The signing ceremony for the resource circulation agreement was held at Fukuroi City Hall on February 13 Otsuka Pharmaceutical; Toyota Tsusho; Noriyuki Oba General Manager of the Sustainable Plastic Department (Otsuka) signed an agreement on February 13 with Fukuroi City and Toyota Tsusho Corporation to promote resource circulation and horizontal recycling of PET bottles as part of efforts to realize a sustainable society Through this Local Production and Local Recycling initiative for PET bottles in which Otsuka's Fukuroi Factory collaborates with Fukuroi City the company aims to further advance bottle-to-bottle*1 horizontal recycling of PET bottles ■ Promoting a local production and recycling initiative for PET bottles through a new partnership with the municipality hosting our factory which manufactures beverage products in Fukuroi City The company has long promoted environmentally conscious initiatives under the Environmental Conservation Agreement signed with the city in 1995 Otsuka has established a disaster response collaboration framework with Fukuroi City and signed a Comprehensive Partnership Agreement to promote initiatives such as extending healthy life expectancy and encouraging sports participation working closely with the local community to support health With this newly signed resource circulation agreement Otsuka will further advance a local production and recycling system in which PET bottles collected in Fukuroi City will be reused as raw materials for new PET bottles at the Fukuroi Factory The company will also collaborate with the city to raise awareness of resource circulation through educational posters and other outreach efforts focused on bottle-to-bottle recycling ■ Initiatives to advance bottle-to-bottle recycling Otsuka has signed resource circulation agreements with 21 municipalities*2 and Shirakawa Village in Gifu Prefecture's Ono District home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Shirakawa-go a popular destination for domestic and international tourists The company also actively promotes bottle-to-bottle recycling through awareness campaigns and collection efforts at large-scale events such as marathons and outdoor live music events collaborating with local communities and organizations to further advance resource circulation ■ Environmental initiatives at Otsuka's Fukuroi Factory the Fukuroi Factory has been committed to reducing environmental impact by producing environmentally conscious PET bottled beverages and minimizing waste generation Alongside collaborating with Fukuroi City on local environmental conservation efforts the factory actively promotes environmental awareness through factory tours and other educational initiatives the factory became the first in Japan to adopt a positive-pressure aseptic filling method producing beverage products using lightweight PET bottles ・Employees participate annually in volunteer activities to clean city roads and surrounding areas near the factory ・The factory contributes to the local landscape by planting flowers in flower beds around sports venues in Fukuroi City ・2011: Received the METI (Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry) Minister's Award for Factory Greening Greening Reference: Otsuka's sustainability initiatives toward a circular economy Otsuka operates its business with a corporate philosophy centered on contributing to health the company has identified four key material issues (materiality) and is actively working to address these challenges while striving for a sustainable society One of these material issues is reducing environmental impact with a particular focus on advancing the Circular Economy (resource recycling and conservation) the company is implementing various initiatives to achieve zero fossil resource-derived materials and zero waste discharge into nature These efforts include promoting bottle-to-bottle recycling introducing PET bottles made from recycled PET resin By enhancing resource efficiency across the entire value chain from raw material procurement to production Otsuka aims to build a sustainable coexistence with both natural and biological resources Otsuka Pharmaceutical sustainability - circular economy https://www.otsuka.co.jp/en/sustainability/circular-economy/ Otsuka Pharmaceutical sustainability handbook（in Japanese） https://www.otsuka.co.jp/sustainability/pdf/handbook.pdf Based on the corporate philosophy of 'Otsuka-people creating new products for better health worldwide' Otsuka Pharmaceutical aims to contribute to the health and well-being of people around the world Today's print edition Home Delivery the cozy western Shizuoka Prefecture town of Fukuroi has already been there and done that the town is confident that it can offer a lot more.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Fukuroi accepted fans from across the country and around world during the FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa hosted some marquee including a quarterfinal contest between England and Brazil the city hopes its residents and visitors will cherish the opportunity to enjoy another global sporting extravaganza and have even more valuable interactions with each other Ecopa has been allocated four group stage games featuring powerhouse nations such as Scotland South Africa and Australia as well as host Japan The Brave Blossoms will face Ireland on Sept adding to the hype that has seen tickets to games at Ecopa fly off the virtual shelves Stadium administrators are confident in their operations and with their infrastructure thanks to their past experience hosting World Cup games in 2002 as well as other big non-sports events such as concerts which with a capacity of 50,000 is the Rugby World Cup's second-largest venue behind International Stadium Yokohama hosted a Japan-Ireland test match in June 2017 "We've had events that drew more than 50,000 attendees quite a few times," said Keisuke Matsubayashi who works for the stadium's business planning division "In terms of access to the stadium (which is a 15-minute walk from the nearby JR Aino Station) and things like that we don't expect any major problems to happen." have made upgrades ahead of the Rugby World Cup including the turf lights and a partial roof that covers the stands Hideyuki Harada is currently serving his 18th year as the mayor of Fukuroi City meaning he was at the helm during soccer's World Cup He emphasized that it is his "responsibility" to spread the name of the small city with a population of about 88,000 through the quadrennial rugby festival The 76-year-old assured that Fukuroi would be an even more welcoming town for visitors during the Rugby World Cup than it was in 2002 Harada recalled that although global megastars