Introducing the Sojitz employees continually taking on new challenges to create new value for society caravan is a media platform that aims to bring new discoveries to present-day explorers Transportation & Infrastructure Division Sojitz CorporationBETA Technologies Inc.Yamato Holdings Co. and City of Kitakyushu have signed an agreement as of January 20 to conduct joint verification of air cargo by electric aircraft based at Kitakyushu Airport Verification tests will be conducted to assess economic rationality operational efficiency (loading and unloading) and technological efficiency (charging equipment) the four parties plan to conduct a flight*1 of BETA’s ALIA CTOL which is an electric conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL*2) aircraft This project is expected to mark Japan’s first*3 flight of an electric aircraft for dedicated cargo transport between two locations the four parties aim to expedite cargo transport for regional revitalization realize decarbonization in the logistics industry and strengthen logistics networks serving rural areas and remote islands in order to build a sustainable logistics network Japan’s logistics industry faces challenges such as the need for decarbonization of the transportation sector which accounts for 18.5% of Japan’s total CO2 emissions,*4 and the need to maintain logistics networks in rural regions and remote islands with progressing depopulation Sojitz has served as the sales agent for Boeing aircraft in Japan for over 65 years and possesses extensive experience in the aircraft industry with networks that include aircraft manufacturers Sojitz has been working with BETA since 2022 to develop Japan’s electric aircraft market and Sojitz will provide support including assistance with the aircraft certification process in Japan and with methods to introduce electric aircraft as an effective and convenient means of transport Safety is BETA’s highest priority as it strives to realize social implementation of electric aircraft Development is underway for both eCTOL aircraft and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for use in fields such as logistics BETA has demonstrated a track record of successful manned test flights and has significant partnerships with the U.S BETA had set up 44 in-house developed charging stations in the U.S BETA will work to obtain type certification for ALIA CTOL aircraft by the end of 2025 Yamato HD announced its “Sustainability Transformation 2030 ~1st Stage~” under the Yamato Group’s medium-term management plan and Yamato HD strives to realize a sustainable future together with its diverse range of partners by continuing to create “New logistics” and “New value” for society Yamato HD concluded a logistics partnership agreement with the City of Kitakyushu Yamato HD is working to build a sustainable logistics network and increase competitiveness of local industries with the introduction of a new form of transport such as cargo aircraft from April 2024 with Kitakyushu Airport as the air cargo transport hub City of Kitakyushu seeks to utilize cutting-edge technology to create new business and services based around Kitakyushu Airport Based on the logistics partnership agreement with Yamato HD City of Kitakyushu made the decision to join this verification project as part of its efforts to support a new form of transport that is not only environmentally friendly but also supports economic and social development The ALIA CTOL aircraft to be used for the verification tests is an electric conventional takeoff and landing aircraft that does not use jet fuel The ALIA CTOL has a payload of over 560 kg and a cruising range of over 400 km Electric aircraft are anticipated to be a more efficient CO2 emission-free method of cargo transport compared to former methods such as trucks and ships Verification testing will involve financial simulations of replacing traditional forms of cargo transport with electric aircraft transport to assess economic rationality operational testing such as loading and unloading and testing of technological efficiency such as charging equipment Test flights are expected to be conducted with a flight route between Kitakyushu Airport and Miyazaki Airport and City of Kitakyushu aim to confirm the possibilities and issues related to electric aircraft for air cargo transport in Japan in order to build a sustainable logistics network Corporate Communication Strategy +81-3541-4141City of Kitakyushu Kitakyushu Seaport and Airport Bureau Airport Planning Division +81-93-582-2308 Please contact us if you would like to know more details Some top male and female Olympic contenders will bring their best moves to the dance floor #RoadToParis2024 #OlympicQualifiers #Breaking A 15-year-old junior high school student has died after she and a male classmate were stabbed Saturday while waiting in line at a fast-food restaurant in Fukuoka Prefecture in southwestern Japan described as a man around 40 years old and approximately 170 centimeters tall Police identified the girl on Sunday as Saaya Nakashima a third-year junior high school student from Kitakyushu said they were "stabbed by a complete stranger." the man entered a McDonald's restaurant in Kitakyushu and stabbed the two students once each at around 8:30 p.m as they waited near the back of the line to order He carried out the attack in silence and fled on foot spending less than 30 seconds in the store Nakashima was stabbed in the abdomen and was taken to the hospital with an autopsy determining the cause of death as blood loss but the injuries appear not to be life-threatening believed to have been on their way home from cram school had entered the McDonald's together more than 10 minutes before the incident The police said the attacker was wearing a gray top adding his face was visible during the stabbing It remains unclear if the attacker had any connection to Nakashima The police are investigating the case as murder Kitakyushu canceled all extracurricular activities and events at city-run schools and kindergartens on Sunday Man in jail for murder newly accused of killing another girl in 2007 8 killed as 21-year-old man stabs people in province near Shanghai 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 Today's print edition Home Delivery A 43-year-old man suspected of stabbing two teens at a McDonald’s outlet in Kitakyushu has said he targeted them because he thought they were mocking him sources close to the investigation revealed Wednesday who has been re-arrested on a murder charge against a 15-year-old girl in the Dec I thought I was being mocked." He had been arrested earlier on an attempted murder charge against a boy also 15.