Today's print edition Home Delivery Police served a fresh arrest warrant to a 21-year-old man on Monday on the charge of killing a high school girl from Tokyo whose body was found in a closet at the suspect's home in Aichi Prefecture late last month Masaki Eguchi was initially arrested on March 31 on suspicion of abandoning the body of Waka Kato at the house in the city of Ichinomiya.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); The Aichi Prefectural Police Department's Ichinomiya station said Eguchi is newly charged with stabbing the high school student to death in the capital's Katsushika Ward between 11 a.m the incident took place after Eguchi got into a quarrel with her over "Fortnite," a popular online battle royale video game The two became acquainted with each other through the game about four years ago Kato visited Eguchi's home on March 28 and her family lost contact with her on the morning of March 29 The family filed a missing-person report with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department in the evening of the same day Ichinomiya police officers were dispatched to the house on March 31 and found her body in a closet on the second floor 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 A body found in a closet in a house in central Japan on Monday was confirmed to be that of a missing 16-year-old high school girl from Tokyo the 21-year-old resident of the house in Ichinomiya was arrested for allegedly abandoning the body He admitted to the charge while hinting at his involvement in the death of Waka Kato Investigative sources quoted Eguchi as saying he stabbed Kato "several times" as he had "trouble" with her adding that there were multiple stab wounds on the back of the neck and shoulders The police searched Eguchi's home on Tuesday and are continuing to investigate him believing he may know the circumstances surrounding Kato's death When Kato left her home in Tokyo on Friday she told her family she was planning to visit a friend in Aichi Prefecture whom she had met through an online game She was reported missing on Saturday as her family could not contact her The number of criminal cases involving children under 18 who met people through social media or online games has increased in recent years Police authorities have been urging young people to avoid unnecessary encounters with individuals they connect with through games as online platforms make it easy to communicate with strangers via chat features The agency has also been encouraging parents to supervise internet use by their children and calling for the creation of household rules such as not sharing contact information with people they only know from online Woman fatally stabbed in Tokyo while livestreaming To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible Aichi — The Aichi prefectural police arrested a 21-year-old man on suspicion of abandoning a body after a 16-year-old girl’s body was found in a closet at his house in Ichinomiya The 16-year-old was confirmed to be a high school student from Katsushika Ward she had many stab wounds and cuts from a sharp blade on her neck the back of her head and other parts of her body please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent By Gakuto Kobayashi and Arisa Nishitani / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer The 21-year-old man was quoted as saying he stabbed her several times after they had an argument The police are investigating the case and are considering pursing a murder charge against him is suspected of abandoning her body in his closet in Kisogawacho-Kadoma in Ichinomiya on Monday evening The body was wrapped in fabric and taped using masking tape An autopsy determined that she died from hemorrhagic shock The high school student told her mother on Friday that she was going to stay with a man She took a Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo Station After not being able to contact her on Saturday afternoon her mother filed a missing person’s report with the Metropolitan Police Department on Saturday evening The MPD asked the prefectural police to look into the situation after locating an area near the man’s house by tracking the high school student’s smartphone Investigators from the Ichinomiya police station went to the house around 10:30 p.m The police made an emergency arrest of the man “He seems to do things at his own pace and doesn’t like talking to people,” said a 75-year-old woman who worked with him at a supermarket in the city until summer last year “He told me that he plays games at home all the time He said he was going to quit his job at the supermarket because he found a job at a construction site.” A man in his 20s who lives near the arrested said he was a quiet when he was a junior high student “I can’t believe he would do something like this,” he said Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun If JavaScript is not enabled on your browser 2024 – ORIX Real Estate Corporation (“ORIX Real Estate”) announced that it has commenced the development of a multi-tenant logistics facility the Ichinomiya Hagiwara Logistics Center (tentative name) Features of Ichinomiya Hagiwara Logistics Center (tentative name) (1) Convenient location and pleasant working environment to ensure smooth recruitmentThe Ichinomiya Hagiwara Logistics Center will be constructed within the urbanization control area of Ichinomiya Ichinomiya lies almost exactly in the center of Japan it has prospered as an industrial hub where people The city is promoting the construction of factories and logistics facilities in the area of the planned property and its surrounding area aiming to revitalize the area by making the most of the convenience of the location.The facility will be located approximately 6 km from the Ichinomiya IC on the Meishin Expressway approximately 5.7 km from the Ichinomiya Higashi IC on the Nagoya Expressway No and approximately 0.2 km from the Ichinomiya Inazawa Kita IC on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway This makes it an ideal location for wide-area distribution as a hub connecting the Kanto It is also conveniently located for commuting approximately a 35-minute drive to the center of Nagoya and approximately a 10-minute walk from Kariyasuka Station on the Meitetsu Bisai Line the facility will provide a comfortable working environment for employees and smooth recruitment can be expected.