FAN Communications. Inc. ( (JP:2461) ) just unveiled an announcement has become an ‘Other Affiliated Company’ due to an increase in the percentage of voting rights held indirectly by HIKARI TSUSHIN INC.’s growing influence within FAN Communications potentially impacting the company’s strategic decisions and financial reporting Learn more about 2461 stock on TipRanks’ Stock Analysis page Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue FAN Communications. Inc. ( (JP:2461) ) just unveiled an announcement Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Hikari Leon is an executive producer with Spectrum News She started her career with Spectrum News the summer after graduating from Ithaca College in 2019 Her first role was serving as a master control operator in Albany where she learned the ins-and-outs of the network’s operations team Hikari then transitioned to the network's editorial department in 2020 she honed her skills as a writer and quickly became a Senior Producer on "Your Morning" Hikari also won her very first New York Regional Emmy Award in 2023 and was nominated again in 2024 she accepted an opportunity to lead the Spectrum News South Carolina team as an Executive Producer.  As a first-generation Japanese/Cuban American Hikari hopes her work helps to empower marginalized communities You can reach Hikari by email at Hikari.Leon@Charter.com or find her on social media @HikariLeonNews Slow and steady—that’s Hikari Ramen‘s style The new Baton Rouge restaurant simmers its broth for a generous 14 hours following traditional Japanese ramen techniques And the owners were just as purposeful building out the Corporate Boulevard restaurant 12 nearly a year after breaking ground in October 2023 Construction involved knocking down a wall separating two suites to create a larger open space decorative cherry blossoms are draped from the wood-paneled ceiling Bar seating facing an open kitchen affords diners glimpses of their dishes as they’re made Those looking for a more intimate experience can find it in cozy booths tucked around the restaurant The concept is centered around ramen and milk tea a bread-and-butter combination co-owner Crystal Lin likens to pairing burgers with Coca-Cola Hikari offers around eight specialty bowls black garlic oil and the restaurant’s signature broth The broth is brewed with pork bones and chicken feet for over half a day resulting in a strong flavor without too much salt rice burgers sandwich different proteins between compressed rice patties ranging from chicken katsu or pork chashu to beef or grilled eel Starters run the gamut from seawood salad to Japanese-style pancakes to fried chicken matcha cake and a Japanese ice cream sandwich An array of fruit teas and milk teas are on offer the restaurant will add sake and other alcoholic beverages wanted to create an authentic ramen dining experience for Baton Rouge Crystal’s family moved to Metairie from China when she was 9 years old and she’s worked in the restaurant business from a young age going on to work at a marketplace and a bubble tea shop she was surprised to find how few ramen restaurants populated the area reached out to the couple about opening a ramen restaurant in the Capital Region The pair got to fulfill personal goals with the project: While Jizong is especially passionate about the restaurant business Crystal has always wanted to open her own bubble tea shop “I kind of get half of my dream,” she says Crystal makes all the milk teas at Hikari Ramen and has a vision of future expansion that includes an open bar serving bubble tea on one side of the restaurant where tea drinkers can watch their fresh beverages being made Hikari Ramen is at 7474 Corporate Blvd., Suites 106-107, located inside the Courtside Crossing Shopping Center. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on weekends. Find more information here Discovered as a teen model and rising to fame through Popteen Hikari Shiina—better known as “Pikarin”—has forged a bold path as a musician As a solo artist, she took the stage at HANABIE.’s Daikaiho Fest 2024, while her all-girl rock band, KILLT MELT LAND What inspired you to launch your fashion brand “Grrr the Lipper” and what message do you hope to convey through its designs I briefly ran a brand called “MissaMissa” but it ended up stuck at the sample stage or limited to made-to-order production “jirai kei” (landmine-style) fashion evolved from being seen as unconventional to becoming mainstream and widely accepted I thought my time in the spotlight was over and that I might be done with apparel altogether However, I received a passionate proposal from my favorite company, ACRO TOKYO which represents some of my favorite brands This motivated me to reconsider pursuing a career in fashion “Why not rebuild the foundation properly and create something even more intense than jirai kei?” my fashion sense was considered unconventional and was revered as a new genre called “Pikarin-style” fashion so the term “jirai kei” didn’t even exist yet I needed to steel myself with a resolve to go further—and I’ve made that decision creating things that are unique and original For those who long to go deeper than jirai kei I want to create something that resonates with them I like sailor uniforms and “Chunibyou” fashion; things like sailor uniforms with kanji motifs Red plaid and sailor uniforms are my absolute favorites And I absolutely detest anything that feels too grown-up Pikarin models her “Keloid Denim” collection from Grrr the Lipper What inspired the name “Grrr the Lipper” for your brand and how does it reflect your design style and creative vision The name embodies that rebellious and defiant spirit including the act of “biting” (like biting someone’s arm) and the idea of resisting conformity It reflects the desire for people to stay sharp and edgy without being worn down and swallowed up by the pressures of the human world For those who might usually act as “model citizens” or play the role of the “good kid” in society I want them to feel invincible when wearing these clothes This mental image gave birth to the idea of “Grrr” since I have a pet “demon dog” I connected that idea to the concept of a “mad dog” I originally wanted to abbreviate it to just “Grrr” I drew inspiration from the chilling and intense phrase “Jack the Ripper” and perfectly matches the essence of my clothing style I also have a personal obsession with using as many voiced consonants (like “G” and “R”) as possible which adds to the name’s distinctive edge Are there specific songs or genres of music that inspire your collections Do you ever listen to certain artists or bands while you’re designing makes me feel like I want to be drenched in a rain of blood Are there music icons who have impacted how you think about fashion and image in music I love motifs like shironuri (white face paint) how do fashion and music influence each other I think “freedom of expression” is essential to both and perfectly matches the essence of my clothing style.” –Pikarin widely known overseas as “Harajuku fashion” is known for inspiring individuality and creative freedom What does “Harajuku” mean to you personally I prefer Akihabara because it makes me feel like my brain is melting I like the anime and cosplay culture there too As the designer of “Grrr the Lipper” It actually makes my heart race nervously being there [laughs] so this is what’s in style now” or “How can I promote Grrr the Lipper even more” Harajuku has had a worldwide appeal and following It makes me happy to see people from all different countries exploring the neighborhood and I’d love for even more people to know about it How do you see the Japanese fashion scene evolving especially for the next generation of artists and fashion icons What do you see as the future of Japanese fashion and decora have become nearly extinct compared to the past so I hope to see them make a comeback and grow more I’d like to see people who incorporate anime and games into their fashion creating “ita-fashion” that feels like their brains are melting but for the future of Japan (or the demon world) What advice would you give to someone trying to find their own unique style within the realm of Japanese street fashion Before Grrr the Lipper launched, you collaborated with brands like Hyper Core and TRAVAS TOKYO If Grrr the Lipper could collaborate now with any designer and I’ve liked everything they ever put out If I could ever collaborate with Vivienne Westwood that would be a huge deal–they’re such an iconic and well-known brand There are also some anime series I’d like to collaborate with: Saya no Uta (沙耶の歌) Pikarin’s designs feature intricate details and designer–You’ve also been recognized for your love of anime my father used to play the video game Silent Hill every night Maybe that was my first step through the gate Shiawase Sou no Okojo-san (しあわせソウのオコジョさん) and Tokyo Mew Mew or game characters have inspired your style or creative work the most number one would be Misa Misa from DEATH NOTE Ekaterina “Katja” Kurae from The Qwaser of Stigmata (聖痕のクェイサー) I got more comments in English than I did in Japanese It seems like Saya no Uta has more of a following overseas than it does in Japan I also like that set because the realistic flesh design reminds me of Silent Hill Say no Uta seems to be of the “ero-guro” genre It’s an ero-game; like a grotesquely dark erotic game and Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan (撲殺天使ドクロちゃん) I noticed you cosplayed characters from Litchi Hikari Club before how do you feel cosplay connects with fashion as a form of self-expression Cosplay is something born from love; it’s something with a clear answer where you sever yourself completely to fully embody the character–almost like you kill yourself to become that character Pikarin visits the Usamaru Furuya Exhibition “SCHWEIGEN -Silence-” 2025 in Tokyo.Pikarin_shiina on X Many fans see you as an idol figure in the fashion and music industries How do you feel about the “idol” label The word “idol” feels off to me and I don’t personally think of myself as an idol but I don’t mind how others perceive me I’m just happy to be included in any category within your perspective I used to do voice impressions of Stitch and Donald Duck Since the technique for producing death growls or screams is similar to voicing those characters I started by impersonating Stitch or Donald and then strengthened and refined that technique Many characters in animation have those raspy vocals if you think about it “I prefer Akihabara because it makes me feel like my brain is melting.” –Pikarin You just celebrated your birthday with a show on November 18 How was the performance and can you share any memories with us I got frustrated and some things were challenging but the demons (fans) were so full of love that I felt motivated to continue the performance what reflections or lessons have