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Fukuoka Prefectural Police are investigating the case suspecting that the anger was triggered by a one-sided grievance The Kokura branch of the Fukuoka District Public Prosecutor's Office plans to conduct a psychiatric evaluation on Hirabaru to assess his mental state Hirabaru admitted during questioning that he had driven to a major road near the fast food restaurant before the incident and passed the two students walking He also stated that the reason he targeted them was that their eyes met he denied any intent to kill either student Hirabaru arrived at the restaurant’s parking lot about 15 minutes before the incident The two students also entered the premises around the same time The police believe Hirabaru followed the students after their eyes met and watched them enter the building approached the students as they stood in line at the register and stabbed them both with a knife The female student later died in the hospital and the male student suffered serious injuries 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 while her classmate was seriously injured And Naoya Inoue’s Christmas Eve clash with Sam Goodman is postponed.  a woman who lives near the suspect’s home said she had heard him shouting something using what looked like a loudspeaker several times Another neighbor described him as a well-built man who could often be heard listening to loud music The tragedy unfolded in just 30 seconds at a McDonald’s in Kitakyushu’s Kokuraminami ward at around 8:30 p.m The two students were waiting in line to order at the cash register when a man suddenly stabbed them without speaking they were attacked by “a complete stranger.” The suspect spent less than half a minute inside the fast-food restaurant and fled the scene by car Police analyzed security camera footage to track down Hirabaru They took him in for questioning on Thursday morning Hirabaru was taken into police custody on Thursday morning on an initial charge of attempted murder of the 15-year-old survivor of the attack It was just out of respect to Shinzo.”  Talks are still believed to be at an early stage the two companies could make an announcement by December 23 A merger between the two companies would create the world’s third-biggest automaker group behind Toyota and Volkswagen Honda and Nissan are Japan’s second- and third-largest car manufacturers they sold around 7.35 million vehicles last year — 3.98 million and 3.37 million respectively — but are both struggling to compete against cheaper electric vehicles (EV) from China which earlier this year reported record-breaking quarterly revenues other Chinese EV manufacturers such as Nio Xiaomi and Xpeng all recently broke personal sales records. In an attempt to catch up with Chinese competitors Honda and Nissan put their rivalries aside to work together on EV technology An unexploded American bomb weighing around 250 kilograms was detonated and removed from a building demolition site in central Nagoya on Sunday morning The Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF) began removing the fuses from the bomb at approximately 10 a.m a 300-meter radius security zone was set up The city called for the evacuation of approximately 2,400 households The Higashiyama Subway Line between Sakae and Ikeshita stations and the Sakuradori Line between Taikodori and Imaike stations were both suspended City buses were also detoured to avoid the area.  The bomb was discovered by a construction worker on October 17, 2024, in Nagoya’s bustling Higashi district. “I was digging with heavy machinery when I found a rusty, cylindrical object about three meters underground,” he said I’ve never experienced anything like this before.” By midday two fuses of the unexploded bomb were removed by the SDF The subway services resumed shortly after and residents were given the green light to return to the area It’s believed that hundreds of tons of unexploded bombs from the war remain buried throughout Japan.  the toll fee for Mount Fuji’s most popular trail will double from ¥2,000 to ¥4,000 in an effort to discourage overcrowding The Yamanashi prefectural government also plans to close the entrance gate at the trail’s fifth station two hours earlier bullet climbing refers to the practice of climbing at night without taking enough rest the previous day. The aim is to reach the summit before sunrise It is considered dangerous because it can lead to altitude sickness Shizuoka Prefecture also plans to charge a ¥4,000 climbing fee and restrict access from 2 p.m The governors of both prefectures are working together to curb overtourism for the summer climbing season Preventative measures to combat overcrowding were already implemented by Yamanashi Prefecture back in July when a gate was installed at the fifth station along the Yoshida Trail Other changes included capping the number of climbers per day to 4,000 03 May 2025 05:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Giravanz Kitakyushu vs Tochigi SC on Sat Predicted lineups are available for the match a few days in advance while the actual lineup will be available about an hour ahead of the match The current head to head record for the teams are Giravanz Kitakyushu 5 win(s) Have scored 4 goals in their last 5 matches Have scored 3 goals in their last 5 matches Who won between Giravanz Kitakyushu and Tochigi SC on Sat 03 May 2025 05:00:00 GMT?Giravanz Kitakyushu vs Tochigi SC on Sat 03 May 2025 05:00:00 GMT ended in a 0–0 tie.InsightsHave scored 4 goals in their last 5 matches Giravanz Kitakyushu is playing home against Tochigi SC on Sat Picture by 2021 Getty ImagesBy Scott BregmanThe 2021 artistic gymnastics season has come to an end Here's a look back at what we learned from the action from the world championships - and don't despair, we'll do it all again in 12 months time at the 2022 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool (29 October to 6 November)! 🥇","event":null,"destination_url":"","entry_point_tag":"base","entry_point_type":"instory_campaign"}" data-tracking="click" href="https://www.olympics.com/en/sign-in?entry_point_type=instory_campaign&entry_point_tag=base&template=base&origin=https%3A%2F%2Folympics.com%2Fen%2Folympic-channel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Olympic Membership - Free Live Stream Sports & Original Series - join now Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Angelina Melnikova and Rebeca Andrade have had a busy 2021 season After winning gold at this year's Olympic Games Melnikova (team) and Andrade (vault) have both been enjoying the spoils of their success both were able to – with minimal training time – keep their form and claim another historic title For Melnikova, her world all-around victory was the first by a non-American since 2010 when Aliya Mustafina took the title "I feel like I made history," Melnikova said of ending the American stranglehold on the event I had only one month to prepare for this competition And I thought I can't do my old routines Andrade’s