interviews.
The center says the number of students who used its services during the seven months through to October rose 50 percent from a year earlier.
One senior at a university in Tokyo says the employment situation is so severe that almost no friends have secured jobs so far and that any job opportunities should not be missed.
A man who graduated from university in March this year says he did not consider working for a small to midsized company last year but that he has had to expand his search to include such firms this year.
The head of the job center says students who are unable to find a job after visiting several dozens or even hundreds of companies come to his center. He says he wants to be able to continue helping those students.
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