you taken from the past year Since I performed at HANABIE.’s festival Balancing KILLT MELT LAND and the demon world has been an unending daily grind but I’ve gotten used to this busyness and I’m determined to make Grrr the Lipper even more intense moving forward Are there any upcoming projects or events you’re particularly excited about that you’d like to share with your fans I held an anime song live this year with the solo idol TENOHIRA EL and I’m planning to do it again next year Please listen to my new songs, Darira (ダリラ) and Hanamuke-Tamuke (餞タ夢ケ) what message do you have for your fans and followers who continue to support you through all your creative endeavors Thank you for your support of Shiina Hikari I’ll also be performing solo as Shiina Hikari and with my band KILLT MELT LAND Make sure to experience the Dogeza Road of the demon world at least once JROCK NEWS extends our gratitude to Pikarin and ACRO TOKYO for making this interview possible If this conversation piqued your interest in brands like Grrr the Lipper, you won’t want to miss ACRO TOKYO’s U.S. debut at Otakon this year See the latest collections up close at Otakon’s J-fashion show and meet a designer behind the celebrated brands REFLEM and TRAVAS TOKYO including the full lineup of featured brands Check out our exclusive video comment from Pikarin below Hikari Shiina's message to JROCK NEWS readers!Watch this video on YouTube Topic Artist titled “Cameo Kojima: Ludic Self-Representation in the Metal Gear Solid Franchise,” has been published in The Metal Gear Solid Series: Critical Essays and New Perspectives (Bloomsbury) a collection of essays presenting an updated critical examination of the “tactical espionage action” series Hartzheim’s chapter is a critical analysis of the form and function of the ludic representations – or cameos – of series director Hideo Kojima within the MGS franchise The chapter describes the multiple uses of game cameos more generally as well as the ways in which developers can claim (and reclaim) agency within the production process By framing game cameos alongside cameos in other media Hartzheim argues that games can display similar potential for media workers to comment on their labor and industrial conditions when other means are unavailable The Waseda University official website <<https://www.waseda.jp/fire/gsiccs/en/>> doesn't support your system Please update to the newest version of your browser and try again Continue  Google ChromeWindows version 38 laterMacintosh version38 laterWebSite Fire FoxWindows version 33 laterMacintosh version 33 laterWebSite SafariWindows version 38 laterMacintosh version38 laterWebSite Internet ExplorlerWindows version 10 laterWebSite The highly renowned photographer is also known to have successfully turned her hand to being a designer gaining an impressive fanbase who look forward to her projects religiously Such is her status as part of Japan's darling elite; the artist has a following of nearly 300k on Instagram and is featured regularly in celebrity gossip forums in the Japanese capital This upcoming collaboration is highly anticipated and will keep the resurgent streak of the Gazelle Indoor going The model has enjoyed massive success after collaborators such as Sean Wotherspoon and Ronnie Fieg chose to work with the silhouette Presented here with a core white based-upper of leather premium cream white suede overlays appear via the heel tab Night Grey contrasts with the Three Stripes on the sides Gazelle in gold foil runs parallel to the Stripes on the sides while more embroidery is utilized on the back heel to denote the Trefoil logo The aesthetic is completed with a woven tongue tag Release DateHoliday 2024SKUIH9985ColorwayCore White/Night Grey/Cream WhiteRetail PriceTBDLive Price$115Release infoImages via adidas Craig Bell happily talks about sneakers or as he calls them "trainers" every day of the year he's also a big supporter of the Philadelphia Eagles He will forever profess that Cricket is better than Baseball and that Rugby League is better then Rugby Union he believes the adidas ZX range is the pinnacle of sneaker design Enjoy all the latest sneaker raffle and releases and exclusive sneaker news in the palm of your hand ShareSaveCommentInnovationSustainabilityHow AI-Driven Recruitment Can Shape A More Equitable FutureByMarianne Lehnis Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights I write about the intersection of climatetech and entrepreneurship.Follow AuthorNov 21 08:25am ESTShareSaveCommentHikari Co-founder As the world moves toward a greener economy there is an urgent need to address another critical transformation: the creation of a more equal society While environmental sustainability often dominates global conversations social and economic equity must be considered equally: a sustainable future cannot be truly successful if it overlooks systemic inequalities that continue to limit opportunities for countless individuals Bias in recruitment remains a significant driver of entrenched inequality shaping workplaces that often reflect the homogeneity of their decision-makers This limits opportunities for underrepresented groups Groups that typically face hiring bias include introverts people with practical qualifications but no university degrees candidates who are less physically attractive and even ambitious women are often penalized during interviews whereas similar behavior from male candidates is praised as leadership potential Now, a new tech platform, Hikari is aiming to transform the hiring landscape by tackling these biases head-on Using artificial intelligence (AI) to focus on candidates’ skills and potential rather than superficial factors like educational pedigree Hikari promises a more inclusive and equitable recruitment process Having worked with major tech companies like Google and Amazon has firsthand knowledge of how bias infiltrates organizations: "You’d think that these companies unbiased recruitment processes,” he explained “But what I found was quite the opposite.” “Referrals perpetuate unconscious bias,” he said “A male-dominated engineering team is likely to recommend people they know—often just like them It’s a modern-day old boys’ club that keeps replicating itself.” He also highlighted the problem of resume-based judgments “Studies show that recruiters take just seven seconds to assess a CV particularly to candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.” I started helping people write better CVs in my free time,” he shared “But I quickly realized that the issue wasn’t just about crafting the perfect resume The entire hiring process was one-dimensional and deeply unjust.” “Our goal was simple: eliminate biases and focus on candidates’ skills and potential the tool evolved into a comprehensive platform designed to address diversity and unconscious bias,” he explained “It’s not just a wrapper around ChatGPT,” he emphasized global dataset of resumes to ensure the AI recognizes skills from various educational and cultural backgrounds.” “We're committed to explaining how our AI models work and providing insights into their decision-making processes - there are no black boxes,” Grady explained “We regularly audit our AI models to identify and mitigate potential unintended biases We are hiring a DE&I expert to sense-check our AI with an expert lens and help the platform get more thoughtful and progressive in this space,” The platform also tackles bias at the job description level by promoting inclusive language and assessing cultural fit without reinforcing stereotypes “We want to humanize the hiring process,” he said which often get overshadowed by academic credentials.” A standout feature is Hikari’s ability to provide automated “One of the biggest frustrations candidates face is applying for jobs and never hearing back,” he noted Hikari addresses this and keeps candidates informed and engaged fostering a more inclusive recruitment experience A recent success story involved a candidate with no formal university education who transitioned into tech through certifications from Amazon Web Services hiring managers would overlook such candidates in favor of those with traditional degrees,” she said “But Hikari flagged their certifications and projects This individual landed a role as an entry-level solution architect and doubled their salary.” This outcome reflects Hikari’s commitment to breaking the traditional mould “We’re helping companies see beyond formal education focusing on the skills and passion that truly matter,” he explained with rates exceeding 20% in Northern Africa and the Arab States “We are partnering with Women Returners to launch a scholarship program to support professional women returning to the tech industry after a career break I have seen first-hand the challenges mums face when returning to work,” he added the journey to launch Hikari hasn’t been without challenges "Some recruiters worry that AI could replace their jobs We assure them that Hikari is here to assist so recruiters can focus on building meaningful relationships with candidates.” Others have embraced the potential for increased efficiency and inclusivity “Organizations are realizing that AI can empower their teams to focus on what really matters—finding the right talent and creating a great candidate experience,” he added Hikari’s founders envision a future where AI transforms recruitment into a more equitable process “AI is here to enhance human-centric hiring “Recruiters should spend less time sifting through resumes and more time engaging with candidates on a personal level.” The platform also aims to address sustainability concerns with a focus on responsible energy use and data governance “We’re mindful of the environmental impact of running an AI-based platform,” Grady said which offers an API to integrate into our platform to automatically offset carbon emissions associated with specific activities such as customer transactions or employee travel.” With a planned launch in the coming months and over 50 demos already scheduled Hikari is poised to disrupt the recruitment industry the platform represents a significant step toward a fairer job market “The hiring process shouldn’t be a competition of who writes the best CV It should be about finding the best person for the job,” Grady concluded “And that’s what we’re striving to achieve with Hikari.” SoftBank puts recharges AI with acquisition of Ampere Monday - Friday 9am-12pm / 2pm-6pm GMT + 1 All financial news and data tailored to specific country editions A to-go bag from the newly opened Hikari Ramen restaurant in Baton Rouge An order of Hikari Ramen with chicken chashu green onions and fried onions from Hikari Ramen on Sept a newly opened Japanese restaurant on Corporate Blvd Hikari Ramen a new Japanese restaurant for ramen lovers opened Thursday at 7474 Corporate Blvd. Pastel blue benches with pink floral branches decorating