gold on the vault was a dream realized and came after injuries kept her out of the 2017 and 2019 worlds "Many people didn't believe in me when I got injured I'm here to show the world that everything is possible if you chase what you really want," she continued "You can do it if you have people who believe in you ExclusiveAll Around | The Tokyo 2020 Journey Ends with Olympic GoldAngelina revisits the details of her triumph at Tokyo 2020 and looks back at the journey that brought her to win three Olympic medals in artistic gymnastics Morgan and Lele follow the Games from home as they consider their plans for their future in gymnastics and overall life The men’s all-around final was one of the most compelling events in Kitakyushu The gold and silver medals went right down to the wire With just .017 separating champion Zhang Boheng of China and Japan’s Hashimoto Daiki the future looks bright for men’s gymnastics internationally missed out on a chance to become the sport’s youngest world all-around champion ever But knows the two will likely face off in future finals something he and Zhang both said they’re looking forward to "It means we have more possibility because we may compete for many years," said Zhang "It's good for gymnastics." He kept Japan top of the Olympic men's gymnastics podium and now Hashimoto Daiki is facing a different kind of challenge - staying at the top similar to that of compatriot and predecessor Uchimura Kohei the Japanese star doesn't believe he'd have won the gold medal but the 20-year-old shares how he's been focusing on improving his least-favourite events in a bid to claim a first world title and stay ahead of the challengers With many athletes who claimed medals at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 choosing to sit these championships out Italy (4) won the third most medals in the overall standings behind traditional powerhouses China and Japan (8 each) and Nichola Bartolini’s gold medal on floor was a first for the nation The last Italian man to claim gold at the world championships came in 1997 Other historic feats came from Team USA’s Stephen Nedoroscik who won the U.S.’s first-ever title on the event, and Carlos Yulo’s gold on the vault was a first for the Philippines. View this post on Instagram A post shared by NICOLA BARTOLINI (@bartoleddu) Two of Japan’s greatest gymnasts ever - Uchimura Kohei and Murakami Mai enjoying home-country fans after none were allowed at Tokyo 2020 in 2021 as a COVID-19 countermeasure who finished sixth in the horizontal bar final The two-time Olympic all-around champion has struggled with injuries in his post-Rio 2016 career he thought about stepping away from the sport but instead chose to focus only on the high bar missing a pirouetting element in the qualifying round and not making the final Uchimura got redemption in front of his hometown crowd in Kitakyushu He’s left the door open for more gymnastics in his future "This meet just finished so it’s difficult for me to say one way or another "What I do know is that I was reminded once again how tough and fun gymnastics is at the same time - to stick the landing in front of a crowd and appreciate what the sport is all about "I can’t just say right here right now I think I need time to think by myself and see what I really want to do from here.” After winning her second world title on the floor exercise Murakami announced she would retire from the sport having had a sendoff she could only have dreamed of "I hope I was able to give you one last joy I've managed to come this far and I owe it to all of you.” Japan's three-time Olympic gymnastics champion is at the final stages of a legendary career but he's still enjoying performing in front of his adoring fans: "I can’t begin to describe how good it feels to perform in front of a crowd," he said during the home World Championships "This is my birthplace and I could feel their warmth It felt like they were waiting for me all long but Kitakyushu marked the first time the once totally dominate American women failed to take the all-around gold medal at world or Olympic competition in a decade It’s their first worlds without a gold medal since 2006 and their smallest medal tally since 2002 Their team silver medal at the recent Tokyo Olympics was the first time they had not won the gold medal at a global event since the 2010 worlds The future of the U.S. program is very much in flux, with four-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles unsure of her future in the sport I'm going to do it’ but then my body and everything else tells me no,” Biles continued which has had a seemingly endless talent pipeline in recent memory had a somewhat depleted junior field at the U.S competitors competed in the all-around both days of competition "Everybody goes through that process differently.. you can come out on top," Biles shares in part two of our exclusive interview The American became an instant mental health advocate when she withdrew from artistic gymnastics finals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and "It's OK to not be OK." The seven-time Olympic medallist believes it was important to include a focus on mental health in her Gold Over America Tour and the GOAT of gymnastics reveals how it felt to receive an outpouring of support when she stepped away from the USA team to focus on her mindfulness in Japan Police arrested a 43-year-old man on Thursday on suspicion of stabbing two junior high school students at a McDonald’s in the city of Kitakyushu on Saturday with one of the victims dying from her injuries an unemployed resident of Kokuraminami Ward — the same area where the attack took place — was taken into police custody at around 10 a.m on an initial charge of attempted murder of the 15-year-old boy who survived the attack.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); he has yet to disclose any information about his motive The weapon used in the attack has not yet been found Please upgrade to a more modern version to fully experience JapanToday site and for security reasons Located in northern Fukuoka’s Kitakyushu City Hibikinada Ryokuchi Green Park is the largest green space in the city With botanical delights throughout the year it’s easy to see why the park is considered one of the top 100 in the country There are plenty of flowers to see at Hibikinada Ryokuchi Green Park At the end of March and the start of April more than 200 cherry trees come into bloom Cyclists looking for a variety of routes should check out the park The interior trail measures just over four kilometers and takes approximately 20 minutes to complete This course brings cyclists around one of the two large ponds There are several photo spots along the way including one location that looks out onto the immense body of water snap a shot of the iconic red-arched bridge The exterior path