such as England's David Beckham German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn and Brazilian striker Ronaldo competed in the city at the soccer World Cup they were heavily secluded for security reasons and were not really accessible to fans He added that he hopes to lower the barriers between the players and fans a little more this fall Harada provided a rough estimate that around 160,000 fans will travel to Ecopa for the Rugby World Cup He said that the event would be a good opportunity for visitors and Fukuroi residents to create a festive mood together The invitation for visitors to enjoy the town represents a significant change from 2002 when the city's fears of a hooligan invasion turned out to be groundless "Even if there are people that drink beer and enjoy walking around the town I think the Fukuroi residents will be welcoming to them," said Harada "There weren't atmospheres like that during the 2002 World Cup because the security was a little too excessive I don't think it will be like that this time." the city and its chamber of commerce plan to promote cashless plazas for the convenience of international tourists "There's about 1,000 meters from Aino Station (to the stadium)," Harada said "We are planning to have many street stalls between them so that the visitors can enjoy things like taiyaki (fish-shaped buns) and oden (hot pot) And we would like the visitors to be able to buy them with their (credit) cards." Fukuroi will also offer international tourists a glimpse of ordinary Japanese life during the tournament The city will introduce home stay program for tourists from overseas which Harada said the city did not have for the 2002 tourney A total of 100 households are expected to participate as host families on and around the match days Hosts will not only provide places to sleep and meals but also give guests car rides to the stadium or train station "There will be a lot more interactions between the visitors and citizens this time," insisted Harada who added that his family will participate in the home stay program The tournament has inspired Fukuroi to become more of an international city with residents encouraged to learn English "With the Rugby World Cup coming to Fukuroi we want to improve the English skills of our citizens We want them to be able to give (strangers) directions," said Eri Fujishita of Fukuroi's Board of Education While Japan will require fifth- and sixth-grade elementary students to study English from the 2020 fiscal year Fukuroi introduced English classes at all of its elementary schools in 2018 The city has eagerly embraced other progressive and radical experiments and efforts like an anti-earthquake/tsunami reinforcement plan and dietary education through meals at elementary schools In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division The annual Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) is held from January through March at Kasuisai an ancient temple with about 620 years of history in Fukuroi City the temple is decorated with about 1,200 dolls on a doll stand with 32 tiers—the largest such display in Japan It is said that this stunning scene also embodies a sense of gratitude to the dolls themselves No article or any part there of may be reproduced without the express permission of the Cabinet Office. Copyright inquiries should be made through this form Sign up for our daily Newsletter and stay up to date with all the latest news You are receiving this pop-up because this is the first time you are visiting our site You are using software which is blocking our advertisements (adblocker) we are relying on revenues from our banners So please disable your adblocker and reload the page to continue using this site.Thanks "Despite the global downtrend vertical farming has experienced in the past year in Japan more and more retailers and foodservice companies are keen on working with us due to rapid price changes and instability of the outdoor produce due to climate change decreasing agricultural population and other challenges," says Yurii Voronkov "We have an increasing number of inquiries from overseas as well I hope that we will have some exciting news to tell in this field," Yurii adds What's happening in 2024?As Yurii explains 2024 year is a very important year for Spread as both the abovementioned Techno Farm Fukuroi and Techno Fresh Hadano will start operations Techno Farm Fukuroi will produce 10 tons of lettuce of which 8 tons will go to the Hadano facility The Fukuroi farm will also have 80% of all operations fully automated while Hadano will have 85% of its operations automated such as an AI-enabled lettuce core removing robot Due to mass automation and even stricter hygiene guidelines the product will be extra clean and won’t require any washing before eating With the new INDOOR brand that Spread launched recently the team feels that customers value its product development strength and therefore Spread is looking forward to a lot of promises in the coming year fresh-cut vegetables require viable bacteria count to be lower than 1,000,000 for 1g of the product the shelf life for fresh-cut lettuce in Japan is commonly set at 3-4 days To remedy the perishability of the product the Techno Fresh processing method uses pesticide-free lettuce grown in a highly hygienic environment within Techno Farm and combines it with the in-house developed processing technologies that prevent bacteria from increasing Comparative Data for Techno Fresh (changes over time) *2Changes in viable bacterial count on Techno Fresh cut lettuceSample size: n=13 (Click here to zoom the photo) Spread was able to enhance the shelf life of the cut lettuce by up to 2 times and has become the first company to achieve a record-breaking 6 days shelf life for a fresh-cut lettuce product in Japan the Techno Fresh method prevents lettuce from discoloration The new facility “Techno Fresh Hadano” is not a vertical farm,but a salad processing plant that will produce fresh-cut salad using Spread’s vertically farmed lettuce The facility is located in an area of 4,800 m2 and will produce 8 tons of fresh-cut lettuce products per day Changes in visual appearance of Techno Fresh vs typical cut lettuce (Click here to zoom the photo) Spread let us know that 2023 was a year of preparations for them "We feel proud that we managed to proceed according to the schedule regarding Techno Farm Fukuroi’s development (start of operation planned for early 2024)." the team was rather happy to receive the 2023 Vertical Farming World Awards with the Techno Fresh processing method For more information:Spread Co., Ltd. Yurii Voronkov, Public Relations [email protected] www.spread.co.jp/en FreshPublishers © 2005-2025 FreshPlaza.com