*2 Reference: Ichinomiya City Directory (2) Rampway that allows efficient logistics operationsThe facility will feature a single rampway spanning four floors above ground In addition to enabling tenant companies to operate on a single floor which can accommodate 42 vehicles simultaneously will enable efficient logistics operations and contribute to reducing the time spent waiting for and handling cargo the effective height is approximately 5.5 m under the lower beam.*3 A berth is a space used to connect trucks to the facility to facilitate the loading and unloading of goods (3) Providing a comfortable and pleasant working environment Two cafeterias (158 seats under the west ramp on the 1st floor 51 seats on the east side of the 1st floor) will be available for lunch and breaks in the common areas on the first floor The ceiling design incorporates a line lighting composition reminiscent of thread in reference to Ichinomiya's status as a textile town and is unified with a calm wood grain pattern will be landscaped with a green belt of shrubs and other greenery centered around the facility's symbolic fir tree there will be a driver's rest area next to the cafeteria making the facility considerate of drivers Contact Information: Investor Relations and Sustainability Department ORIX Corporation Tel: +81-3-3435-3121 Caution Concerning Forward Looking Statements:These documents may contain forward-looking statements about expected future events and financial results that involve risks and uncertainties Such statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to uncertainties and risks that could cause actual results that differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements Factors that could cause such a difference include those described under “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and under “(4) Risk Factors” of the “1 Summary of Consolidated Financial Results” of the “Consolidated Financial Results April 1 2024 News Releases List 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 A 21-year-old man has reportedly admitted to stabbing a high school girl following a dispute over online games after her body was found hidden in a closet at his home in Aichi Prefecture an unemployed man from the city of Ichinomiya in the prefecture was arrested on Monday for abandoning the body of 16-year-old Waka Kato from Tokyo’s Katsushika Ward in a closet on the second floor of his home.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); an autopsy revealed that the cause of death was hemorrhagic shock and she was presumed to have died on Sunday Numerous stab wounds and cuts were found on the back of her head leading investigators to believe Kato was attacked from behind Love hits the right notes in this Boys Love manga about two unlikely dance partners who make the perfect pair When Minobe Chihiro is admitted to a private arts academy to study ballet the last person he expects to train with is the surly second year Ichinomiya Shun the two have been paired up for their school's mandatory pas de deux practice While Minobe has fallen at first sight for Ichinomiya's superior dance sense the second-year's attitude leaves a lot to be desired paired with Minobe as a dance partner is not how he'd like to be spending his time but Minobe's puppy-like affection might be just what he needs After School Etude has a story and art by Hirune Cyan, with English translation by Jan Cash with adaptation by Carly Smith. This volume was lettered by Carolina Hernández Mendoza. Published by Seven Seas (September 17 and that background makes After School Etude pretty hard to resist That's not just because it's about two dancers – Minobe and Ichinomiya meet at a performing arts high school – but because of how it uses dance Both characters have different issues with ballet: Minobe has the body for it while Ichinomiya has the charisma and skill but lacks the build Ballet can be cruel to those who don't meet the stringent physical requirements most of the time you just have to be born with them Although we don't really get the details on it who has switched tracks to contemporary dance from ballet There are some clear signs that he's got a lot of baggage associated with it the primary one being that when he and Minobe are paired up by a partner lottery for practice he wants nothing to do with it – not the dance I ought to mention that the book comes with a content warning for sexual abuse Hirune Cyan deserves credit for treating the relationship between Futami and Ichinomiya as abuse; there's no attempt to paint it as romantic or as anything other than a creepy adult taking advantage of a child under his supervision Ichinomiya's shift from ballet to modern is also implied to be due to Futami; it's an attempt to escape him Ichinomiya is the more interesting of the two characters mostly because there's more to his back story Minobe is loveable (except for when he forces a kiss on Ichinomiya early on; everything else they do is consensual) but his inability to stand out isn't quite as compelling as Ichinomiya's attempt to escape an abusive relationship and his own feelings about being deemed physically wrong for the career he's trained for his entire life and the switch to his perspective in the second half of the book is where everything really comes together The art does a beautiful job of showing dance to the point where I could feel the movements I was looking at, particularly the focused stretch of the fingers, reaching for something they can't touch. It must be said that the art also really enjoys highlighting male groins, but let's face it, dance tights do a good job of that without being part of a BL manga and the tone of those is drastically different depending upon the feelings of those involved; the boys' first sexual encounter is much less sensual than their last when there are more emotions involved but it is a pretty good one and one that improves as the book goes on the deuteragonist of After School Etude: nobody has asked this guy what he actually wants in his life this is the story of two dancers finding love at an elite ballet school there's a disturbing lack of consent that makes it feel more like a BL comic from an earlier decade we learn the boy actually does love Minobe a confession that comes out (upsettingly) while he's being sexually assaulted by a teacher it appears more like a happy coincidence that the central romance of the book worked out From Ichinomiya's ambitious ballet dancer mom to his lecherous teacher everyone applies their own desires to this boy without asking him first I need to give points to this manga for its clear understanding and appreciation of the