is around seven kilometers long and will take riders around both large ponds in roughly 40 minutes While you’ll cover some of the same terrain as the interior trek you’ll also be able to venture through the more secluded forest areas of the park Click here to read more Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts Join the leading Asian tourist attraction to assist our diverse range of customers A mix of what's trending on our other sites A 43-year-old man arrested over the stabbing of a boy at a McDonald's restaurant in southwestern Japan last month was newly charged on Thursday with the murder of a 15-year-old girl who was also a victim of the attack Masanori Hirabaru was served a fresh arrest warrant for allegedly fatally stabbing Saaya Nakashima on Dec at the fast-food restaurant in Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture while she was waiting to be served along with the 15-year-old boy 19 on suspicion of attempted murder of the boy The boy sustained severe injuries and was temporarily hospitalized Hirabaru denied allegations of murdering Nakashima but admitted to stabbing the boy Despite it being unlikely that Hirabaru and the two students knew each other the police said he targeted the pair for a specific reason adding that the victims are "not at fault." The police confiscated several dozen knives after searching Hirabaru's house and a vehicle and detected the blood of two people on one of them which analysis showed was not inconsistent with those of Nakashima and the boy Man sent to prosecutors over fatal stabbing at Japan McDonald's Man arrested on suspicion of involvement in teen stabbing in Japan McDonald's teen stabbing victims not specifically targeted: source Her male classmate was also injured in the attack A middle school girl tragically lost her life and a male classmate was seriously injured in a sudden stabbing incident at a fast-food restaurant in Kitakyushu’s Kokuraminami ward on the night of December 14 Police are still searching for the attacker The tragedy unfolded in just 30 seconds at the McDonald’s 322 Tokuriki store in Kokuraminami ward the suspect — a man believed to be in his 40s — entered the restaurant around 8 p.m. bypassing customers near the front of the line where he stabbed two junior high school students — a boy and a girl — before fleeing were returning from cram school at the time of the attack identified as Saaya Nakashima from Kokuraminami ward’s Shii district Her male classmate sustained a deep wound to the waist which authorities said could have easily been fatal stating he was attacked by “a complete stranger.” Police described the suspect as a man in his 40s black pants and yellowish shoes at the time of the attack Authorities are analyzing security camera footage from the area to track his movements with parents and educators expressing concern over the safety of their children Fukuoka Prefectural Police increased patrols around schools during morning hours to reassure parents and students “The sound of the sirens was overwhelming — it was shocking,” said a local resident “When the patrol cars started arriving one after another We’ve never heard of anything like this happening around here.” “The children are terrified,” said another resident The fact that the attacker hasn’t been caught yet is the most unsettling thing — we don’t know where he is.” The unprovoked nature of the assault raises questions about the attacker’s motive Investigators believe the suspect deliberately targeted the victims based on his actions upon entering the restaurant Whether this was a random act of violence or a planned attack remains a critical line of inquiry Two junior high school students were stabbed in what appeared to be a knife attack by a man at a McDonald's in Kitakyushu on Saturday night The students — one boy and one girl — were both rushed to the hospital where the girl was confirmed dead about 90 minutes later The boy suffered minor injuries and remained conscious.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); and the Fukuoka Prefectural Police is searching for him third-year junior high school student Saaya Nakashima were stabbed once in the abdomen and once in the lower back from the same junior high school in Kitakyushu were waiting in line to order at the store's cash register when the unidentified suspect suddenly stabbed them without speaking The male student told the police that he and the girl were stabbed by a total stranger is approximately 40 years old and 170 centimeters tall He is believed to have fled with the weapon The incident took place at the McDonald's branch next to National Route 322 in Kitakyushu about 300 meters southwest of Tokuriki Kodan-mae Station on the Kitakyushu Urban Monorail line The assailant who fatally stabbed a junior high school girl and injured another student in a McDonald’s restaurant in Kitakyushu on Saturday was inside the fast-food store for less than 30 seconds 15-year-old Saaya Nakashima and a male student entered the McDonald’s together on their way home after attending a cram school session They secured a table and joined the line at the counter to place their order.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Surveillance footage shows that shortly after 8:25 p.m. a man armed with a knife entered the McDonald’s through an entrance facing a national highway He then fled through the same doorway and headed north Authorities are intensifying their search for a suspect who fatally stabbed a junior high school girl and injured her male classmate at a McDonald’s restaurant in Kitakyushu on Saturday night 15-year-old Saaya Nakashima and another student entered the McDonald’s Tokuriki 322 store in Kokuraminami Ward together on their way home after attending a cram school session.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); they joined the line at the counter behind two or three other customers Taiwan News has reported that ASE signed a provisional agreement with Kitakyushu City Government to acquire approximately 16 hectares of land at Kitakyushu Science and Research Park in Wakamatsu Ward The region has ambitions to become a kind of 'Silicon City' and is already home to universities The story says the purchase price of the land is estimated at 3.4 billion yen (USD 22 million) and that ASE will decide on its final location based on the availability of national subsidies and other considerations ASE is active across various advanced packaging technologies They include Fan-Out Chip on Substrate with Bridge (FOCoS-Bridge) packaging technology which integrates multiple Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) Its wholly-owned Japanese subsidiary was established in June 2004 with its headquarters and factory located in Takahata A 43-year-old man was sent to prosecutors on Friday over the stabbings at a McDonald's restaurant