The Future of AI and Buddhist Teachings (Dr 60th Anniversary of Normalization of Japan-South Korea Diplomatic Relations: Pre.. Copyright © 2015- Foreign Press Center Japan corporal punishment and pressure to lose weight are driving large numbers of children to quit raising fears for the sport’s future in its traditional powerhouse the All Japan Judo Federation canceled a prestigious nationwide tournament for children as young as 10 saying that they were being pushed too hard A group dedicated to those injured or killed while practicing the martial art says 121 judo-related deaths were reported in Japanese schools between 1983 and 2016 Japan dominates the Olympics judo medal table but federation president Yasuhiro Yamashita said that the values of the sport are being lost as parents and coaches chase short-term glory “Judo is a sport that emphasizes humanity,” said Yamashita who is also the president of the Japanese Olympic Committee and won gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Games “If you see no worth in anything but winning The number of people taking part in judo in Japan has plummeted by almost half since 2004 to about 120,000 Children account for the steepest decline in numbers Young children are taught the same dangerous moves as Olympic athletes and intense training regimes can leave them injured or burned out Parents and coaches have been known to berate referees during matches and corporal punishment still exists The All Japan Judo Federation decided to take action in March by canceling a national tournament for elite children aged 10 to 12 planning to replace it with events such as lectures and practice sessions The backlash was fierce with angry parents and coaches accusing the federation of dashing children’s dreams and jeopardizing Japan’s status as the bastion of judo Coaches who use corporal punishment can lose their licenses a representative of the Japan Judo Accident Victims Association said that most parents “don’t think about the danger and just want their child to win.” “Parents think that if their child wins a title They think they’re doing it for their child,” said Kurata whose 15-year-old son died in 2011 as a result of a head injury sustained at his high-school judo club “The parents end up having the same win-at-all-costs mentality as the judo club.” said judo was “not fun” for Japanese children and that the “macho culture” surrounding the sport has had its day “You have to treat each kid with care and have a long-term vision for the future otherwise Japanese judo has reached its limit,” she said (Photo courtesy of Rugby World Cup organizing committee.) Dec 12, 2018 | , , There was yet more signalling of greater collaboration across Irish sport when it was revealed yesterday that Fukuroi City and the Ecopa Stadium facilities have been selected as the pre-games training camp for Team Ireland prior to Tokyo 2020 This is the same stadium as Ireland will train at and play hosts Japan in during next year’s Rugby World Cup and Team Ireland for the Olympics will use the same hotel facilities Located 170 kilometres to the south west of Tokyo in the Shizuoka Prefecture the city is connected directly to Tokyo by bullet train which takes 90 minutes indoor arena and athletics facilities were created for the 2002 World Cup where it hosted the quarter final between Brazil and England Fukuroi was selected after eight other locations in Japan were reviewed by representatives from Sport Ireland the Olympic Federation of Ireland and its Athletes’ Commission and presents a very strong fit for the needs of Team Ireland prior to Tokyo 2020 Read More: Heberle Appointed Chef de Mission for Irish Olympic Teams Read More: Olympic Federation and Sport Ireland Institute Sign Partnership   Our Monthly Report looking at the performance of Irish Sport on social media. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress sustainably-sourced and environmentally friendly meals for children aims to normalise the use of microalgae as an ingredient in school meals Amidst the current climate of growing food security concerns, the search for alternative, sustainable food sources is becoming increasingly popular. With this in mind, the Ishinomaki-based research institute Ebis Algae - which specialises in the production of the protein rich microalgae genus Nannochloropsis - has developed a food education programme for school children seeking to normalise the use of algae as a culinary ingredient algae of the genus Nannochloropsis are abundant in eicosapentaenoic acid an omega-3 fatty acid known to contribute to cardiovascular health Ebis developed a ‘Green School Lunch’ programme to help introduce the children to the use of microalgae as food serving 9250 meals in 28 schools across the city of Fukuroi admitted to concerns that the children would not find the concept of eating microalgae appetising the school lunch programme was proved a success according to a report by J-Stories - a Japan based news platform Following the success of this education project the city of Fukuroi has made a permanent place on its school lunch menus for the algae-based foods and Ebis aims to expand the project across Japan and will be increasing the scale of its Nannochloropsis production "I believe that Nannochloropsis will save the world," said Terai Enshu Forest Energy LLC (“Project Company”) which was established by Forest Energy Inc The Project Company plans to construct and operate “Enshu Forest Energy Power Plant” (“Project”) a 7,100kW power plant that uses 100% domestic timber centering on unused thinned wood from Shizuoka Prefecture and aims to commence operation in December 2024 Unused timber from Shizuoka Prefecture will mainly be procured to be used as fuel and it is also planned to collect and utilize branches The three companies and the Project Company will utilize all local resources through the Project to contribute to forest development and forestry revitalization in Shizuoka Prefecture and realizing a decarbonized society Shizuoka (within Ogasayama Industrial Estate) Forest Energy (70%)、Shizuoka Gas & Power (25%)、Chubu Electric Power(5%) 52,530,000 kWh (equivalent to annual electricity usage by approx Wood chips using mainly unused thinned wood from Shizuoka Prefecture Note: The overview of the Project is the plan at the time of this announcement and may be changed in the future Local circulation-type energy business using wood resources Forest Energy Inc. Sale and purchase of electric power and mediation business for sale and purchase; power generation and supply business Shizuoka Gas & Power Co., Ltd.  community support infrastructure-related projects Chubu Electric Power Co.,Inc. Press Releases and Other Company News Go to the Top of the Page Energy Business Development Global Business Investor Relations ESG Procurement About Chubu Electric Power spun off the power transmission and distribution business to Chubu Electric Power Grid Co. and retail electricity business to Chubu Electric Power Miraiz Co. As Japan’s sports teams prepare for a cautious return to action after hiatuses caused by COVID-19 a company has developed an app that allows fans to cheer remotely as their teams play in empty stadiums Nippon Professional Baseball is scheduled to resume on July 19 and the J League is expected to start a couple of weeks later but no fans will be allowed into stadiums amid fears of new coronavirus infections.