rigorous world of professional ballet but its dubcon BL component is a relic from an earlier time Aichi — A man arrested on suspicion of abandoning the body of a 16-year-old girl at his home in Ichinomiya told police he stabbed her after an argument over an online game The police are investigating how the girl died with the view of rearresting the suspect was a high school student from Tokyo’s Katsushika Ward and died of hemorrhagic shock Her body had multiple stab wounds and cuts The weapon is believed to have been a single-edged blade Kato told her mother on March 28 that she was going to stay at the home of someone she met through an online game She took a Shinkansen bullet train bound for Aichi Prefecture Kato’s mother filed a missing person’s report with the Metropolitan Police Department after not being able to contact her the following night The MPD asked prefectural police to investigate the matter as Kato’s smartphone location was tracked to an area near Eguchi’s house The prefectural police visited his house on Monday night and discovered Kato’s body in a closet Her body was found wrapped in fabric and taped up using masking tape Kato’s former classmate described her as a bright and friendly girl “She liked online games and would invite everyone to join her,” he said Kato happily told the former classmate about a month ago that she was getting along well with a friend she met through an online game and that they might meet up Konami Amusement) has strived to contribute to the local community through the following community-based activities We will continue to offer fun and exciting experiences to many people in an effort to support the revitalization of the local community Konami Amusement cooperated with "The 68th Textile Thanksgiving - Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival," organized by Ichinomiya City in Aichi Prefecture is the largest summer event for Ichinomiya citizens embellished with glittering Tanabata decorations Two professional players from this year's "BEMANI PRO LEAGUE -SEASON 2- DanceDanceRevolution" gave a demonstration on how to play the game and helped boost the festive atmosphere "DANCERUSH STARDOM" and "DanceDanceRevolution A3," were exhibited and many visitors enjoyed playing KONAMI's dance games Konami Amusement cooperated in "2022 Ichinomiya Riverside Festival" held by Ichinomiya Riverside Festival Management Council "2022 Ichinomiya Riverside Festival" is a participating event held in Golden Week (Japanese long holiday in May) where citizens can participate to enjoy in the greenery under the clear waters of the Kiso River Konami Amusement offered the chance to experience "DanceDanceRevolution," the dance simulation game that has been popular for more than 20 years Konami Amusement exhibited "DanceDanceRevolution 20th anniversary model" at a special event dubbed "Oasis Sports Yuenchi 2019," held in Nagoya for two days starting June 8th The event aims to convey the appeal of sports in Aichi Prefecture through the theme of "Play,Act,and Know Sports." Many visitors had a chance to enjoy "DanceDanceRevolution 20th anniversary model" during the event Aichi Prefecture have entered into a partnership with the goal of creating a community where elderly people can continue to live worry-free in a familiar environment we installed "MAH-JONG FIGHT CLUB: GRAND MASTER" cabinets (released December 2018) at the "Kisogawa Community Center for the Aged" in Ichinomiya on February 25th At a hands-on session held after the ceremony the center's patrons who have been looking forward to this day enjoyed playing the game It’s always good to meet fellow lutefisk enthusiasts no matter where they hail from My wife and I became acquainted with Akimoto and Tomoko Ichinomiya through various dairy-related activities Aki is the assistant dairy plant manager at South Dakota State University Tomoko is a program assistant for the office of the president at SDSU Tomoko is from the city of Fukuoka in southern Japan My wife and I recently did lunch with the Ichinomiyas to learn how they ended up in South Dakota and how they became acquainted with lutefisk “My father was a businessman who worked in the import-export field,” Aki said Sometimes he would come home from an overseas business trip change clothes and go straight to the office.” Tokyo is a thrumming metropolis of 14 million people “There are people whose job is to literally shove as many passengers as possible into subway cars during rush hour,” Aki said so I contacted the Ministry of Agriculture to see if they had any farm positions I was sent to the northern island of Hokkaido where I worked on an 80-cow dairy farm for three weeks but I loved the cows and the open spaces and being able to see the stars at night.” After attending a branch of the University of Nevada in Tokyo for a year decided to transfer to a college in the United States “It was easier to be admitted as an international student in Iowa and South Dakota so I began to research different universities I transferred to Augustana University in Sioux Falls because they had an (English as a second language “The area where I grew up is subtropical,” Tomoko said “We had orange trees and grew things in our garden the year round But I didn’t like the heat and humidity I wanted to live someplace where it gets cold in the wintertime I looked through a directory of universities in the Midwest and Augustana was near the top because it starts with an A and they were so nice that I started packing my bags.” Tomoko met Aki while taking ESL classes at Augustana “I was told that there was this cute Japanese guy that I had to meet,” Tomoko said “People from Tokyo speak in a much different dialect than people from my area Aki eventually decided to study dairy manufacturing at SDSU “When I was growing up I thought that meat came from the supermarket,” he said “I felt the need to become more connected to our food and how it’s produced I milked cows on the university’s dairy farm and studied animal science and meat processing I wanted to learn about all of the facets of agriculture.” “We feel much more connected to nature and where our food comes from since we moved to the Midwest,” Tomoko said “The people here have been very kind and welcoming It took us a while to get accustomed to how tall and blonde people are They have to do everything for themselves and find ways to make things work.” Tomoko and Aki enjoy our chilly Midwestern winters “We like to go ice fishing,” Tomoko smiled “I will send photos of a frozen lake with cars driving on the ice to my family back home Aki teaches college students how to turn milk into cheese and ice cream.    