the ceiling and natural wood elements bring a fresh The new spot serves a variety of ramen bowls including chicken wonton They also have a selection of rice burgers appetizers like edamame and gyoza and mochi desserts milk teas and regular teas — featuring flavors like mango Orders can be made for pick up and delivery. See the full menu here Email Margaret DeLaney at Margaret.Delaney@theadvocate.com Email notifications are only sent once a day News Tips:newstips@theadvocate.com Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Search for People Search by Department while teaching pharmacology to students during his graduate program at UC Santa Barbara doctoral candidate Willus Fisher noted a persistent problem But oral delivery has its own advantages: For one thing requiring virtually no time in the patient chair the drug has to navigate the digestive system and it’s difficult to know how much ultimately gets to the bloodstream — and impossible to control the concentration once it gets there this imprecision takes the lives of about 9,000 people in the U.S.; causes 1.3 million unnecessary patient injuries; and costs the healthcare system roughly $40 billion Fisher had been mulling over these issues when he met Aria Ghasemizadeh a fellow doctoral student in the biomolecular science and engineering graduate program under the advisement of biology professor Cyrus Safinya was also contemplating the problem of how to get the best of both worlds — the convenience of a pill with the precision of an infusion In cases where access to a hospital is minimal such as with field medicine and search-and-rescue operations rapid and precise drug delivery is one less uncertainty in a shifting environment If we could combine these two elements into a drug dosing platform we would have in our hands a technology with unprecedented benefits to field medicine and medicine as a whole,” Ghasemizadeh said “Not only would those outside hospitals be able to receive medicine on demand but they would receive it with hospital-level precision.” he had an idea: a device that could activate otherwise isolated drug molecules in the bloodstream as needed as well as noninvasively monitor the activation of drugs The key to this technology is the combination of light and a drug-entrapping nanoparticle carrier When exposed to light from the wearable penetrating the skin the drug molecules in the bloodstream that have been enclosed in the nanoparticles break open releasing the medication in a concentration large enough to be effective if the device monitors adequate levels of drug in the bloodstream whatever excess there may be remains enclosed in the nanoparticle and can be eventually eliminated through the body’s waste systems without being released Similar technologies have been developed which control where drugs are released in the body “If you can achieve accumulation of the carrier at a specific physiological site you can zap it with some external stimulus and release the drug where it needs to be,” Fisher said This would be particularly useful in the case of chemotherapy for solid tumors to achieve desired drug concentrations throughout the body allowing its use for a plethora of diseases beyond solid tumor cancers Thanks to the ability to monitor and program the release of drugs in the blood patients could spend less time in the clinical setting which could reduce hospital bills and improve their quality of life can avoid the hefty cost of dosage errors while still delivering high quality patient care This promising technology is still in its infancy but has already received accolades from the Technology Management Program with Ghasemizadeh and Fisher taking home second place in the Technology Push category at TMP’s annual New Venture Competition The prize money allowed them to start a lab and get equipment The researchers look forward to further developing the device and eventually bringing it to market Read more about Hikari in UC Santa Barbara Magazine Santa Barbara is a leading research institution that also provides a comprehensive liberal arts learning experience and staff is characterized by a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration that is responsive to the needs of our multicultural and global society All of this takes place within a living and learning environment like no other as we draw inspiration from the beauty and resources of our extraordinary location at the edge of the Pacific Ocean New frontiers for well-being in Antarctica and isolated spaces Ecologist Joan Dudney studies forest change in a warming world World’s biggest Raspberry Pi cluster is now at UCSB Lithium shows its metal, paving the way for better batteries Privacy | Terms of UseAccessibility | Webmaster The song HIKARI was created specifically for the festival, and the track reflects STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION’s mission of connecting people through music. On STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION’s YouTube channel, RON also shared behind-the-scenes footage from his home studio while working on the song where he invited fans to participate by sending in their recordings—such as singing RON shared this message to convey the central theme of the song: we’re still connected” — that’s something that never changes I hope you’ll pay attention to the straightforward The organizer of the Hikari Festival expressed their excitement about the song: We are so thrilled that RON has made the theme song for Hikari Festival It shows the bright and joyful character of our event We created the Festival with the idea of “from fans to fans” and this song expresses that in both its production and performance the fans could take part in the production by recording their voices which allowed everyone to become a part of the performance Topic Artist Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. Stay up to date with the latest information, advisories and orders as drought-fueled wildfires burn in South Carolina. Information comes from Spectrum News staff as well as public officials.  investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/E AI is about to change healthcare. These 20 stocks are working on everything from early diagnostics to drug discovery. The best part - they are all under $10bn in marketcap - there is still time to get in early. Hikari Tsushin certainly has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing earnings more than most other companies It might be that many expect the strong earnings performance to wane you'd be hoping this isn't the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's not quite in favour Check out our latest analysis for Hikari Tsushin Hikari Tsushin would need to produce growth that's similar to the market the last year delivered an exceptional 55% gain to the company's bottom line The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow EPS by 126% in total over the last three years it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been superb for the company estimates from the four analysts covering the company suggest earnings growth is heading into negative territory declining 6.1% per year over the next three years That's not great when the rest of the market is expected to grow by 9.7% per year it's somewhat alarming that Hikari Tsushin's P/E sits in line with the majority of other companies Apparently many investors in the company reject the analyst cohort's pessimism and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now There's a good chance these shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with the negative growth outlook our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-earnings ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company Our examination of Hikari Tsushin's analyst forecasts revealed that its outlook for shrinking earnings isn't impacting its P/E as much as we would have predicted Right now we are uncomfortable with the P/E as the predicted future earnings are unlikely to support a more positive sentiment for long This places shareholders' investments at risk and potential investors in danger of paying an unnecessary premium Having said that, be aware Hikari Tsushin is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis Of course, you might also be able to find a better stock than Hikari Tsushin. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly. With clients in over 200 countries and territories bonds and funds from a single integrated account Discover if Hikari Tsushin might be undervalued or overvalued with our detailed analysis Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock and does not take account of your objectives We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned engages in the sale of communication-related products in Japan Undervalued with solid track record and pays a dividend analysis provided by Simply Wall Street Pty Ltd Simply Wall Street Pty Ltd (ACN 600 056 611) is a Corporate Authorised Representative (Authorised Representative Number: 467183) of Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd (AFSL No Any advice contained in this website is general advice only and has been prepared without considering your objectives You should not rely on any advice and/or information contained in this website and before making any investment decision we recommend that you consider whether it is appropriate for your situation and seek appropriate financial Please read our Financial Services Guide before deciding whether to obtain financial services from us Community and European Design Registration #2845206 The rising Dutch unit KAGAMI released a new song “Endless Midnight” on February 21 (Friday) KAGAMI is a cosmic funk project centered around producer Lucas Sim and Rotem Gerad They reinterpret the sounds of French disco and Japanese city pop in a contemporary way drawing inspiration from artists like Daft Punk and Tatsuro Yamashita they released “Natsu Summer” and the collaborative single “Itsuka Sono Toki ga” with Benjamin Herman which was featured on Apple Music’s… “Endless Midnight” is a new single set to be released as part of KAGAMI’s upcoming Japanese debut EP TIME MACHINE the lead singer of the Tokyo-based band Mime as well as the R&B singer known for her collaborations with Tokimeki Records a group that reimagines J-Pop classics with modern arrangements Inspired by 1980s slow jams and city pop icons like Tomoko Aran the track blends melancholic sounds with a modern twist on Japanese pop music from the ’80s and ’90s The TIME MACHINE EP will also include tracks featuring artists such as Kan Sano and kiki vivi lily Each song is crafted like a mirror (KAGAMI) guiding listeners on an emotional journey through self-reflection and discovery Artist: KAGAMIFeatured Artist: HikariRelease Date: 21/02/2025Artist Location(s): The NetherlandsGenres: Japanese Pop, City PopMoods: Moody, Inspiring, MelancholicInstruments: Drums, Guitar, Percussion, Bass, Keys.Style: Nostalgic, Melancholichttps://dontaku.lnk.to/endlessmidnight NiEW Best Music is a playlist featuring artists leading the music scene and offering alternative styles in our rapidly evolving society the NiEW editorial team proudly curates outstanding music that transcends size NHK announced on Friday that Bakushō Mondai comedian duo member Hikari Ōta will play J.A. Harrison in Anne Shirley, a new anime adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery's classic Anne of Green Gables novel series Harrison is an eccentric older man who is not easily understood by those around him He has a parrot named Ginger that speaks harsh words NHK also announced that the "Chō Taiken NHK Fes 2025" event will host a talk show for the anime on March 9 The upcoming anime has a manga adaptation that Akane Hoshikubo (Hōkago no Salome, Sonogao de Ai Sanaide) launched in Kadokawa's B's-LOG COMIC magazine on January 5 The first novel is set in the late 19th century in the fictional town of Avonlea in Prince Edward where an 11-year-old orphan girl named Anne Shirley is sent by mistake to middle-aged siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert The siblings originally intended to adopt a boy to help them on their farm The novel tells of Anne's adventures in school and within the town The anime adaptation will depict Anne's growth from a girl to a woman through her bond with the siblings Matthew and Marilla (Some of these story elements appear in Montgomery's later sequel novels.) Japanese novelist and translator Hanako Muraoka translated the Anne of Green Gables novel to Japanese with the title Akage no Anne in 1952 Sources: Anne Shirley anime's website, Comic Natalie Corporate Information : Top Technology : Top Design : Top Sustainability : Top Investor Relations : Top The "NIKKOR Lens" put Nikon on the map worldwide But did you know that the optical glass used in NIKKOR lenses isn't just for cameras It's the backbone of various optical units across Nikon's product range and foundation of our technological innovations.For instance optical glass plays a crucial role in Semiconductor Lithography Systems which is iconically characterized as the most precise machine ever to be made which are said to be the largest ever precision machinery.Moreover optical glass technology is repurposed in a wide range of products provided by Nikon including microscopes and other medical equipment is manufactured at Nikon's Sagamihara Plant and at a Nikon group company called Hikari Glass Co. Hikari Glass doesn't just churn out lenses for cameras; they're the masterminds behind the optical glass used in everything from Semiconductor Lithography Systems to microscopes we're providing a sneak peek at Nikon's manufacturing efforts as we strive to become 'A key technology solutions company in a global society where humans and machines co-create seamlessly' New recruits: Asuka Kaneko and Takayuki Furui head to Hikari Glass in Yuzawa City they'll explore the world of optical glass The optical glass factory sits in Yuzawa City sometimes piled up to two meters overnight snowflakes started to fall from the morning sky Although Hikari Glass is part of the Nikon family this was the first time for both Kaneko and Furui to step foot inside Their arrival was met with a warm welcome from Kimura who heads the Business Management Department "Glass comes in two main types: the everyday kind we see in windows and then there's optical glass which is used in optical units Optical glass boasts exceptional transparency making it significantly clearer than its regular counterpart it has two unique characteristics: (1)refractive index which refers to the ability to bend light transiting between different substances; (2)optical dispersion which is the ability to spread the light out Crafting optical glass involves blending silica The blend of these materials is to prevent the har versatile and can be tailored to suit different usage we craft approximately 140 types of glass for spherical lenses and about 20 types for aspherical lenses are akin to closely guarded family secrets They're meticulously protected as valuable intellectual property The expertise behind lens production is truly a testament to Nikon's unique know-how." (Kimura) is eagerly interested in getting closer to what's behind the scenes of lens manufacturing The explanation of the optical glass manufacturing process continues "The manufacturing process can be roughly divided into two main stages: first the blended raw materials are melted to create glass plates Quality control is absolutely essential at every stage Especially during the glass melting process even the tiniest impurities can impact the performance and quality of the lenses Keeping a keen eye out for foreign particles and maintaining top-notch quality are key pillars of our delicate optical glass production how about we take a tour of the factory and see it all in action?" (Kimura) we make our way to the melting process building The melting process involves melting the mixed raw materials to create a granular intermediate product called rough melt This is followed by blending and remelting the rough melt into the shape of a plate A highlight of the melting process is the rapid cooling of the glass from high temperatures to form the rough melt melted to a liquid state at high temperatures flows out of the bottom hole of the crucible in a vivid orange stream before dropping straight into the cooling tank for rapid cooling couldn't help but express admiration."The moment the molten glass flows and falls is so mesmerizing!" (Kaneko) "We use groundwater drawn from the abundant natural resources of the Ou Mountains and the Dewa Mountains to cool the glass which is heated to 1,200°C blessed with rich nature from the Ou and Dewa mountain ranges The used cooling water is purified before being discharged into the surrounding rice fields taking into consideration the beautiful nature of Yuzawa and the surrounding environment." To prevent foreign particles from mixing in during the melting process Rubber is attached to the inside of the mixer used to blend the rough melt This is to prevent the hard glass particles from scraping against the metal walls of the mixer which could introduce tiny specks of metal It's said that even if the lenses are made according to the recipe any impurities mixed in could affect their lens specs and quality it's gently pushed out onto a conveyor belt The transparent glass in front showcases stunning ripple-like patterns The glass shines so beautifully!" observed Kaneko marveling at the fact that the lens of the Nikon camera she held was crafted from such transparent glass The glass with ripple patterns goes through quality inspections for impurities and grain alignment before being delicately fractured into smaller pieces and moved to the processing stage shaping square pieces of glass into the rounded forms of lenses "I had imagined glass manufacturing to be quite risky but I was pleased to see various precautions in place to ensure safety It was reassuring to see the high awareness of labor safety and the safe working environment." The Hikari Glass production line handles grueling temperatures of up to 1,200°C the company has achieved zero occupational accidents for more than two years through dedicated safety activities The company won the Silver Award in the Nikon Group's Workplace Improvement Activity Contest in 2023 veteran employees were manually pressing each piece of glass the more difficult lenses are pressed by hand There were employees who heated the glass in a furnace at 700°C while others pressed the softened glass into the shape of a lens by experienced craftspersons."Furui closely followed the movements of these expert workers with his eyes Ryu kindly explained how many years of experience it takes to work in a field where skill and intuition are so important "We have veteran employees who have been with us for 3 years at least Some of our employees hold the title of Meister we've been manufacturing more lenses with a higher degree of difficulty and the front element of a telephoto lens has a large diameter they go through a number of rigorous quality inspections the appearance of the pressed lenses is inspected by a new graduate employee who joined the company in 2023 checking each and every lens with a fresh and meticulous eye "I thought the process of carefully checking each product with the human eye was quite extraordinary I think that Nikon's quality is supported from the beginning through their thoroughness and commitment to never producing defective products." (Furui) Okuyama from the Quality Engineering Section Quality Assurance Department at Hikari Glass talked to us about the core of Hikari Glass' quality commitment "We communicate well with the Manufacturing Department and provide feedback on quality-related data I believe that one of Hikari Glass' strengths is that we work together as one across departments to manufacture products under excellent conditions.I believe that the excellent quality of our products is the result of the focus we place on communication and the way our people pursue quality in our work." (Okuyama) who is in charge of composition development and recipe development for optical glass in the Technical Development Department also believes that the strength of optical glass lies in their enhanced communication we would not be able to move forward with the development of new products I think one of the good points of Hikari Glass is the strong cooperation and communication between departments." (Kodama) The final stage is the annealing process in which heat is applied to remove lens distortion."In this process the curve of the temperature holding time is determined according to the refractive index of the lens The annealing temperature and holding time are determined according to the type of lens The longest ones can take up to a week." (Ryu) "I always believed without a doubt that factory automation and data integration were difficult things to do I thought that maybe optical glass factories were also analog but was surprised to see that they've established a system to quantify the know-how of veteran craftspersons and share digital data and that they're trying to update processes to automate them." (Furui) Kaneko and Furui witnessed the lens manufacturing process firsthand "I was able to experience firsthand the care that goes into each step of the process and various measures were taken to prevent particles from getting mixed in I've been using Nikon cameras since I was a student and was impressed to learn that this is where the vivid colors and delicate expressions in the photographs that the lenses deliver come from I was also able to hear the passionate desire to create better products through close communication among employees and I felt that this is