in southwestern Japan that left one junior high school student dead and another injured who lives near the fast-food restaurant in Kitakyushu allegedly stabbed a 15-year-old boy in the waist at around 8:25 p.m The police are also investigating Hirabaru on suspicion of murdering Saaya Nakashima who went to the same school as the boy and was with him at the time No prior links have been found between Hirabaru and the students Hirabaru allegedly arrived at the restaurant's parking lot at around 8:10 p.m Hirabaru was arrested Thursday after the police analyzed footage from numerous nearby security cameras Investigators searched Hirabaru's house and confiscated some dark-colored clothing and a pair of yellow sandals similar to those the assailant was seen wearing A dramatic raid, in which police shattered the windows of a home in Kitakyushu, ended the search for the suspect in the fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old girl, and the injuring of another teen, at a local McDonald's outlet as a 43-year-old man was arrested. The arrest marked the culmination of an intensive investigation by Fukuoka Prefectural Police who pieced together surveillance footage and dashcam recordings in a meticulous "relay investigation" to identify the suspect.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); who is unemployed and living alone in a house near the crime scene did not resist arrest as he sat in a chair KITAKYUSHU — Unprovoked anger is believed to be the motive of the suspect in the stabbing of two students at a fast-food restaurant in Kokura-Minami Ward 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 Investigators believe he became angered after he felt the students made eye contact with him outside of the restaurant The incident left a 15-year-old girl dead and a 15-year-old boy injured Hirabaru drove around the fast-food restaurant and entered its parking lot at about the same time as when the students entered the restaurant Fukuoka prefectural police believe that Hirabaru targeted the students before they went into the restaurant The police will further investigate his motive and Masanori Hirabaru was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of the boy on Dec saying that he did not intend to kill the student Hirabaru’s indictment was suspended on Jan The suspect did not admit to the charge and denies stabbing her The Kokura branch of the Fukuoka District Public Prosecutors Office will have the suspect’s mental health be evaluated Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Data center firm Global Compute Infrastructure (GCI) is partnering with a real estate firm to develop data center campuses in Japan Real estate firm the Asia Pacific Land (APL) Group and GCI this week announced the commencement of a joint venture to develop a new data center hub in Kyushu the joint venture is developing a campus that could offer a total of 120MW with the first 60MW phase set to come online in September 2027 The partnership has also secured additional land and power resources in Fukuoka Prefecture that could offer approximately 250MW of capacity by 2029 “We are thrilled to work with GCI to realize our vision of creating a new data center hub in Kyushu,” said Yoshinobu Takahara “This project is about more than infrastructure; it represents a commitment to continue working with the local and national government to position Kyushu as a critical player in Japan’s continued digital transformation by creating technology-related jobs and stimulating the local economy.” Founded in 1994, APL Group is a private investment firm focused on real estate, digital infrastructure, renewable energy, and private equity transactions. The Kitakyushu site was purchased by APL from Kitakyushu City in November 2023. News that APL was interested in developing a data center in the area surfaced in August 2023 APL also acquired land for a data center in Itoshima, in Fukuoka Prefecture, late last year The 122,000 sqm (1.3 million sq ft) campus reportedly located near the Maebaru Interchange on the Nishi Kyushu Expressway Construction is set to begin in spring 2025 with phased operations starting in 2029 and full completion by 2034 Update: GCI reached out to say that while it continues to work with Goldman around Atman and Data Horizon Americas the investment firm is not involved in this particular deal A spokesperson told DCD: "GCI has engaged in the initiative with APL outside of our relationship with Goldman." “We are very excited to collaborate with APL to launch this significant market-changing initiative,” said Scott Peterson we are leveraging our expertise to establish an innovative data center hub that will serve the needs of the world’s most demanding data center customers across a range of deployment sizes and needs.” Kitakyushu is the northernmost city on Japan’s Kyushu Island. IDC Frontier Inc., a subsidiary of SoftBank since 2018, opened a data center in Kitakyushu in 2008 the campus can be expanded to 11 buildings; the sixth opened in 2017 Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia The 22-year-old's triumphs are the sixth and seventh medals for her nation at the world championships Her vault title is just the second gold for a Brazilian woman and the first since Daiane Dos Santos won floor at the 2003 Worlds "I feel very happy and grateful with my routines Andrade competed second in the women's vault final and laid down her challenge confidently Andrade's second vault was a clean double-twisting Yurchenko for a 14.800 and a 14.933 average Italy's Asia D'Amato earned a 14.083 average score to win her country's first medal on the event - a silver. 2021 World all-around champion and Olympic team gold medallist Angelina Melnikova of the Russian Gymnastics Federation took third at 13.966 Andrade had a chance to become the first woman since Svetlana Khorkina in 2001 to win both the vault and uneven bars in the same day, coming into both finals as the top qualifier. However, despite delivering a clean exercise on the uneven bars, Andrade was forced to modify her routine mid-stream which resulted in a lower difficulty score than she had planned. Her 14.633 was good for silver. It's the first medal on the event for a Brazilian at the world championships. "I will win a gold medal on bars - just not today," said Andrade. "I will one day for sure. I’m pretty happy with how I performed on the bars." China's Wei Xiaoyuan was the champion on the bars with a 14.733. Luo Rui, who matched Andrade's score but lost the tie break, was third. "I could not have gotten this far without my teammates and the support of the national team," Wei said afterward. "I want to dedicate this medal to them." Andrade: "I'm here to show the world that everything is possible"The Tokyo 2020 vaulting champion can't hide her happiness after winning gold and silver at the 2021 