It’s fun to watch them grow and develop And I like it when people come to the dairy bar for an ice cream Seeing the pleasure on their faces brings a lot of joy to me.” “When I was at Augustana I was hosted by the Ode family “The Odes are Norwegian and at Christmastime they would serve all the traditional Norwegian dishes People had warned me that lutefisk was an acquired taste but I liked it from the first bite.” “Lutefisk is wonderful,” Tomoko concurred “If it’s prepared right you don’t even need butter Aki and Tomoko have immersed themselves fully in the Midwestern culture and have cultivated a wide circle of friends “We feel that we have two families,” Tomoko said “One is here in the Midwest and the other is in Japan.” is available at http://Workman.com and in bookstores nationwide Aichi Prefectural Police on Thursday arrested a 24-year-old man on suspicion of abandoning a body that may be that of a missing teen an unemployed resident of the city of Toyota is suspected of abandoning the body of undetermined sex that was found on Wednesday night in a car left on a street in the city of Ichinomiya.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Fujii has admitted to the allegation of abandoning the body while hinting at committing murder The body is believed to be that of a person in her teens from Gifu Prefecture who has been missing since around mid-August last year The Aichi police have set up an investigation headquarters in Ichinomiya to identify the body and investigate the circumstances of the person's death Fujii is believed to have abandoned the body in the car in Ichinomiya sometime between mid-August last year and Wednesday There were no visible injuries on the body adding that some time has passed since death The car was registered in the name of a relative of Fujii The Aichi police found the body after receiving a tip from Gifu police about the vehicle left on a street Pumping conditions saw heated competition on the final day of surfing’s JSPA Chiba Ichinomiya Pro as local surfers ruled the field to claim victory in both the men’s and women’s draw on Sunday 7 on the shortboard Japan Pro Surfing Tour was held over a four-day window at Shidashita Beach setting for the inaugural surfing event to take place during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics A rising swell saw action for the final day of competition play out in the largest waves of the event the extra power affording surfers the opportunity to try out their aerial game as well as spend time in the barrel four-man heat in the men’s final featured former Vans US Open of Surfing champion Hiroto Ohhara who brought his recent run of good form on the sport's international Qualification Series back to the breaks of his home region who took out the 3,000-point Vans Pro at Virginia Beach had to settle for 4th spot this time around the 28-year-old beating Hideyoshi Tanaka and current shortboard rankings leader Kato Arashi to claim a first tour title on the JPSA at first I didn’t know what had happened but I’m really happy,” said Takahashi on his win it’s been pretty tough to get to this point  I had a serious injury and I’ve found wins on the JPSA hard to come by.  But even so and I'm really grateful for their support.” Victory leaves Takahashi in 4th spot on the men’s shortboard rankings with one event remaining On the women’s side of the draw Reika Noru claimed her first JPSA crown in four years a victory which moved her up to third on the rankings “This is going to be venue for the Olympic contest and I’m often in the water here at Shidashita so to be able to win here feels really good,” said Noru “I wasn’t feeling particularly nervous and was able to ride in the way I usually do so I think that helped me to the win.”   The JPSA Japan Pro Surfing Tour this year kicked off in April at the popular right-hander of Keramas in Bali  The final stop will be the Sendai Pro which will take place in November Aichi Prefectural Police have arrested a 21-year-old man after the body of a woman was found in a closet at his home in the prefecture informed sources said.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); The body is believed to be that of a 16-year-old student of a Tokyo high school Her mother reported her disappearance to Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department on Saturday The student left her home on Friday after saying that she was going to the home in Aichi of a friend she met through an online game the body was fully wrapped in cloth and had multiple stab wounds to the neck and shoulder The body was found Monday night when police visited Eguchi's home Police are working to confirm the identity of the body and determine the cause and circumstances of the death Japan's Shino Matsuda showcased a solid campaign Sunday winning the women's final at the Ichinomiya Chiba Open a World Surf League Qualifying Series event The 15-year-old Matsuda's top run at Tsurigasaki Beach landed her an 8.57 out of a possible 10 and the Japanese teen's 13.84 total from her best two waves beat French Polynesia's Karelle Poppke and earn 1,000 qualifying points toward the elite Championship Tour I'm glad I scored eight points in the final," said Matsuda who finished runner-up here in her debut on the women's QS in 2016 "I'll do my best from now on to keep surfing well." Matsuda did better on the small waves she got but went to the bank on the fifth wave Poppke rode 14 waves but none even matched Matsuda's second best I really enjoyed going into the water," said Matsuda of her second win on the women's QS since claiming 2016's Trump Hyuga Pro at Okuragahama Beach in eastern Kyushu Matsuda defeated 19-year-old compatriot Ren Hashimoto in the semifinals and quarterfinalist Mahina Maeda the top-ranked Japanese in the women's QS rankings at 36th Poppke beat last year's runner-up Hinako Kurokawa in the semis and defending champion Minori Kawai in the quarterfinals Australia's Ryan Callinan scored 13.20 to beat Hawaii's Seth Moniz and claim 6,000 points Shun Murakami was the highest-ranked Japanese and earned 1,050 points as one of the surfers tied for 17th popularly known as Shidashita or Shida Point will be the surfing venue in its Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games A beach town near Tokyo is fast becoming a surfing mecca with even school children rubbing shoulders with pros and taking to the world-class waves was chosen to host