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); The Remote Cheerer system lets fans watching matches on television in their living rooms cheer the players on the pitch via their smartphones sending either a pre-recorded shoutout or their own personal message The voices they send will reverberate around the stadium in real time recently tested the system at the 50,000 capacity Shizuoka Stadium ECOPA Fans watching on television were able to send their support through 58 speakers around the ground Viewers can decide which speaker will broadcast their cheer "At one point during the system field test I closed my eyes and it felt like the cheering fans were right there in the stadium with me," said Keisuke Matsubayashi South African winger Cheslin Kolbe is in contention to face England in the final of the Rugby World Cup scheduled to take place in Yokohama on Saturday Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus confirmed on Tuesday that the Springboks will have a fully fit squad of 31 players available and ready to train “It will probably be exactly the same 23 with Cheslin Kolbe coming back into that 23 We believe that is the best way we can get the best out of our team,” Erasmus said at a press conference Kolbe has been a doubt for the game having missed the 19-16 win over Wales in the semi-final on Sunday with an ankle injury Sharks winger S’busiso Nkosi took Kolbe’s place on the right wing in the game Erasmus said one of the reasons he did not select Kolbe was that he hoped he will be available for the Rugby World Cup final if South Africa beat the Six Nations champions Kolbe had been struggling with the injury following South Africa’s 49-3 win against Italy in their third pool game He also missed the Pool B game against Canada played in the 26-3 win against Japan in the quarterfinal but went off late in the game and sat out training in the week leading to the semi-final The final is a repeat of the 2007 finale when South Africa overcame 2003 champions England 15-6 to win the Webb Ellis Cup for a second time .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By JoAnn Boatwright, The Hillsboro ArgusAmanda Houston of Cornelius painted "Jackson Bottom Mist" which was chosen by the city of Hillsboro for its Public Art Collection.JoAnn Boatwright / The ArgusCornelius artist Amanda Houston is becoming well-known for her pastel landscapes She recently published fine arts posters (above) which will be sold across the country.A few years ago Amanda Houston escaped the world of big corporations and began dabbling in the world of pastel painting That dabbling has turned into a full-fledged career as an artist She's represented in seven galleries in Oregon and Washington participates in many art shows and prestigious West Coast festivals each year has her work displayed in hospitals and offices and is producing a new line of fine art posters destined for sale in big-box stores across the country "I'm still juggling," said Houston in her studio aerie on a hill just south of Cornelius gives her time to be there for her husband and two elementary school-aged sons She also designs websites and consults with Oregon wineries -- when she has a few spare minutes "I'm not a daily painter," she said Houston keeps track of her work on her studio whiteboard and often works late into the night to meet deadlines She had five shows in November alone and must complete 40 paintings by June 1 "I paint for a particular show or event," she explained "The contest was right in my backyard," Houston said of the public art competition Friends advised her to submit a view of the rolling hills surrounding Hillsboro but the judges passed over that in favor of the Jackson Bottom scene The work has already been archivally copied and framed and was presented by Mayor Jerry Willey on a recent economic development visit to "I'm always drawn to the moment when the light is most dramatic composition and texture within each scene speak of a calmer simpler place in my life," Houston said The artist mats and frames each work to her own demanding specifications and recently took up painting her soft marveling in its warm glow through the pastel medium Her latest venture is publishing fine art posters "I've never lacked for inspiration," said Houston who once worked as an apparel designer and director for global apparel businesses She occasionally hosts up to 25 students in her spacious studio with its wide views of the Cascades and the Coast Range as well as the farms and fields of Washington County's rural spaces "I can't complain," she said "I do my own work on my own time and can spend time with my kids I couldn't do that with a job in a corporation." 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All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices DR Tokyo Bay Fireworks near the Tokyo Sky Tree DR The Hanabi are a real institution and thus form an unmissable ritual of the summer period DR The Fukuroi Fireworks Festival is ranked among the top 5 best fireworks in Japan DR Close When the sky is ablaze Summer in Japan would not be complete without the famous fireworks (hanabi taikai) Hundreds of fireworks displays are held each year throughout the country Japanese fireworks are known to be extremely colorful and impressive The hanabi are a real institution and an unmissable summer ritual The second attraction behind the actual fireworks is the fun, relaxed atmosphere that accompanies them At least half the audience is dressed in yukata and the streets are full of food stalls and games for people of all ages Location: Between the neighborhoods of Harumi, Toyosu and Odaiba, Tokyo The Tokyo Bay Fireworks Festival is north of Odaiba Boats near the famous Rainbow Bridge launch over 10,000 fireworks in one hour - a real feast for the eyes Guests can enjoy the show from the Odaiba bay or Harumi park a 15 minute walk from the station on the Yurakucho Toyosu line Note that the Rainbow Bridge is closed to pedestrians for the occasion Location: Along the Marukogawa river, a 15 minute walk from the