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Kitakyushu The day's first final - men's floor exercise - got off to a historic start with Italian Nicola Bartolini taking the title The surprise champion gives Italy its third-ever medal on the event (the first gold) at the world championships with the previous most recent medal Jury Chechi's still rings win in 1997 is the last time an Italian men took a world title I can't describe what I feel right now But one thing is sure: I made history," said Bartolini before adding his post-competition celebrations would include a very important phone call going up first and having to endure a long wait until the final score was flashed "I've been dreaming of this moment for whole my life but from imagining it to seeing it happen there's like an abyss," said Bartolini "There's been a lot of work in it I've put all my soul and body during this year and you can see the results." Minami Kazuki of Japan was the silver medallist while Finland's Emil Soravuo won his country's first medal on the event in third (14.700) Reigning world floor champion and the top qualifier Carlos Yulo of the Philippines finished fifth after going out of bounds on his three-and-a-half twist punch barani and incurring a .3 neutral deduction Team USA's Stephen Nedoroscik made history of his own in the pommel horse final winning the United States' first gold medal on the event at the worlds His gold medal is just the third all-time for the U.S. after Kurt Thomas' 1979 silver and Alexander Artemev's bronze in 2006 "I've always thought a gold medal would be possible for myself," said the gold medallist I like to have that confidence and I know where I stand against the world." Nedoroscik earned a 15.266 to take the title ahead of China's Weng Hao and Japan's Kaya Kazuma who shared the silver with matching 14.900 marks Competition concluded with the men's still rings final where China's Lan Xingyu won the gold medal "I am incredibly proud to have won a gold for my country," said Lan "I was an alternate when we won the team event in Doha in 2018 and I didn’t have an opportunity to compete But this time I had a chance to compete on a big stage like this and the result has really added to my confidence." Italy continued its historic day with Marco Lodadio taking the silver medal at 14.866 He was also the silver medallist on the event at the 2019 worlds The bronze medal was shared by Lodadio's teammate Salvatore Maresca and the Russian Gymnastics Federation's Grigorii Klimentev whose matching 14.833 scores could not be separated after earning identical difficult and execution scores who finished second to Zhang in Friday's (22 October) men's all-around final withdrew from the floor exercise and pommel horse finals Hashimoto is resting a sore right wrist and lower back but plans to participate in Sunday's competition where he has qualified to the parallel bars and horizontal bar finals according to the Japanese Gymnastics Association A 43-year-old man who had been arrested for attempted murder in connection with a double stabbing at a McDonald’s outlet in Fukuoka Prefecture in December was rearrested on a new charge of murder Thursday who was in custody for the attempted murder of a 15-year-old boy in the fast-food restaurant in the city of Kitakyushu Hirabaru admitted to “targeting the two teens,” but his specific motives and connection to the victims remain unclear Investigators also noted inconsistencies in his account of the incident The Japanese car manufacturer Nissan has announced the location for its LFP battery factory Construction for the production facility is due to start this year in the city of Kitakyushu (Fukuoka Prefecture) in the southwest of Japan Nissan expects to invest 53.3 billion yen (around 985 million US dollars or 950 million euros) When Nissan announced plans to construct the LFP battery factory in September, it was said that the Japanese government would pay a subsidy of up to 340 million euros for the project. This is lin line with Japan’s goal to promote battery production to ensure a stable domestic supply of components it considers important to economic security Toyota and Panasonic also receive subsidies for new projects The Renault Twingo – and thus also the Nissan offshoot – is considered a candidate for the use of LFP batteries from 2026 who has been CEO of Nissan Motor Corporation since 2019 signed a location agreement with Fukuoka Prefecture and Kitakyushu City on 22 March for the construction of the new Nissan LFP battery plant Fukuoka Prefecture Governor Seitaro Hattori explained that Fukuoka Prefecture is aiming to become a major production base for “green advanced mobility.” Executive Vice President and Chief Monozukuri Officer “I feel it is very significant that we can start a new electrification initiative in Kyushu in this milestone year which marks 50 years of production in Kyushu Nissan is committed to developing a broad lineup of EVs and highly competitive batteries to meet the diversifying needs of our customers.” Just a few days ago, Japanese car manufacturer Mazda announced the construction of a new production facility for battery modules and packs in Iwakuni in the southwest of the country Battery packs are to be manufactured there that will be used in electric vehicles based on a completely new electric car platform from Mazda that the company has not yet unveiled nissannews.com (in japanese) I agree with the Privacy policy electrive has been following the development of electric mobility with journalistic passion and expertise since 2013 we offer comprehensive coverage of the highest quality — as a central platform for the rapid development of this technology ·       Bridgestone will invest Japanese Yen 25 billion to upgrade equipment at the Kitakyushu Plant as part of strategic investments based on its Mid Term Business Plan (2024-2026) ·       Through this investment Bridgestone will further enhance off-the-road tire and mining solutions business to support customers globally also aim for sustainability.     Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone) today announced that it will invest ¥25 billion to upgrade equipment for certain facilities at the Kitakyushu Plant which produces tires for mining and construction vehicles This upgrade will be completed by the end of 2027 This strategic investment is a part of Bridgestone’s Mid Term Business Plan (2024-2026) to focus on delivering value over volume as it strengthens its off-the-road (OTR) tire business which drives the Company’s premium tire business The Kitakyushu Plant is the strategic global production base for OTR tires including Bridgestone’s Dan-Totsu products*1 - “Bridgestone MASTERCORE,” and supplies to customers globally This strategic investment will not only ensure a high quality and stable supply but also further elevate the level of safety the investment will enhance production technology for the future generation of Dan-Totsu products Bridgestone is committed to contributing to the local community and supporting the realization of a sustainable society with safety and peace of mind As the investment focuses on upgrading existing equipment the production volume will remain at current level About Bridgestone's OTR tires and Mining Solutions Business - Expansion and enhancement of “New Premium” a flagship product in Bridgestone’s Dan-Totsu product realizes ultra-high durability based on the combination of our new unique technologies including steel cord manufactured in-house Bridgestone MASTERCORE enables us to provide the optimal performance customized to each customer’s need and the operating condition of each vehicle by further improving its robust durability and other desired tire performance without sacrificing other performances it has been deployed in approximately 100 mines globally and its value has been recognized by many mining companies Bridgestone continues to enhance Dan-Totsu product power through the development of Bridgestone MASTERCORE  – To create new value by fusing strong physical and digital capabilities and enhance initiatives for Sustainability Bridgestone is expanding its mining solutions to maximize productivity and economic value in mining operations This is achieved by fusing strong physical capabilities with digital technologies Bridgestone's physical capabilities include field engineering services at mining sites (Genbutsu-Genba) for tire maintenance and optimal use supported by a global service solution network of approximately 130 sites By fusing these strong physical capabilities and the digital capabilities such as AI-driven tire and vehicle data analytics Bridgestone aims to evolve and expand its mining solutions The solutions are further enhanced by vehicle operation data shared from customers based on trusts Bridgestone started to offer a new mining solutions service that optimize tire maintenance timing and vehicle operation routes with tire durability prediction model by leveraging AI to build its unique algorithms This service was firstly introduced to the Spence copper mine (Pampa Norte operation) in Chile Bridgestone amplifies the value of its Dan-Totsu products at the stage where customers use tires to solve their problems The company contribute to sustainability by improving resource productivity since using tires safer better and more efficiently reduces the number of tires used *1        "Dan-Totsu" refers to Bridgestone's direction to be the clear and absolute leader *2        2020/08/07 New Bridgestone MasterCore Tire Line Provides Mine Sites With Customized Tire Performance *3        2023/11/09 Bridgestone Supplies New Mining Solution Service to BHP's Spence Mine Using Proprietary Tire Durability Algorithm Bridgestone is a global leader in tires and rubber building on its expertise to provide solutions for safe and sustainable mobility the company employs approximately 130,000 people globally and conducts business in more than 150 countries and territories worldwide Bridgestone offers a diverse product portfolio of premium tires and advanced solutions backed by innovative technologies improving the way people around the world move KITAKYUSHU — The two junior high school students who were stabbed by a man at a fast-food restaurant on Saturday have no defensive wounds indicating that they were assaulted without any time to protect themselves The Fukuoka prefectural police said the incident took place at a McDonald’s in Kokura Minami Ward the man approached and then silently stabbed the two students who were standing at the end of the line to the cash register a third-year student from the city’s junior high school The suspect fled the scene with what appeared to be a knife The two students had no wounds to their hands which are typically suffered when a victim tries to defend themselves The wounds on their bodies suggest that the suspect stabbed rather than slashed them Less than 30 seconds elapsed between the man entering and leaving the restaurant None of the workers or customers at the restaurant witnessed the attack suffered a non-fatal injury that was deep enough to cause death if suffered in a different location The police are investigating the case as both a murder and attempted murder Girl Stabbed to Death by ‘Stranger’ at McDonald’s in Southern Japanese City of Kitakyushu This is the fourth installment of a series that follows the waves of change taking place in Kyushu and nearby Yamaguchi and Okinawa prefectures ahead of 2050 By Yo Nakanishi and Kengo Umeno / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer KITAKYUSHU — A brand-new large-scale logistics facility stands out in the Nishiminato district an industrial area where factories and warehouses are lined up about 3 kilometers northwest of JR Kokura Station in Kitakyushu forklifts moved among the high piles of cargo inside the facility invested about ¥8 billion to put its facility into operation last October with a total floor area of 46,000 square meters is the largest scale facility of its kind in the city The company will use the first floor for its operations Tobata Butsuryu is currently negotiating a contract with a major manufacturer to lease the second floor “I hope this facility will trigger a reevaluation of Kitakyushu’s potential as a logistics base,” said President Shogo Hyuga A strong tailwind was provided by the so-called “2024 problem” in freight distribution in which businesses were worried about a shortage of long-haul truckers that would reduce carrying capacity Most of the distribution centers in Kyushu are located in Tosu since the limit on working hours for long-distance drivers was tightened in April 2024 it has been noted that the areas where goods can be transported to at one time were limited making deliveries to Hiroshima and Shimane prefectures more difficult “We can cover all of Kyushu and the western part of the Chugoku region from our logistics base in Kitakyushu,” Hyuga said There has been a growing movement to establish logistics bases in Kitakyushu and the city has received many inquiries asking if there is available land with an area of 3.3 hectares “I never thought a time like this would come,” said Hiroyoshi Yamaguchi the chief executive at the city’s industry and economics bureau an interchange for the new Shimonoseki-Kitakyushu Road which will include a new giant bridge connecting Honshu and Kyushu The price of the surrounding land is said to have skyrocketed to about double what it was 10 years ago The Shimonoseki-Kitakyushu Road is expected to be completed in the 2030s bringing a wave of change to western Japan Kitakyushu flourished as an “iron city” that supported modernization before World War II when the state-owned Yahata Steel Works began