why they're able to create higher quality products." (Kaneko) "I realized that optical glass is a delicate material that's always subject to breakage and damage together with the fact that it's full of potential for high performance through a wide range of applications Seeing each and every one of the employees perform so many inspections with the utmost care I felt the spirit of 'zero defects' was very much alive.What was particularly impressive was the level discussion between younger and older employees and between people from different departments I got the feeling that they talked to each other on a daily basis toward the singular goal of 'creating good products.' The comfortable atmosphere I felt when I opened the door to Hikari Glass for the first time may have been a manifestation of those employees' wishes." (Furui) What is the attraction of working at Hikari Glass who works in Processing Technology Subsection and 2st Processing Section 2nd Production Department Production Division told us."I believe it's the opportunity to take on new challenges I've been working in processing for a long time but the experience I gained through my work in the process of manufacturing special glass materials was a turning point for me The experience I gained back then remains valid even today." (Takahashi) who works in the Production Technology Section says that Hikari Glass is a place where a community can be built regardless of generation which is one of the best things about Hikari Glass we're working to create a comfortable working environment for our employees by converging the best of handcrafting and machines as we move forward to Vision 2030 We would like to promote manufacturing in a better environment but also for the employees who work with us here at Hikari Glass." (Takahashi) Optical glass is used in the state of the art optical units and is a key essence of Nikon products The origins of our manufacturing come from this field backed by the skills and experience of our craftsmen while also promoting the sharing of digital data in order to pass on superior manufacturing technology to the next generation The reason why we can continue to produce reliable products of such high quality that can be applied to a wide range of optical units as well as raw material formulations and manufacturing recipes that have been safeguarded within the company perhaps due to the craftsmanship that pursue rigorous quality from the customer's perspective and the aspirations of each and every employee who sincerely tackle the process in front of them which started out as camera lenses and plays a variety of roles as the "eye" of a wide range of devices will continue to be the foundation from which "'A key technology solutions company in a global society where humans and machines co-create seamlessly' can spread its wings from Akita Prefecture to the world A video introducing Nikon's production sites is now available.From what situations are Nikon's products created?We hope you will enjoy the video as well as the article to experience the passion we put into manufacturing Return to the top of the page Today's print edition Home Delivery Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki called for caution over the three successor groups to Aum Shinrikyo ahead of the 30th anniversary on Thursday of the doomsday cult's sarin nerve gas attack on Tokyo's subway system "are still conducting activities under the absolute influence of Chizuo Matsumoto the mastermind of the attack," Suzuki told a news conference on Tuesday referring to the executed former leader of the now-defunct cult.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); "There is a risk that they will commit acts of indiscriminate mass murder," the minister noted 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 Dragon Ball FighterZ World Tour has been running for yet another season and after an unfortunate delay the finals will be taking place this weekend in Los Angeles Players participating in these finals are SLY|Yasha After a bunch of qualifying events the leaderboards have been filled and the top placers as well as the winner of Evo 2024's Dragon Ball FighterZ tournament have shown up to compete for the final title Originally meant to be held back in January, the finals unfortunate had to be postponed but now we'll get to see who is going to be the reigning champ of Dragon Ball FighterZ for the 2024-2025 season due to the scheduling change the Last Chance Qualifier which was planned also had to be scrapped so there's no opportunities to qualify for players who aren't already part of the lineup Streaming is being done at Dragon Ball FighterZ Android 18) eliminated SLY|Yasha (Blue Gogeta • Losers semi-finals: Inzem (Base Vegeta • Winners finals: Hikari (Blue Gogeta Vegeta) eliminated LegendaryyMuffin (Super Baby 2 • Winners semi-finals: Hikari (Blue Gogeta • Winners semi-finals: SLY|Yasha (Blue Gogeta GR stands for Game Record and GD stands for Game Differential Note 2: Tiebreakers are based on Game Differential first and head-to-head second • Tiebreaker Match 3: Xanxus (Cooler • Tiebreaker Match 2: PAR|Zane (Goku Black • Tiebreaker Match 1: Xanxus (Cooler Android 17) beat LegendaryyMuffin (Super Baby 2 Sony Music Entertainment Japan and Bandai Namco Music Live a producer of anime and record label owner are trying to uncover the identities of the people behind anime music piracy site Hikari-no-Akari The two companies filed requests for subpoenas with a US federal court on June 29, asking the court clerk to order network services company Cloudflare to “identify certain alleged infringers of copyrights” that are owned or represented by Sony and Bandai Namco The requests can be read here and here Attached to the requests were proposed subpoenas that identify two domain names Both domains are associated with Hikari-no-Akari a piracy site that specializes in Japanese music including music made popular by anime TV shows According to piracy news site Torrentfreak, which first reported on Sony and Bandai Namco’s legal actions against Hikari-no-Akari the piracy site has been operating for more than a decade and has been receiving more than a million visits per month made in the US District Court for the Northern District of California include letters sent by Sony and Bandai Namco to Cloudflare on June 20 demanding that Cloudflare “immediately disable access” to certain content at the two website addresses Those letters can be read in full here and here It’s unclear whether Cloudflare responded to the letters both the hikarinoakari.com and hnadownloads.co domains were down for users across the internet Cloudflare doesn’t disable access to web content for which it provides services the company forwards the requests to the web hosting companies that host the URLs in question The letters listed specific tracks that were allegedly made available for piracy on Hikari-no-Akari Sony Music’s list includes Half Is Enough by Japanese singer Anonymouz as well as Preview Of Me by Tatsuya Kitani which was used as the theme song to the Japanese drama The Tiger and Her Wings Bandai Namco’s list features R-O-N’s PEACEKEEPER, featured in the anime That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime; Junxix’s Believe featured in the same anime series; and Blue Days by Shota Horie and Miho Karasawa featured in the anime As a Reincarnated Aristocrat I’ll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World The requests for subpoenas are made under the US’s Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The law allows rights holders to file a request with the clerk of any US district court to issue a subpoena to a service provider requiring them to hand over identifying information about copyright infringers Sony and Bandai Namco’s efforts suggest the music industry may be ramping up its anti-piracy efforts amid a recent surge in digital music piracy According to data company Muso, there was a 13% YoY increase in visits to music piracy sites in 2023, with more than 17 billion visits during the year, Wired reported earlier this year many music rights holders have focused their efforts on holding internet service providers to account for piracy taking place on their networks That’s largely because of the rise in popularity of the torrent file-sharing protocol which enables decentralized sharing of files Torrent files can be accessed through numerous piracy-supporting sites making it impossible to stop illicit file-sharing by targeting any particular site Hikari-no-Akari provides direct access to web addresses where specific files can be found making it practical to target the site directly the piracy site also operates a private forum and a Discord channel that is notoriously difficult to join.Music Business Worldwide Stay on top of the real stories shaping the music industry: Join over 60,000 industry professionals who rely on MBW's FREE daily newsletter and alert emails for essential insights and breaking news A 12,437 yen limited edition will also be available Tsumi no Hikari Rendezvous first launched for PC on February 26 Here is the story synopsis, via VNDB: In front of the lone tunnel leading out from the small village of Tamasato Yuuto draws a picture of a mermaid living in the deep ocean where light does not reach he looked up from his drawing and there was a girl in front of him who looked just like the one on his canvas She called herself a ‘sinner’ who came to this town to repent for her sins Yuuto and the townspeople welcomed the girl The new students took pictures and videos in front of the school with their parents to commemorate this special day who lives alone after the death of his father and the abandonment by his mother and older sister this time he suddenly felt very lonely due to the recent passing of grandmother Upon finding out about Yuuto’s loneliness Ai confided that she was abandoned by her parents whereas he ran away from reality through his imaginative drawings their backgrounds also made them quite similar Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without acknowledgment of Gematsu is prohibited Use of this site is governed by all applicable laws Website by 44 Bytes Daiso, the 100-yen shop with approximately 2,900 stores nationwide has replaced its closing-time song "Auld Lang Syne" ("Hotaru no Hikari") with a new track The new track is titled "Good Day — Closing Music." The track was developed collaboratively by Daiso Sanyo and Waseda University's Institute of Marketing Communication Already receiving inquiries from businesses Daiso plans to offer this new music as an alternative option for closing-time selections Closing music notifies closing time and gently prompts customers to depart The decision to create a new track arose from an increase in foreign visitors Many foreigners typically do not understand that they are to start leaving once "Hotaru no Hikari" begins playing some locals have expressed concerns that hearing "Hotaru no Hikari" might create a sense of being pressured to leave "Hotaru no Hikari" is an adaptation of the Scottish folk song "Auld Lang Syne." It was arranged as a school anthem for elementary schools in 1881.  