Omagari train station on the JR Shinkansen line in Akita, Akita refectureOmagari Fireworks is actually a national competition. Indeed, only the top 30 fireworks teams are allowed to show their creation. So the quality level is very high and the show will leave you stunned. You can buy seats on site. If you come from Tokyo consider renting accommodation in the area because you can not return to Tokyo that evening You can watch the fireworks in the background of this UNESCO monument Location: On the banks of the river between Haranoya better known as "Fukuroi Fireworks Festival" is undoubtedly one of the top 5 best fireworks shows in Japan It is often described as a finale that lasts two hours...and for good reason An event not to be missed if you are in the area at that time of the year Where to see the work of Kengo Kuma in Japan one of the major contemporary artists in Japan The JR Pass for families: Enjoy traveling around Japan together! The JR Pass is a great option for many travelers to Japan but it offers some great perks that are especially beneficial to families visiting the country How much is the Japan Rail Pass? Current JR Pass pricing for travelers! Take a look at current pricing for the Japan Rail Pass a great travel option for visitors to Japan Japanese Food and Drink Books on Japan Japanese Movies Japanese Language Japanese History Understanding Japan Before you Travel View more Sign up and be the first to hear our news and special offers To continue reading this article you must log in If you've never set a password you may need to register for free here and get unlimited access It is uploaded directly by travel industry suppliers Apply to post to Noticeboard TTG Media Limited.Place of registration: England and Wales.Company number 08723341.Registered address: 2-6 Boundary Row All Headlines North Korea Sports Top News Most Viewed Korean Newspaper Headlines Today in Korean History Yonhap News Summary Editorials from Korean Dailies July 17 (Yonhap) -- K-pop girl band TWICE announced Wednesday the addition of a Japanese leg to their ongoing world tour In the Japanese section of the world tour the girl band will stage 12 concerts in seven Japanese cities from October to February next year according to the band's management agency JYP Entertainment The Japanese tour will kick off at Sapporo's Makomanai Sekisui Heim Ice Arena on Oct The band will move to Chiba City to perform at Makuhari Messe on Oct 29 and 30 and then to Osaka for performances at the city's Osaka-Jo Hall set for Nov the act will perform at Miyagi's Sekisui Heim Super Arena before giving concerts at Nagoya's Portmesse Nagoya from Nov The Japanese tour will end with stops at Fukuoka's Marine Messe Fukuoka on Feb 11 and Shizuoka Stadium ECOPA in Fukuroi City TWICE is set to hit Los Angeles in the first stop of its first concert tour of North American cities The group will release its fourth Japanese single shows the cover of TWICE's 4th Japanese single "Happy Happy." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) All News National Economy/Finance Biz Culture/K-pop Images Videos Korean Newspaper Headlines Korea in Brief Useful Links Weather Advertise with Yonhap News Agency Father Donal Doyle may or may not be the oldest Irish fan in Fukuroi this weekend – he turns 88 in two weeks – but he must surely be the most conflicted. A Dubliner born in Baggot Street in 1931, he went to secondary school in Belvedere College where, then as now, rugby was a second religion. Deeply committed to the first religion, however, he decided to become a priest, which led him to volunteer for the Jesuit mission to Japan in the late 1950s. Sixty years later, he’s still there. If he hasn’t gone native entirely yet, the teachers back in Belvo must have inoculated him against it. But at his home in Tokyo’s Sophia University this week, he spoke with undisguised affection for the hard-working, regimented, and relentlessly polite people among whom he has spent most of his life. Maybe Japan is also where he developed the art of understatement – another local trait – or maybe he had it already. In any case, the furthest he would be drawn on competing loyalties was to say: “I feel comfortable with the Japanese people”. If their rugby team were to beat Ireland, you sensed, he would not be as upset as most old Belvedereans. Mind you, like the Christian Brothers, the Jesuits have done their bit for the cause of soft Irish imperialism. Fr Doyle is no exception. He recalls with a laugh that a late teaching colleague, Gerry Bourke, used to draw maps of the world for his Japanese students in which Ireland was always at the centre, like ancient Rome. In a similar spirit, during the 1980s, Doyle set up an Irish studies programme at the university, and through it brought a group of students to Ireland every year for a month, 27 years running. The trip included a home stay with families in Dublin’s leafy Mount Merrion (a suitably gentle immersion in our wild Irish ways), but also came to include visits to the Dáil, the Mansion House, and Áras an Uachtaráin, as well as a country-wide tour. It always ended with a party in the old Doyle homestead on Baggot Street, where Donal’s brother Frank had a dental practice, and where a preserved bullet hole from 1916 formed part of the visitors’ education. There are 360 Japanese people alive now who were thereby introduced to Ireland for the first time. Most have since gone back at least once. So the Doyle initiative blazed a trail for an official promotion campaign that was launched in Japan this week. The latest campaign slogan will not go as far as claiming that we’re the centre of the world, exactly. It opts instead for Japanese-style understatement — “Ireland: Closer than you think.” In the meantime, thousands of unofficial envoys, Irish rugby fans, have joined Fr Doyle in descending on Fukuroi. Not that many are staying there. A small city with only five hotels, boosted by another homestay scheme, it could not accommodate much of the crowd. Apart from hosting the match, arguably, its biggest contribution to the weekend may have been to launch a thousand jokes about how “Fukuroi” sounds like something Mick McCarthy might have said during another World Cup, in 2002. Most fans were instead either commuting up and down from Tokyo on the ear-poppingly fast Shinkansen, or overnighting in one of the two bigger cities nearby, Shizuoka or Hamamatsu. Surprised at how soon he had arrived in the former on Friday afternoon, a harassed-looking young Tipperary man struggled to get his bags together in time to exit and commented: “They don’t call it the bullet train for nothing”. Clearly shaken by his exertions in Tokyo, he added: “I’m giving up drink when I get home.” The