the surfing events for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics local authorities had been working to lure families to move there 7-year-old Mauna Fujimoto and his father Kei dashed into the water with surfboards in hand it feels like I'm flying in the sky," Mauna said with a smile Mauna started learning to surf when he was 4 and restrictions on people's movements made it difficult to travel to the ocean Kei decided to permanently move to Ichinomiya from Tokyo's Sumida Ward in January 2021 Mauna hits the waves every morning at 5 a.m before going to the nearby Torami Elementary School then returns to the sea in the afternoon after his classes are over which hosted Olympic events that saw the likes of Japan silver medalist Kanoa Igarashi grace its waves One school official proudly said that about "a third (of the children) can surf," with about 20 of them also aiming to go professional Kei said that having Mauna in such an environment was one of the reasons for moving to the town "I want him to have a friendly and mutually beneficial rivalry with kids his age," he said "The older students also teach us surfing techniques." Ichinomiya lies at the southern end of the 66-km-long Kujukuri Beach which welcomes around 600,000 surfers a year the town launched its "surfonomics" initiative to encourage migration and promote surfing events "The waves are Ichinomiya's treasure," Hiroyuki Yamaguchi a manager of the initiative from the town's education division "I wanted to change the deeply rooted perception held at the time that surfers do not take things seriously." The 49-year-old says that through discussions with surfers and holding events like surfing lessons for children the scheme has now taken a steady hold in the town There are also further plans for young surfers an Ichinomiya council member and head of the town's surfing industry association said he has started talks with the Nippon Surfing Association to establish a club at the local junior high school "I want to create an accessible environment for taking on high-level challenges," Uzawa said adding that he is also considering outsourcing professional surfing coaches the town held a surfing tournament in November 2021 junior high and high school students participated the children's parents have also made calls for community surf clubs to be set up such as teaching (kids) how to give way to each other on the waves and the importance of cleaning up the beach," Yamaguchi said "I hope the town provides a place for growth and the number of pro athletes that go out into the world increases." Surfing: Amuro Tsuzuki earns 1st Japan podium in women's Challenger Series Surfer Kanoa Igarashi confident of tackling big waves for Olympic gold A small beach town located about 80 kilometers from Tokyo has been preparing to host surfing's Olympic debut and now it hopes it can ride the swell of momentum that will come by being at the sport's epicenter is looking forward to the positive impact brought by the Olympics even though the coronavirus pandemic has proved a complicating factor for locals who are trying to make the most of the games who owns a small hotel near the Olympic venue at Tsurigasaki Beach the games have provided him a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to host the U.S surfing team and to witness how Hawaiian superstars like John John Florence and Carissa Moore prepare for competition "We've been able to take a longer time to prepare and focus on what needs to be done because of the postponement we are as ready as we can be to welcome the athletes," said Hashimoto over two decades ago to pursue his passion for surfing Since agreeing in 2018 to host the surfing powerhouse during the Olympics Hashimoto has been working closely with U.S officials to create a comfortable environment at Pension Third Place its darkly painted exterior offset by a striking wood-paneled hot tub patio in the rear Palm trees frame the driveway leading to the solar panel-topped building that can accommodate up to 30 people He has built a detached garage where the U.S while the kitchen was renovated on the Americans' dime with a new refrigerator and microwave purchased for the team's cook As part of efforts to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak the owner of the inn will stay in a bubble with the delegation "It will be very exciting if the athletes win medals during their stay adding that he wants to share the legacy of hosting the U.S Ichinomiya is one of Japan's major surf towns drawing roughly 600,000 surfers in a normal year partly due to its proximity to Tokyo The town has been welcoming to new residents who have moved to the town to live closer to the waves The road along the beach is dotted with surf shops and restaurants and the local government promotes a policy of "Surfonomics" to get the greatest possible financial benefit out of the sport "Surfing is an important cultural and economic pillar of the town," said Ichinomiya Mayor Masaya Mabuchi "I hope the Olympics will improve the image of surfing in the town and that people will start referring to surfing as a sport rather than a hobby." between 2,000 and 3,000 Ichinomiya residents surf or have a job related to surfing while roughly 40 percent of about 150 pupils at a local elementary school regularly hit the waves is among the 40 surfers from over 15 countries who will compete he earned qualification for the Olympics last month giving locals another reason to look forward to the games "I'm so happy to be able to compete at home It is where I started surfing and where I still surf," the 24-year-old said after clinching an Olympic spot It's no exaggeration to say that I learned all of my techniques (there) The mayor had initially expected to introduce the attractions of the town to thousands of visitors from around the world but the Olympics will be held without spectators in and around Tokyo in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus The town canceled an eight-day event initially planned to coincide with the Olympics during which local stores had hoped to see boosted sales and foot traffic "I have given up on trying to earn something from the Olympics themselves There is nothing that can be done," he said "But I still think it's possible to show the world Ichinomiya's surfing credentials." Surfing is one of the five sports added to the Olympic program in 2016 following proposals by the Japanese organizing committee to bring youth-orientated sports to the games in hopes of attracting a more age-diverse