a waltz rendition of "Auld Lang Syne" was featured in the poignant closing scene of the American film Waterloo Bridge (1940) the song plays in a restaurant about to close This apparently sparked Japan's adoption of the song as music signaling closing times for stores and venues.  it became popular through records arranged by Yuji Koseki Koseki was also known for writing the anthem "Eikan wa Kimi ni Kagayaku" for the Summer National High School Baseball Tournament Despite the long history of "Hotaru no Hikari," USEN decided to try out new closing music they found that this new music could evoke positive emotions among customers they discovered it could potentially encourage them to visit again approximately 150 men and women were asked to listen to various music genres to identify impressions suitable for closing music Many participants identified characteristics such as nostalgia a survey conducted with the cooperation of 658 Daiso employees in July 2022 contributed to the development of "Good Day." According to USEN the composition features a leisurely melody played on instruments like the oboe aiming to evoke a warm and soothing ambiance Daiso transitioned to playing "Good Day." Daiso Sangyo explained "We feel the song creates a more tranquil impression USEN released "Good Day" as one of their streamed store music selections "We've received many inquiries and requests and are feeling positive about the feedback," they commented (Read the article in Japanese.) Author: Kanji Takahashi You must be logged in to post a comment ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " “Genre Networks and Anime Studios,” has been published in the Cambridge Companion to Anime and Manga (University of Cambridge Press) The collection brings together many new and familiar scholars to present an introduction to contemporary research on anime and manga Hartzheim’s chapter focuses on the seminal animation studio Gainax in order to discuss the persistence of the sci fi genre to anime The chapter focuses on science fiction institutions and developing otaku fandoms in Japan showing how anime producers depended on and extracted from sci-fi networks for both promotional and technical functions in the 1980s The chapter also shows how anime studios often do not retain a single but rather reflect the craft and commercial activities of its staff over time https://www-cambridge-org.waseda.idm.oclc.org/core/books/cambridge-companion-to-manga-and-anime/8CBA1811AA3246C7EC03C223DECBE81A View this post on Instagram A post shared by amotti (@amottivation) This year’s Global Wellbeing Report found that a greater percentage of people are recognising the need for movement, and seeking a sense of purpose and community through group activities such as workout classes and activities. In relation to this, Lululemon acknowledges that it may feel daunting for some to take action to improve their overall wellbeing, using the Together we grow event in Seoul to encourage more people to take the first step in their movement journeys. In addition to findings about the increasing desire for movement and a sense of community, the report also unveiled some new statistics about wellbeing in Singapore. For one, young people in Singapore who reported low levels of wellbeing are experiencing heightened feelings of loneliness. Compared to women, more men reported feelings of societal pressure and loneliness. In addition, 80% of Gen-Zs and Millennials feel pressured to support their wellbeing in specific ways. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aidan Chemaly (@aidanchemaly) The pursuit for wellness should not be a stressful or isolating one As illustrated through the Together we grow event in Seoul one’s journey towards greater wellbeing—physical and mental—should be filled with fun and community the Lululemon community in Singapore came together on 20 October for the Move.Mind.Unite activation to raise money for the Samaritans of Singapore to raise awareness and destigmatuse conversations surrounding mental health World Mental Health Day: 5 Mental Wellness Apps To Help Your Emotional Wellbeing Why Moo Deng Is The Internet’s It-Girl 7 Essential Magnesium-Rich Foods for Health © Copyright 2022 SNKRDUNK Magazine.All rights reserved Joining the lineup of "TOKYO ENERGY" releases has officially partnered with the sportswear label to offer her interpretation of the Gazelle Indoor model “Core White” and “Night Indigo” the Hikari Shibata x adidas Gazelle Indoor presents a distinctive approach to material selection Constructed with a nylon base and suede overlays The Japanese model’s meticulous attention to detail is evident in the subtle crochet pattern adorning the three-stripes profile which offer space for personalized name and date labeling The Hikari Shibata x adidas Gazelle Indoor pack is scheduled for release on 11 June via the adidas CONFIRMED App Each pair is currently available for raffle and retails for 18,700 JPY (~US$120) In other news, check out the CDG Homme Plus x Nike Air Foamposite One SP “Black/White” you can also head to the SNKRDUNK App via the banner below and browse the latest and greatest in sneakers Hikari Miller knew she wanted to do something creative so she went to the library and started reading books on dance Miller woke up one day and realized that she wanted to be a dancer a Silver Spring resident and a member at Temple Shalom in Chevy Chase Why do you think you took to dance so quickly once you started reading about it as a kid I grew up in this town called Teaneck [N.J.] We had a lot of recreation parties and I always had dance around me What are some dancing styles that you specialize in Locking is a little bit more fast-paced and it’s a little bit more of a comical character and more dynamic Memphis jookin’ has a lot of glides and it’s a footwork style with a lot of groove And the last style I do is a style called strutting It’s a choreography-based style that came from San Francisco It’s the style that inspired the Jabbawockeez How did you get involved in doing this professionally I danced with a modern company for about eight years When I graduated college I decided to go into urban dance moved to New York and I studied with [DJ] Jazzy Jay in 2017 I moved to Maryland in 2018 to study with Urban Artistry under the mentorship of the school’s program The first two years I was here I was working at restaurants But right now I’m only dancing and personal training Or a demonstration where you teach a little bit of the dance and you demonstrate the style My boyfriend teaches workshops and I teach the fitness side of things Then we have monthly jam sessions and competitions I would say it’s half and half with that and the gym I help people with elite athletic ability and people coming back from surgery I like training dancers because I had an ACL [a major ligament in the knee] reconstruction and I made a full recovery So I got really good at helping people with injuries I like the dancing part because I love this tradition of popping and I love passing it on to the next generation I say that popping is one of the most creative dance forms because you can use any of the techniques to express all types of emotions I feel like I can understand other cultures and appreciate them because I understand my own culture I feel like the Judaism aspect of my life makes me really grounded as an artist My relationship with God helps me stay balanced with my dance [email protected] and website in this browser for the next time I comment Fantasy Boys member Hikari is performing brilliantly by winning first place in the "Starlight Boys" mission While the Korea-China joint global audition program "Starlight Boys" has been underway since the 26th of last month Hikari proved her presence by ranking first as a top trainee in the recent "K-POP Generation Battle." The Hikari team performed Stray Kids' "Chk Chk Boom" at the "K-POP Generation Battle." Not only did Hikari show her overwhelming performance skills with brilliant visuals but she also exploded the enthusiasm of the field with her relaxed gaze and stage control as an audition experience Hikari won the first place with an overwhelming score about twice the difference from the second-place trainee I'm also grateful to the members who kept practicing until dawn," he said who has recently been active in "Starlight Boys," previously debuted as a fantasy boy through MBC's "Boy Fantasy-After-school Excitement Season 2." Since his debut he has been loved by the global fandom due to his active activities across Korea and Japan While expectations are gathering on how Hikari will perform in "Starlight Boys," "Starlight Boys" can be found on Studio Prism and global platform iQIYI ※ This service is provided by machine translation tool Michael Hikari Cecire is an adjunct associate professor at Georgetown University’s Center for Security Studies and an adjunct lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government In the waning hours of last Saturday night, the initial euphoria among Georgia’s opposition and pro-democracy activists began turning into desperation, as the Central Election Commission (CEC) announced the preliminary results of the country’s parliamentary election Earlier, independent polling had suggested the opposition had collectively overcome the increasingly autocratic ruling Georgian Dream party (GD) But the preliminary results showed something entirely different: GD had not only won but it had improbably made its best ever showing since first coming to power in 2012 early clues point to highly sophisticated vote manipulation on a massive scale with GD using its rural advantage to inflate its electoral showing then utilizing recent electoral reforms to validate and cement it And such patterns suggest increasingly sophisticated autocratic political technology as well as the presence of congealing illiberal forces that continue to make strides against a beleaguered democratic world The evident confusion surrounding Georgia’s final election results was reflected in the statements of international observers. The joint observation mission led by the Organization of Security and Co-operation in Europe was particularly notable for its unusual servings of criticism seemingly asking (amid mealy mouthed descriptions) whether GD had Flanked by leaders from the main opposition parties, the Georgian president was more declaratory: The election was stolen its election day machinations may have proven more consequential While voting trends in urban opposition strongholds appear consistent with fair practices — vote distributions correspond naturally to turnout — in rural