rest of us stayed on as far as Hamamatsu where, speaking of drink, Irish supporters still in search of it on Friday were forced for a time to congregate in a pub called the Lord Nelson. Happily, word leaked out of the existence somewhere of the inevitable Irish bar – part of another empire on which the sun never sets – called Tir na n-Óg, which was to open at 6pm. Sure enough, shortly after teatime, a group of Monaghan and Derry men had ensconced themselves at the counter of the small underground premises, which quickly filled. But it turned out that the proprietor, Yoshiko Oishi, was Japanese. And the nearest thing she had to Guinness was a stout brewed locally near Mount Fuji. In fact, the menu’s description of another craft brew — “barely controlled bitterness with a hint of an angry edge” – might in Dublin have sounded like a portrait of the customers rather than the beer. Under cross-examination, Yoshiko admitted apologetically that the bar wasn’t really Irish at all. She just liked the name Tir Na n-Óg, which had been suggested by her daughter. A fondness for pub life is one of the few things the Irish and Japanese have obviously in common. Fr Doyle had said as much of his adopted compatriots: “Their lives are hard – they work long hours and they live in very small places. But they enjoy themselves in the pub.” The Tir na n-Óg was a case in point. Except for the foreigners at the counter, most customers on early Friday evening were Japanese. Even so, it emerged in further questioning that the proprietor had toured Ireland five years ago, sampling plenty of Guinness along the way. Then she introduced us to one of her locals, Takahiro Mizuguchi (26), who had been playing classical violin since childhood but for three years now re-learning it as "the fiddle", mainly by watching Youtube videos of Martin Hayes. He would be performing in the pub Saturday night, he promised. That was enough for us. We reassured the proprietor that in disavowing the business’s Hibernian credentials, she had been too modest altogether. By the powers vested in us as wearers of green jerseys abroad, we declared her pub officially Irish. In fairness, it was more authentic than many. Facebook pageTwitter feed© 2025 The Irish Times DAC is a major production center of Crown Melon Melon production in the area has a history of more than 80 years and is unmatched by any other production areas Many farmers have been producing melons for two to three generations and with their long experience in production they gave birth to a melon referred to as ”the King of Melon” we visited the greenhouse of Katsuhiko Iguchi in Fukuroi City The melons Iguchi makes always rank in the top in competitive exhibitions They told us the glass greenhouse allows the sunlight to shine through the plants are usually watered all at once with sprinklers so each area is watered in carefully controlled amounts Melons are one of Nakata’s top three favorite fruits and Nakata repeatedly commented ”Delicious” or ”Sweet” ”Can you tell which melon is sweet by looking at the exterior?”It would be nice if we were able to tell good tasting melon when purchasing ”The net like pattern on the surface should not be too thick or thin and the skin color under the net should be white.” That is how one can identify delicious melon All Crown Melon have a sticker with the number of the producer on it. Every producer is identified, so one can immediately distinguish the taste of melon for each producer.Iguchi’s ID number is 495. Using these numbers, you can look up information about the producer on the ”Crown Melon Office” so we recommend you check the website when buying Crown Melon FUKUROI: Japan is the home of judo but a brutal win-at-all-costs mentality raising fears for the sport's future in its traditional powerhouse the All Japan Judo Federation cancelled a prestigious nationwide tournament for children as young as 10 A pressure group dedicated to those injured or killed while practising the martial art says that 121 judo-related deaths were reported in Japanese schools between 1983 and 2016 Japan regularly dominates the Olympics judo medal table but federation president Yasuhiro Yamashita told AFP that the values of the sport are being lost as parents and coaches chase short-term glory “Judo is a sport that emphasises humanity,“ said Yamashita Reports have emerged of primary school children being forced to lose weight -- sometimes up to six kilogrammes (13 pounds) -- so they can compete in a lighter division Young children are taught the same dangerous moves as Olympic athletes and intense training regimes can leave them injured or burnt out despite reforms in a sport that has been plagued by abuse and bullying scandals over the years The All Japan Judo Federation decided to take action in March by cancelling a national tournament for elite children aged between 10 and 12 The backlash was fierce with angry parents and coaches accusing the federation of dashing children's dreams and jeopardising Japan's status as the bastion of judo told AFP at her judo club in the central Shizuoka region that she “feels sorry” for this year’s primary school children who have no tournament to aim for whose 12-year-old daughter attends the same club said he was “disappointed” when he first heard the news but concluded it was “a good decision” after learning more about the reasons Yamashita said scrapping the competition had put a spotlight on “a problem that involves Japanese society” “It’s been two-and-a-half months since we decided to cancel the competition and people are still debating it on TV and in newspapers,“ he said adding that most opinions “have been in favour” Judo and other martial arts were used for military training in Japan before World War II and servicemen would visit schools to give lessons Martial arts were banned during the post-war US occupation but they later were recognised as sports with judo making its Olympic debut at the 1964 Tokyo Games a Japanese judoka who won silver at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics said a belief that corporal punishment makes children stronger was still common in Japan “One thing that has stuck to coaching in Japanese sports is that it doesn’t use words as if being hit is like being shown affection.” Coaches who use corporal punishment can be stripped of their licences but parents are harder to control said most parents “don’t think about the danger and just want their child to win” they think they’re doing it for their child,“ said Kurata “The parents end up having the same win-at-all-costs mentality as the judo club and they contribute to it.” otherwise Japanese judo has reached its limit,“ she said “Old-school coaches are scared that if we do away with