audience which will be staged on the world-famous Teahupo'o wave in Tahiti during the 2024 Paris Olympics is unique in the sense that competitors must assess variables like each wave's characteristics the wind direction and the positioning of fellow competitors Even before the International Olympic Committee approved surfing as an addition to the games who heads a local association of surf shops had been certain that Ichinomiya is the only place in Japan able to host despite concerns that the waves at Tsurigasaki Beach in summer lack power and height As a way to elevate the profile of Ichinomiya worked to bring World Surf League events to the area to prove that the small town can stage megaevents "I was very confident that Ichinomiya can be the Olympic venue even when people doubted me," Uzawa said "The waves here are very strong so surfers can pull off tricks." While the Olympics will look completely different from what he had imagined due to COVID-19 restrictions he wants the games to be an agent of lasting positive change especially as a source of inspiration to kids taking to the waves for the first time the world's top surfers are heroes to kids I want them to grow up remembering how Ichinomiya staged the first-ever Olympic surfing event," Uzawa said More dolphins were found stranded on beaches east of Tokyo on Tuesday a day after dozens of them had washed up in the same area of a species known as the melon-headed whale Tuesday along the shores of Isumi and Ichinomiya in Chiba Prefecture on the Pacific coast by local government officials and others each approximately two meters long and likely to be adult were found stranded over a distance of around 500 meters along the same shores Melon-headed whales are usually found in tropical to subtropical waters but head north for food in the spring "They may have weakened from swimming too close to the coast where the water is cold," Yukio Miyauchi head of the Choshi Ocean Institute in Chiba Prefecture The National Museum of Nature and Science will collect samples from the dead dolphins for analysis Local surfers and others returned the surviving animals to the ocean on Tuesday but at that time many came back and they seemed to be struggling to breathe on the beach according to an employee at a local surf shop who helped with the rescue By Photos by Associated Press Summer Olympics The Textile Thanksgiving — Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival held in the city of Ichinomiya in Aichi Prefecture is especially popular a star festival called Tanabata Matsuri has been celebrated in Japan based on a legend from ancient China that tells of the stars Kengyusei (Altair in the constellation Alpha Aquila) and Shokujosei (Vega in the constellation Alpha Lyra) which are on opposite sides of the Milky Way and only meet once a year on the evening of the 7th day of the 7th month of the Japanese Lunisolar Calendar* Altair is called Hikoboshi and Vega is called Orihime fell in love and then neglected their respective jobs and the heavens no longer received new fabrics who separated the two lovers and only allowed them to cross the Milky Way and meet once a year the custom of people praying to the stars by hanging strips of paper on bamboo trees or bamboo grasses to pray for their children's academic and artistic improvement is said to have caught on a variety of Tanabata festivals are held in summer throughout Japan which is very closely associated with Orihime is the Textile Thanksgiving — Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival held in the city of Ichinomiya in Aichi Prefecture.。 We asked a person at the Ichinomiya Tanabata Matsuri Promotion Council Secretariat about the history of the festival.。 "The Textile Thanksgiving — Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival began about 70 years ago It is said that the textile industry in the region grew thanks to the blessing of the goddess of textiles the mother goddess of the deity enshrined at Masumida Shrine in Ichinomiya and other events for both children and adults the traditional Onzohoken Daigyoretsu parade a custom since the beginning of the festival Onzohoken Daigyoretsu (Grand Procession of Woolen Offerings) is a 120-meter procession of 120 people dressed in an array of traditional costumes to thank the god of textiles and to dedicate woolen items to the shrine you can see many different kinds of traditional Japanese garment Highlights including parades such as the Wasshoi Ichinomiya where people dance along the route in freely choreographed and costumed with an original theme song accompaniment as well as the Tanabata decorations that lavishly and colorfully decorate the venues The event drew about 715,000 visitors last year (2022) and one event that was so popular is the unique cosplay parade in which people marched through the shopping district dressed as manga and anime characters The general public was welcome to participate in the cosplay One very popular activity for onlookers was to enjoy taking photos and interacting with their favorite cosplayers." In addition to the Cosplay Parade people were also free to join in the Bon Odori dancing we recommend you enjoy not only seeing the gorgeous Tanabata decorations but also experience a Japanese Tanabata Festival firsthand 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 Luna is the daughter of a high-power, big three conglomerate. Because of her prestigious upbringing, she’s less likely to take action that deviates from common sense Black Rose Valkyrie is due out for PlayStation 4 on July 21 in Japan 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 but the host city must now watch their homegrown hero on screensSurfing will make its debut in the Olympics in Japan this weekend on July 25 their Olympic elation is somewhat subdued as Japan's coronavirus emergency means no spectators.President of Surfing Industry Association Ichinomiya Kiyohisa Uzawa (third from left) Source: Kiyohisa Uzawa Ryo Kito on the Tokyo Olympics: Highlights of swimming for Japan/Australia 'One step ahead': Japanese-Australian Karate champion aims for medal at the Tokyo Olympics Available in other languagesShare this with family and friends fun and practical.Get the latest with our exclusive in-language podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.SBSSBS Japanese News Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report Aichi Prefecture--A Nagoya-based company is offering Japan's understaffed care industry a much-needed helping hand Visionary has tapped into an ample