districts with significant discrepancies between turnout and vote share the data suggests that GD leveraged rural areas with reduced oversight inflating turnout and skewing vote counts to create an artificial majority The energy and resources GD used to lend these results a veneer of credibility is also pernicious If Russia’s “democracy” is a flimsy cardboard cutout Georgia’s manipulations look like a Hollywood movie set by comparison switching to a fully proportional parliamentary system and deploying American electronic voting machines to most (though not all) polling sites would be seen as constraints on electoral shenanigans it seems they actually launder vote manipulations electronic voting machines can count ballots securely and a proportional system is only as good as the integrity of the counted votes these electoral accoutrements — though structurally meaningful — lent a false sense of security to election day And while GD has been credibly accused of vote manipulations in the past those cruder efforts likely didn’t change the overall outcome electronic voting machines and roving groups of observers all created a reassuring veneer disguising the bigger operation underneath Friendly authoritarians, who were among the first to congratulate GD, were another factor too. Russia’s likely the principal culprit and chief benefactor behind GD’s authoritarian turn — especially given Moscow’s past GD endorsements and the way the party’s rhetoric and policies have now come to mirror Moscow’s However, Hungary’s role isn’t purely ideological — in fact, Orbán once happily campaigned for Saakashvili’s government against GD. But while well-documented its role as a straw for Russian influence in Europe and Eurasia often goes under-appreciated Georgian civil society and opposition parties say GD mirrors strategies used by Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party which pioneered leveraging rural voting power to stay in power On the one hand, GD is almost certainly prepared — it has always viewed mass protests as likely, and the party has contended with them throughout the year. On the other hand, those protests also showed the limits of its security apparatus. GD might be able to suppress small or isolated demonstrations, sometimes violently but it likely can’t put out larger mass protests without deploying patrol police or the military — which are widely seen as less personally loyal to GD and Europe can’t allow GD to consolidate its undemocratic takeover And this will require significant pressure potentially even including new aid suspensions and individual sanctions Moscow (or others) is unlikely to replace those funds over the long term And while GD probably hopes that a Donald Trump White House simply wouldn’t care Even if Vice President Kamala Harris loses top congressional Republicans have often been the most hawkish when it comes to Georgia and ultimately GD is a bit player with little to offer Republicans the West must see the country as a warning pointing to the growing sophistication of authoritarian political technologies which have implications for foreign elections as well as those at home they must learn to go on the offensive in informational Nostalgia for bygone stability isn’t enough — only meeting the present moment with a plan to roll back authoritarianism will do Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled.Please check the site policy for more information National Report Passengers who were on the same platform at JR Tokyo Station 60 years ago got a sense of deja vu when seeing off a departing Nozomi No JR Tokai officials were on hand to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Shinkansen's inauguration with the departure of the Hikari No The Tokaido Shinkansen connecting Tokyo and Shin-Osaka stations marked the world’s first high-speed rail service the bullet train's top speed has increased from 210 kph to 320 kph the 0 Series Shinkansen traveled at a maximum speed of 210 kph making it the first train to operate at over 200 kph since the Tokaido Shinkansen line was constructed in a rush for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics it initially took four hours for the Hikari to travel between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka stations until the roadbed was solidified the time was shortened to three hours and 10 minutes (JR Tokai) launched the 300 Series Shinkansen it reduced the Tokyo to Shin-Osaka travel time to just two and a half hours which was seen as a competitive alternative to air travel (JR West) introduced the 500 Series Shinkansen which operated on the Sanyo section at speeds of 300 kph making it the fastest in the world at the time making it the oldest active train in Japan the fastest bullet train is the E5 and E6 Series running in the Tohoku region at 320 kph which is now under construction between Tokyo’s Shinagawa and Aichi Prefecture's Nagoya stations utilizes magnetic levitation to travel at speeds of up to 500 kph so did the trains’ “noses,” designed mainly to reduce air resistance Early models such as the 0 Series and the 200 Series had rounded fronts earning the nickname “dango-nose” because they resembled the shape of “dango,” a Japanese dumpling To reduce the micro-pressure waves caused by compressed air when entering tunnels reaching 10.7 meters on the N700S Series on Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines and around 15 meters on the E5 Series East Japan Railway Co.’s (JR East) experimental train ALFA-X taking up more than 80 percent of the car’s length This leaves space for only a few rows of seats “Longer noses are effective in reducing micro-pressure waves but they limit the number of seats,” a JR East official said “We are conducting experiments to determine which is better.” The evolution of the Shinkansen is also evident in its seating arrangements had transverse flip seats without a reclining function These seats were designed so that the backrest could be flipped forward or backward to change the seat’s direction to match the train’s travel direction the seat spacing was too narrow to allow the three-seat rows to rotate fully reclining seats were introduced in standard class cars But the direction of the three-seat rows was fixed in each of the first half and the second half of the car leading to complaints from passengers who were seated facing backward the seat pitch on the N700S Series and E5 Series is 1,160 millimeters in the premium green car and 1,040 mm in the standard class Compared to the 0 Series from 60 years ago but the standard class has gained 10 cm in pitch the three-seat rows could be rotated to face the direction of travel The advancement of reclining seat technology has been remarkable While the backrest in the 0 Series standard class could recline only about 5 degrees current models can recline to nearly 30 degrees feature seats that slide forward as the backrest reclines certain features have disappeared from train interiors smoking was permitted in all seats with ashtrays located on the armrests and beneath the windows one car of the Kodama became the first to go non-smoking smoking rooms on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines were abolished making all bullet trains completely non-smoking armrests are now equipped with power outlets for charging smartphones and other devices on the N700S the small tray tables that used to pull out from the armrests have been redesigned to fold down from the seat backs and have increased in size The tray tables on the N700S Series are more than five times the size of those on the 0 Series The core of the Shinkansen’s safety system is the Automated Train Control (ATC) system where conductors check ground signals to ascertain the speed limits and apply the brakes the ATC-equipped trains automatically display speed limits based on factors such as curves and the distance to the train ahead the system automatically applies the brakes The basic structure of the ATC has remained unchanged and it continues to maintain a sterling record of zero passenger fatalities in train accidents Earthquake detection systems have also evolved which is now capable of halting trains within two seconds after detecting an initial tremor to mitigate damage eight elevated bridges collapsed between Shin-Osaka and Himeji in Hyogo Prefecture the collapses occurred before the first train of the day including wrapping support pillars with steel plates In the 2004 Niigata Prefecture Chuetsu Earthquake the Toki bullet train derailed while traveling at 200 kph due to a brief interval between the initial tremors and stronger shaking Japan Railway companies have enhanced safety measures introducing derailment prevention guards and devices to stop trains from overturning or running out of control Snow countermeasures have progressed from initial neglect to advanced systems to tackle the challenges of the heavy snowfall in the Sekigahara area in Gifu Prefecture which adhered to the underside and then fell onto the tracks displacing ballast and damaging equipment and windows Railway operators began spraying water on the tracks to prevent snow buildup and clearing snow clumps at stations The 200 Series designed for the Tohoku and Joetsu regions are equipped with a snow plow at the front car to clear snow and steel plates covering the undercarriage to prevent snow accumulation The Joetsu Shinkansen line has implemented a system that automatically sprays warm water when it detects snowfall But the Hokkaido Shinkansen line uses compressed air to blow away snow at switch points because using water in that region would lead to freezing and dangerous ice buildups Tokaido bullet train to bring back private compartments Bullet train that reigns ‘Supreme’ the new hero of Tokaido Line All Shinkansen trains in Japan to be smoke-free in spring 2024 Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission The pcoming Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster recently revealed its Lan Hikari costume for Frank West Continuing its penchant for strange Capcom tie-in costumes the upcoming Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster recently revealed its Lan Hikari costume for Frank West Accompanied by the “Hometown” track from Mega Man Battle Network (Rockman EXE in Japan) the costume has gotten Japanese fans talking about this older Lan is predominantly depicted as a slim pre-teen in the Mega Man Battle Network franchise While Frank West sports Lan’s iconic spiky brown hair and white long-sleeved shirt and orange vest combo his penchant for killing zombies gives away his true identity.   It’s all in good fun though, as the Lan Hikari costume and the fan comments celebrate the inclusion of Mega Man content in more Capcom games. Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster may have cut back on the original’s more sensitive themes like “Erotica” points but silly cosmetics and creative zombie-killing methods are here to stay.  