the kids’ competitions “I think it will actually become stronger.” - AFP Tel: +603-7784 6688      Fax: +603-7785 2625 Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Springbok captain Siya Kolisi shared some inspiring words with the future stars of South African rugby when he visited t.. Rugby history will be rewritten when the Springboks launch their 2025 season against the Barbarians at the DHL Stadium i.. Scottish referee Hollie Davidson will return to South Africa for the Springboks’ first Test of the 2025 season when they.. Tickets for the Springboks’ eagerly awaited return to home Test match action for the first time in almost ten months wil.. Chasing the Sun 2 – A Story for South Africa – the captivating and award-winning sequel to Chasing the Sun was the most-.. Siya Kolisi kept his winning streak with the national team intact when the Springbok Green team – captained by the World Cup winning flanker – outplayed their Springbok Gold counterparts by 25-9 in the Castle Lager Springbok Showdown at DHL Newlands on Saturday Springbok Green turned on Test-style rugby to come away with a 25-9 victory and bragging rights over Springbok Gold in the Castle Lager Springbok Showdown as South African rugby took another step back to full competitive play with a second some of the 16 young guns selected to join the two squads in the build-up to the Castle Lager Springbok Showdown were still at school or playing for the Junior Boks but this week they had the opportunity to learn and experience first-hand from a number of Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks and coaches There may not be any serious silverware at stake in the Castle Lager Springbok Showdown in Cape Town on Saturday but for the captains of the Springbok Green and Gold squads winning will be front of mind when they lead their teams out at DHL Newlands at 17h05 Sikhumbuzo Notshe’s rugby career is enjoying a new lease of life since his move to from Cape Town to the tropical surroundings of Durban on the South African east coast The Springbok Green team cut loose in the second half as they won the Castle Lager Springbok Showdown against their Gold counterparts by 25-9 on Saturday Springbok loose forward Marcell Coetzee scored a crucial try for Ulster to stave off a brave Benetton fight and give the Guinness PRO14 finalists an opening 35-24 win over the Italian side The Castle Lager Springbok Showdown presented the national coaching staff with a much-needed opportunity to work with an extended group of players which saw some of the country’s brightest young talent rub shoulders with experienced Rugby World Cup winners Springbok Women’s prop Babalwa Latsha was named among 12 leading women in rugby on the African continent as Rugby Africa unveiled its list of 12 #Unstoppables who have been a beacon of inspiration to women in the game on Monday Burger Odendaal and EW Viljoen are all set to make their first appearances for the Emirates Lions in Friday evening’s clash with the Cell C Sharks in the opening match of Vodacom Super Rugby Unlocked © 2025 SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY | PICTURES © GALLO IMAGES An "extended" hiatus was reported previously A representative for BTS has offered clarification over recent reports of the group’s “extended” hiatus explaining it is instead a “brief” break The K-Pop group recently completed the first leg of their world stadium tour which began with two shows at LA’s Rose Bowl Stadium in May Their final concert took place at Ecopa Stadium in Fukuroi BTS’ management Big Hit Entertainment announced that the band would be taking an “extended period of rest and relaxation” [공지] 방탄소년단 공식 장기 휴가 알림 (+ENG) pic.twitter.com/fV4Aw5UNY4 — BigHit Entertainment (@BigHitEnt) August 11, 2019 “This period of rest will be an opportunity for the members of BTS who have relentlessly driven themselves towards their goal since their debut to recharge and prepare to present themselves anew as musicians and creators,” the post read “This will also provide them with a chance to enjoy the ordinary lives of young people in their 20s The message went on to say that the members of BTS “will rest and recharge in their own personal ways” during the break while asking fans to respect their privacy Big Hit added that BTS  “will return refreshed and recharged to return all the love you have an continue to show them.” See the original statement in full above a representative for the K-Pop group has confirmed that this hiatus from performing will be much shorter than previously stated but well-deserved vacation,” they said in an email statement (via The Associated Press) friends and the media that the group is excited to get back on the stage very soon for their scheduled stadium tour.” The new statement ends by promising “more exciting BTS news and events to come” BTS are set to return for a performance in Saudi Arabia on October 11 before playing three dates shows at Seoul’s Jamsil Olympic Stadium on October 26 The group’s tour kicked off at the same South Korean venue in August 2018 Meanwhile, a new BTS docu-series called ‘Bring The Soul’ is set to arrive later this month The show will be available exclusively on Weverse the new social media app from Big Hit that allows fans to interact directly with the group The world’s defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking what’s new and what’s next since 1952 Each Vietnamese person uses more than one plastic bag per day resulting in approximately 31.4 billion plastic bags being discarded into the environment annually and single-use plastics make their way to landfills or are released into the environment This year marks the 20th UN Day of Vesak Celebrations with Vietnam having hosted the event four times A highlight of the 2025 event is the ceremonial enshrinement of the historical Buddha’s relics symbolising Buddhist harmony and its peaceful message 1975 will forever be a milestone in Vietnam’s history and the beginning of a new era of independence said Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang They are asked to issue legal documents within their jurisdiction to implement cuts and reassign the authority of settlement at the district level For procedures requiring government decrees ministries must submit them to the Ministry of Justice for review by May 10 and to the Government for approval by May 30 Progress on the work must be reported to the PM by May 10 Vietjet passengers traveling on domestic flights departing from Terminal 1 at Noi Bai International Airport can now complete check-in and boarding procedures using biometric authentication (eKYC) via the VNeID app About 500 Vietnamese expatriates recently gathered in Moscow to welcome their homeland’s military