stock of powerfully built men willing to care for people with disabilities dispatching caretakers to homes of people who need help and running facilities such as a group home for people with disabilities The business had run into the wall of short staffing like many others in the industry until it started aggressively hiring “maccho” men 20 or so are trained for “physique,” a competition similar to bodybuilding but not as extreme which focuses more on proportion and symmetry among other attributes Some of them have performed brilliantly in national competitions “They have an intimate knowledge of the mechanics of muscles and the movement of joints and they are professional in how to use the body,” said Yusuke Niwa “They are perfectly suited for a caretaker's job.” Niwa works as a home-care worker at a dwelling house dedicated to people with disabilities His body fat is 3 percent and he can bench-press 110 kilograms “I am confident in my physical strength,” he said “My coworkers have an understanding about physique There is no better company to work for,” he said Caretaking requires heavy lifting but it is not the only skill that maccho men utilize in carrying out their duties “I take advantage of the knowledge that I have obtained through training,” Niwa said Such knowledge includes how to properly use muscles when standing up how to carry objects without injuring one’s back and how to eat a well-balanced meal Caretakers often suffer from back problems But Niwa said he and his colleagues are free from those because and the job is less of a physical burden for us.” Those who receive care have appreciated the V-shaped men with small waists a shared house for people with disabilities in Ichinomiya is assisted by two such men in being lifted from a wheelchair and moved onto a bed The caregivers perform the maneuver skillfully and Ogata can see their bulging biceps peeking through the sleeves of their T-shirts said with a smile: “I can ask them to do anything Such a favorable review is pleasing to Yusuke Niwa who endured tough times when things were not all smooth sailing and his company was severely understaffed He had quit a hair stylist job after working for a year and had been out of steady employment since His older sister talked him into taking a part-time job visiting and giving haircuts to people with disabilities Niwa was moved by a man who received a haircut and said The simple word was enough to motivate him into launching a caretaking business He rented the corner space of a "yakiniku" barbecue restaurant that his family owned and started a business with his sister and her friend to dispatch home-care workers The business grew fairly steadily for a while to which only one or two people responded by email a year the care industry is shunned by many because it is deemed among the “3K” industries in Japan--"kitsui" (hard) "kitanai" (dirty) and "kyuryo-ga-yasui" (low pay) appreciated by service recipients and their families “All I ask people for is to know about the job then they will find it compelling,” Niwa thought gave a casual try at competing in a fitness event Niwa was wowed by a maccho man who lost a chance to win the championship and broke down in tears Seeing the way the man made a commitment and worked to improve himself “I would be very pleased if this awesome guy entered the caretaking industry.” Niwa decided to create a corporate fitness team within his company He became serious about training for competition Niwa approached physique athletes who had many followers on social media and persuaded them to be a “poster boy with muscles” for his company “There is a caretaking company that hires only maccho people.” Niwa also provided incentives to employees Employees who belong to the corporate physique team are allowed to train for two hours of their eight-hour shifts The company provides an allowance for protein items and fees to compete in physique competitions They can be free from toiling away at a keyboard and eat chicken tenders without being rebuked by bosses or co-workers Such benefits are well-received by employees such as Ryoya Niwa Physique competitors “eat more meals a day than ordinary people,” he said “So I appreciate that (the company) understands this and allows me to take time to frequently resupply my nutrients.” the company provides support to obtain a license in the caretaking industry Although the company pays industry-standard salaries inquiries from people seeking employment have risen to 300 or so a year “Maccho might well save the care industry,” said Niwa the reality is far from what Niwa envisions a Tokyo-based public interest incorporated foundation conducted a survey of care insurance service operators nationwide in 2020 60.8 percent of the surveyed operators said they lacked sufficient human resources The welfare ministry in July 2021 said about 2.8 million caretakers will be needed in fiscal 2040 The figure suggests that there will be about 690,000 staffers short compared to the number of caretaking staff in fiscal 2019 said what Visionary is doing in terms of care services is not that unique “But it is nothing more than a start for people to know about the work of caretaking," he said but I don’t think our staff see the job as so-called ‘3K.’ I hope people listen to more from those who actually enjoy working in the industry “Therefore I want these maccho employees to stand out and draw attention.”  They may not give a quick boost to the industry’s manpower shortage problem SUMO/ Agency helps retired wrestlers ‘except lucky few’ plan next career Infected workers continue toiling at short-staffed nursing homes 80 Go campaign suggests ways elderly can stay active Ukrainian scholar offer evacuees helpful word cards Uncomfortable moment becomes shining example of community 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 Chiba Prefecture--Townspeople here were ready to climb aboard to cheer on a homegrown surfer going for gold off the coast here in the Tokyo Olympics this summer they are feeling like victims of a “wipeout.” The decision to ban spectators to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic is frustrating residents in Ichinomiya who can only view the Olympic surfing competition as a “close yet distant” event which are scheduled to kick off on July 25 and continue until Aug All residents’ eyes will be on Hiroto Ohhara who grew up and still lives in the beachside town--but only remotely via the internet and on TV is still waiting anxiously to see if he will be allowed to enter the venue