Zoto has been playing video games for 30+ years now but has only recently come to grips with PC gaming he watches romance anime and gets mad when his best girl never wins Dynasty Warriors Origins focused on balanced sex-appeal that doesn’t compromise female characters’ roles and backgrounds, says series producer  Japanese NFT game company’s currency crashes after users discover infinite money glitch Shin Megami Tensei artist Kazuma Kaneko says teaching AI to draw like him was more time-consuming than making art from scratch  AUTOMATON WEST is operated by Active Gaming Media Inc.Reproduction in any form or medium without acknowledgment of Active Gaming Media Inc Copyright © 2025 - AUTOMATON WEST / Theme by Creative Themes This forced Shu Qi to awkwardly climb the stairs to position herself next to Hikari Mori Japanese model Hikari Mori (second from R) allegedly pushes Taiwanese actress Shu Qi (far R) out to stand next to Bulgari's CEO Jean-Christophe Babin (third from R) for photographs at an event held in Rome by Bulgari on May 20 Photo from Jean-Christophe Babin's Instagram other videos captured the Japanese model leaning towards Shu Qi to appear in more photographs while seated in the front row at the fashion show This apparent intrusion was poorly received by netizens and fans "How could Bulgari engage such a person as a brand ambassador?" asked a netizen on the brand’s Instagram post "She squeezed out the spokesperson [Shu Qi] and stole her limelight." "Hikari was so rude to Shu Qi!" commented another as reported by the Singaporean news outlet 8days Bulgari posted additional photos on its Weibo account the next day This move pleased many online commentators "I felt relieved when I saw that the intrusive Hikari Mori was cut off!" a user remarked has collaborated with prestigious brands such as Shiseido She has also been featured on the covers of Vogue and Grazia China She is the granddaughter of the Japanese couturière Hanae Mori who was the first Asian woman to be accepted into the prestigious Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne This recognition allowed Hanae Mori to be part of an exclusive group authorized to use the term "haute couture" for her hand-crafted garments began her career in the entertainment industry as a teenager initially starring in softcore pornography films Later discovered by leading directors from Hong Kong and Taiwan in the mid-1990s she rose to fame with leading roles in "Viva Erotica" and "Bishonen." Her performances in international movies such as "The Transporter" and "So Close" have expanded her international recognition Shu Qi served on the main jury at the Venice International Film Festival making her the third female artist of Chinese descent to be on juries at three major European film festivals following actresses Gong Li and Maggie Cheung Email: evne@vnexpress.netTel: 028 7300 9999 - Ext 8556 FPT Tower, 10 Pham Van Bach Street, Dich Vong Ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi, Vietnam © Copyright 1997 VnExpress.net. All rights reserved. Subscribe To The Newsletter to receive relevant stories which features member Ryusei Onishi in a lead role By Naniwa Danshi are back with new music “Koisuru Hikari” is now streaming worldwide exclusively on YouTube and YouTube Music with an accompanying music video also premiering upon the song’s release It features “polished mirrors and expansive floors that echo and amplify the understated magic of the members’ spotlight smiles and welcomingly uncomplicated dance moves.” physical copies of the single will also be released available in three different versions that feature such exclusive content as bonus tracks and behind-the-scenes videos They made their official debut with the release of the single “Ubu Love” on November 12 Watch the music video for Naniwa Danshi’s “Koisuru Hikari” below: © 2025 Modern Media Group Inc. is a subsidiary of AGC Power Holdings Corp. All rights reserved the shores of Fukutsu transform into a 3km 'How is it doing today?'," said Rumi Nakamura We [locals] take a lot of pride in the sea and it's like a part of our family." in Japan's southern Fukuoka prefecture The ocean has always had a special place in her heart; it's where she would play in the sand with her friends and splash around in its waters But having now spent time on beaches elsewhere in the world she realised there's something that makes Fukutsu's coastline even more special: the stunning mirror effect that is created along its 3km sands you can see beautiful reflections of the sky on the beaches ­– and it makes you feel like you're at the edge of the Earth we knew that when the tide goes out and someone is standing further away they'd be reflected in the water or that the clouds would be reflected and create a really beautiful scene," she said Nakamura works at the local tourism board to share that beauty with the world While it was just a local secret when she was growing up, in recent years that striking reflective phenomenon, called the Fukutsu Kagami no Umi (Fukutsu Sea Mirror) bringing swarms of visitors to this small coastal city The area of Fukutsu had already made a name for itself domestically for the beautiful scene of the sun setting over Miyajidake Shrine which in February and October creates a perfect line of sunlight over the road connecting to the sea But in trying to find new ways to bring visitors to the area in 2021 Nakamura and the tourism board began promoting the area in a new way: namely in encouraging visitors to take and share pictures of the Fukutsu Sea Mirror The reflections can happen anywhere along the 3km stretch of coastline that is split into three different beaches: Tsuyazaki Beach However, the phenomenon can be somewhat elusive, subject to the tides and the weather. The best time to try is at low tide, when the largest portion of the beach is exposed and the remaining seawater sitting on top can create the mirror effect when winds aren't too strong (visitors can check the tide forecasts on the Kagami no Umi website) The naming and promotion of the Fukutsu Sea Mirror coincided with the spread of the coronavirus "When people couldn't go to crowded indoor places they could come to the wide-open beach without having to talk or get close to others Looking at the sea and letting go of that build-up of stress could give them energy for the next day." Visitors started flocking here, taking to Instagram to post their shots of nature's mirror, and the tourism board posted tips for taking the perfect photo on the Fukutsu Sea Mirror website it was normal to see couples setting up their cameras for a romantic shot or groups of friends jumping in the air over and over until their silhouettes were captured just right locals prioritised keeping their beaches pristine and rallied to protect their natural environment from selfie seekers and Insta tourists a visitor to this stretch of coastline will likely only see an endless stretch of sand windsurfers and locals taking their daily walk – along with tourists trying to get the perfect shot What they won't see is plastic bottles piling up Any stray piece of rubbish will quickly get spotted and picked up holding forums and symposiums to help educate residents on environmental issues • 10 sustainable travel destinations to visit in 2024 • Why you should visit Japan's small but mighty 'little Kyoto' • The Japanese philosophy for a no-waste world There are even certified "eco shops" throughout the city that gain their certification by implementing environmentally conscious activities such as waste reduction or recycling but there is an overall mindfulness of the local environment and nature that locals hope visitors will recognise and replicate A large part of the encouragement simply lies in the fact that the beaches are already clean "If there is rubbish on top of rubbish people will think it's OK to throw things away in that spot I think having the habit of keeping it clean in the first place is the most important thing to prevent this from happening," Nakamura said Part of the motivation for protecting Fukutsu's coast is due to the endangered loggerhead sea turtle  The Fukutsu coastline was once a frequent breeding ground for the turtles but since 2010 their visits and numbers have been decreasing Fukutsu's new reputation as a sightseeing and selfie spot has led to concern that the rise in tourist numbers may affect the turtles in the future "We want people to come and enjoy themselves," said Shota Chawara an employee at the Fukutsu Sea Turtle Division which was created to be a support centre for local environmental issues and sea turtle protection But he also raised concerns about turtles in the past mistakenly eating plastic and dying as a result but instead bring rubbish home with you." The travel emissions it took to report this story were 0.26 metric tons of CO2e. Find out more about how we calculated this figure here His advice is to refrain from visiting the coast at night to keep quiet so as to not scare the turtles away and to be extra careful during breeding season It was clear that every person I spoke to had an optimism about these activities and awareness and a desire to share Fukutsu's beautiful coast with the world After telling me how she looks out at the sea every day and feels her mood change to reflect it "We hope that people from around the world will come to know of the Fukutsu Sea Mirror and will also help protect this beautiful ocean I would love it if everyone could join in the cycle of visiting and being part of the [clean-up] efforts." Green Getaways is a BBC Travel series that helps travellers experience a greener cleaner approach to getting out and seeing the world If you liked this story, sign up for The Essential List newsletter – a handpicked selection of features For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on FacebookX and Instagram. Rome's most stunning optical illusions revealedFrom the Malta Knights keyhole to a set of vanishing columns, discover the Eternal City's visual secrets. Steven Isserlis: 'I want to be a voice in their heads'In an intimate portrait, acclaimed cellist Steven Isserlis opens up about why he loves teaching young musicians. Watch rare sperm found by AI in IVF labWe go inside a New York City lab developing new tech to increase IVF success rates for patients. Just how dangerous is space debris?In the past decade, the dramatic surge in satellite launches has left space cluttered with junk. 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Grip strength is associated with a range of health outcomes, from type 2 diabetes to depression. Here’s how to check yours. Invented to satiate pregnancy cravings, Dubai chocolate is a rare combination of creativity, flavours and social media success that has broken all industry records. 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