delegation preparing for the Victory Day parade marking Russia’s 80th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War triumph once turned into a “hell on earth” by the colonialists and imperialists to suppress Vietnamese patriots and revolutionaries became a sacred historical place and epitomised the fighting spirit and ardent patriotism of the Vietnamese people The newly formed localities are expected to better harness the region's potential and advantages to accelerate development The activities will feature the participation of hundreds of ethnic minority representatives currently living and working at the village along with delegations from 11 provinces and cities Events included the ceremonial opening of a relic viewing of the Buddha’s sarira The two-hectare range broke ground in July 2024 supported by a grant of over 700,000 USD from the US Government and a calibration zone for mine clearance equipment Uzbekistan and Vietnam have enjoyed a long lasting relationship More than 3,500 Vietnamese students have studied at educational institutions in Uzbekistan and played an important role in strengthening the friendship between the people of the two countries./ a total of 8,056 inmates have been granted early release under this year’s amnesty the Government has effectively connected provinces rich in human resources with key economic hubs A Mexican scholar has praised Vietnam as a notable model of success not only for Asia but also for developing nations across Latin America amid the economic volatility in the 21st century Hanoi has launched a wide range of cultural and entertainment activities to attract tourists during the five-day national holiday Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR) said the two services which departed from Hanoi (SE1) and HCM City (SE4) on April 29 were more than just a special service to mark the Liberation of the South the invaluable lessons drawn from the Route 9–Southern Laos and Lam Son 719 victories continue to inspire the heroic traditions of both armies remain highly relevant and meaningful to both Vietnam and Laos as they move forward in a new era Vietnam's struggle for independence and freedom ended in the spring of 1975 with President of the Republic of Vietnam Duong Van Minh and his cabinet appearing at Saigon Radio station to announce unconditional surrender on April 30 A total of 221 Vietnamese citizens detained in Myanmar for breaching immigration regulations returned home on April 28-29 2008 by the Ministry of Information and Communications Email: vietnamplus@vnanet.vn Reproduction in any form is prohibited without written consent GALLERY: Irish players make Sumo visit ahead of Japan matches Ireland's rugby team are acclimatising to life in the Far East Ahead of this weekend's first Test match against Japan members of the team and staff travelled to a local Sumo Stable as the team had a day off in Tokyo before the second Test a week later in Tokyo Ireland players and management pose for a photo with Sumo Wrestlers Ireland players make their way in the Sumo Stables This form collects your email so that we can send you emails By clicking yes you confirm your accept our privacy policy Developed by Square1 Ireland’s Méabh Deely — © ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne Ireland back Méabh Deely says they will travel to Cardiff with a “bit of revenge” on their minds for Saturday’s Six Nations opener against Wales In their opening game of last year’s tournament Ireland fell to a surprise 27-19 loss to Wales at the RDS Will Genia walking off the pitch during Australia’s Rugby World Cup 2019 campaign in Fukuroi Ex Wallaby and Queensland Reds star Will Genia is the latest overseas-based sports star looking to offload property in a hot market His two properties in Brisbane were put on the rental market when the rugby union star began playing for Kintetsu Liners in Japan MORE: Rare 1960s beach shack sold to developer Model couple sell Brisbane home in just one day Gina Rinehart lists property bigger than Sydney Would you renovate or detonate? He has been burned before on the property market losing $70,000 on the quick sale of a house in Belmont 12 kilometres from the Brisbane CBD in 2012 But that is unlikely to be the case with his current listing given current market demand is at its hottest level in decades especially in suburbs with good proximity to the city The house was described as having strong renovation potential Mr Genia paid $815,000 in 2018 for the quaint three bedder in Coorparoo which is now for sale It was much less than he’d forked out for his sprawling Carindale four bedder that was picked up for $1.1m in 2012 and which remains on the rental market Agents Kate Collingwood and Nick Kouparitsas of Ray White Ascot listed the Coorparoo property as a “1950s cottage in a highly coveted position” The driveway comes through to the backyard A stand-alone shed in the backyard is perfect for garage there is also a separate 55sq m garage/studio perfect for a home business “This property is a blank canvas with renovation potential,” was how they described it “With so many current or future options to capture magnificent city views savvy buyers will not want to miss the outstanding value of this highly desirable position” The investment property at 19 Gristock Street, Coorparoo is on a 607sq m block and goes under the hammer at 5pm on April 22 FOLLOW COURIER-MAIL REAL ESTATE ON FACEBOOK *Sign up to The Courier-Mail Weekly Real Estate Update. 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Rizin Trigger 2 is set for the Ecopa Arena on February 23rd The full fight card for the event in Fukuroi was released today with a lightweight bout between Akira Okada and Takumi Suzuki among the new additions Okada (16-8-4) is riding a three fight winning streak that culminated with a submission win over fellow Pancrase veteran Daichi Abe at Rizin 31 The 34 year old appears to have turned his career around dramatically after suffering a four fight losing skid that lasted from 2018 to 2020 Suzuki (10-6) won the Pancrase Neo Blood tournament as a bantamweight in 2016 In recent years he has been plying his trade with Deep and earned his Rizin debut after registering back to back wins in the second half of 2021 As previously announced Rizin Trigger 2 will be headlined by Kleber Koike who faces Ulka Sasaki in a featherweight fight The Brazilian is part of the Bonsai Jiu Jitsu team which had a stellar 2021 while his opponent is a UFC veteran who has spent the majority of his career competing as a bantamweight Rizin Trigger 1 took place in Kobe in December and was headlined by a featherweight fight between Kyohei Hagiwara stops Shoji Maruyama The former won by way of second round stoppage.