and watch his son compete as a family member I won’t be able to attend it,” he said with resignation A total of 1,242 children and teachers in the town had planned to watch the events on July 26 and 27 only one town government employee per day will be allowed to enter the venue as a town-related official Ichinomiya Mayor Masaya Mabuchi and other officials have been discussing making courtesy visits to the venue But Mabuchi is mulling over whether he should go and watch the competition “when the townspeople cannot.” a former town mayor who led the bidding to bring the Olympic surfing competition to Ichinomiya won a ticket for the event in the lottery and was looking forward to seeing the competitors riding the waves Tamagawa had also signed up as a volunteer He even brushed up on his English in preparation for his duties But he learned on July 12 that his services as a volunteer are no longer needed When Ohhara earned a spot on Team Japan for the Tokyo Olympics the town announced the big news over the community wireless system Officials are thinking about using the wireless system again during the Games to let townspeople know how their hero is faring in the competition No Olympic fans in stands in Hokkaido and Fukushima Chiba governor: No good reason to let spectators attend Olympics OLYMPICS/ Tokyo neighbor Chiba shuts out torch relay over virus concerns Host towns lose out by canceling of pre-Olympic training camps IOC’s Bach asks Suga to lift ban on spectators if virus crisis eases Copyright © The Asahi Shimbun Company. All rights reserved. No reproduction or republication without written permission. Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account Off the shores of Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach 40 Olympians made history as they hit the waves for the preliminary rounds of the first-ever Olympic surfing event Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience Surfing is one of the five new sports debuting at Tokyo 2020 and features 20 men and 20 women competing in separate divisions We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentSurfers compete in approximately 30-minute heats, or rounds, and try to catch as many waves as possible. A panel of judges scores each wave a surfer rides, looking at commitment and degree of difficulty, innovative maneuvers, variety of maneuvers, combinations of major moves, speed, power and flow. Weather and wave conditions are incredibly important in surfing, and organizers look at the weather forecast, wave height, wind direction, temperature and tidal movement on the day of the competition, according to the Associated Press. The Tokyo Olympics are taking place during Japan’s typhoon season, which is good news for some surfers, according to Reuters. The incoming typhoon make for bigger waves at Tsurigasaki, which is known for smaller, weaker waves. The preliminary rounds consisted of five heats of four surfers in each division.  The top two of each heat go straight to round three, while the bottom two go to round two. Here are some of the top shots from the first day of surfing at Tsurigasaki: transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account Aichi — A traditional textile industry has been getting a head-turning new makeover in Ichinomiya a leading producer of woolen fabrics in Japan designers and local businesses have been collaborating to create gothic Lolita-fashions from Bishu wool a fabric that has traditionally been associated more with men’s clothing than frilly The initiative has even resulted in the birth of a fashion brand named Bishu Lolita which specializes in monochrome black and gray designs that “combine traditional fabrics and cuteness.” About 30 dresses with lacy necklines and hems hung from the racks of photo studio in the city where patrons can dress up in Lolita fashions The shop was opened six years ago by designer Chocolat Local companies such as the Kuzuri Wool Weaving Co have long provided fabrics for high-end men’s clothing characterized by their fineness and elegant luster But even they have been surprised by the mashup “We would have never imagined this combination before but this initiative is a great opportunity for young people to discover the quality of Bishu fabrics,” said Satoshi Kuzuya Bishu Lolita has sold 50 dresses online since launching last year and made its runway debut at a fashion show in June Lolita fashion model Midori Fukasawa participated in the show and helped promote the brand In a testament to brand’s growing popularity Bishu Lolita garments are now even available as a return gift for tax-deductible donations made to Ichinomiya city under the furusato nozei system accounts for about 70% of the woolen fabrics produced in Japan as one of the top three woolen fabric production areas in the world But the fortunes of the city’s woolen industry have been fading in recent years The low cost of products made by overseas competitors has pushed down sales to about a quarter of their former prime “I want to help cherish the tradition [of Bishu fabrics] by making Lolita garments that can be worn in everyday life,” Chocolat said Chiba Prefecture--Surfers initiated an emergency rescue operation after 32 dolphins were found washed ashore at a beach on the Boso Peninsula here early on April 3 The surfers and others carried the dolphins back to the sea but several of them had already died according to the Ichinomiya town government They were discovered in an area stretching 500 meters along the coast on the southern edge of Kujukuri beach The site hosted the surfing competition in the Tokyo Summer Olympics held in 2021 Around 10 surfers continued their rescue effort into the afternoon “The dolphins seemed very exhausted,” a man watching the scene on the beach said “Some of them were swept back to the shallow water by the waves even though they were taken to areas far from the coast.” A woman who joined the task for around five hours said but we could return around 20 dolphins to the sea.” Melon-headed whales live in warmer parts of the ocean in temperatures of around 25 degrees but they head north this time of the year to seek schools of sardines and other fish which holds dolphin-watching tours off the coast of Chiba Prefecture’s Choshi “I believe that the dolphins entered chunks of cold water and their bodies were temporarily paralyzed,” Miyauchi said “Then they were swept to the beach by strong winds.” (This article was written by Sakiko Kondo and Tomoya Aie.) 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