operations in 1901 It used to be one of the four major industrial zones with a population of more than 1 million the iron city’s winter continued from the 1970s onward The presence of manufacturing companies diminished as they shifted their bases overseas in search of cheaper labor costs Kitakyushu is said to have a serious problem with an aging population and vacant houses Its image has been worsened by a number of incidents involving yakuza organized crime groups Kitakyushu is now attracting more attention as a logistics hub outside of the overland route a special plane with the corporate logo of U.S logistics giant UPS on the tail landed at Kitakyushu Airport UPS began international cargo business to and from Kitakyushu Airport in February 2023 The company operates five weekly flights to transport cargo to more than 200 countries and regions it can load cargo onto a cargo plane on the day of pickup at the earliest if the pickup area is in in Fukuoka or Kumamoto and deliver it to Asia or the United States the next day “Kitakyushu Airport is flexible in its airport operations and has excellent highway connections,” said UPS Japan President Makoto Kato When the airport’s runway is extended by 500 meters to 3,000 meters in 2027 large cargo planes will be able to take off with full fuel loads Kitakyushu ranks second in Japan in terms of ferry cargo volume as the Kanmon Strait connects the Sea of Japan and this will be a major weapon to revive Kitakyushu,” the city’s Yamaguchi said All Nippon Airways operated its first large cargo plane at Aso Kumamoto Airport The airline is aiming for regular flights in the future due to the expected demand for semiconductor-related products It will be necessary to overcome this intercity competition to gain control of Kyushu’s airspace As the potential of logistics is being reevaluated many companies are announcing plans for large-scale investments including the construction of new factories announced that it will build an electric vehicle battery plant in Kitakyushu The total investment will be about ¥150 billion with the aim of starting production in fiscal year 2028 also intends to build a battery plant near Kitakyushu Airport the world’s largest supplier of semiconductor back-end manufacturing services last year announced plans to purchase land in the city to build a plant the number of people moving into the city exceeded the number of people moving out for the first time in 60 years and there are signs of a bottoming out of the local economic slump “Manufacturing and logistics are inseparable the enhanced logistics functions are creating a synergistic effect that is attracting production bases,” said Kenichi Ito the associate director of the Fukuoka branch of CBRE Japan securing land and human resources is an issue for the future.” The International Council on Monument and Sites (ICOMOS), a nongovernment body that works to preserve cultural heritage sites, has called on the city of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture to halt its redevelopment plans that would demolish newly discovered Meiji Era (1868-1912) remains In a letter addressed to relevant authorities ICOMOS President Teresa Patricio urged the city to suspend excavations and construction and to start discussions with experts on how to preserve the 133-year-old remains of Moji Station.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); “ICOMOS deeply regrets and is disappointed by the city authority’s disregard for this cultural heritage of national and international importance,” Patricio wrote in the letter This October, the World Bank’s Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC) celebrated two decades of advancing livable cities with a dynamic event in Tokyo Hosted by actress and refugee advocate Sahel Rosa spotlighting Japan’s groundbreaking urban solutions and their global impact emphasizing the critical role of cities in tackling global challenges Leaders from TDLC’s City Partnership Program (CPP) shared their innovative approaches: Global Reach: Japanese Solutions in Action TDLC’s knowledge-sharing has delivered Japan’s expertise to diverse cities worldwide: congratulated TDLC for connecting people and ideas and curating Japan’s expertise and knowledge for sharing to address global urban challenges Professors Takashi Onishi (University of Tokyo) and Yoh Sasaki (Waseda University) emphasized that Japan’s urban experience—such as in land readjustment and community-based planning—offers valuable lessons for developing nations They also stressed that Japan also gains insights from these collaborations With its strong partnerships with its CPP cities and other key Japanese cities TDLC remains a vital bridge between Japan and World Bank clients around the world TDLC will continue to inspire urban transformation helping make cities more livable and sustainable * Our article is now featured on the World Bank's Sustainable Cities Blog Read the full article here: Japanese cities, global impact: the Tokyo Development Learning Center turns 20. STAY CURRENT WITH OUR LATEST DATA & INSIGHTS Fukuoka Prefecture — which faces the Kanmon Straits separating the islands of Honshu and Kyushu — once saw the third-largest share of Japan’s annual exports flowing through it and played a pivotal role in the country’s modernization process during the Meiji Era (1868-1912) the remains of what used to be the first Moji station — a railway hub that was built to integrate with the port in the late 19th century and soon became essential in Kyushu’s transportation and industrial development — are facing the threat of demolition due to redevelopment planned by the city.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); A five-story complex that brings together several of the city’s currently aging public facilities The city estimates that construction will cost around ¥12.2 billion ($84.6 million) KITAKYUSHU — Two circus elephants joined local Kitakyushu firefighters in a drill on March 24 is performing shows on a specially prepared stage at The Outlets Kitakyushu The circus event is organized by The Yomiuri Shimbun and Fukuoka Broadcasting System Corp The firefighting drill was jointly conducted by the circus company and Yahatahigashi Fire Station at the shopping mall About 70 circus members and about 20 members of the fire station participated in the drill Imagining a scenario where a fire started at a vendor stall inside the mall and had spread to nearby tents a volunteer firefighting team comprising of circus members simulated conducting initial extinguishing efforts and guiding visitors to evacuation points The firefighters took part in training to use a drone to assess the situation The two elephants sucked up water from buckets with their trunks and then sprayed it cheered on by 33 pupils from a nearby nursery school “We want to maintain our disaster prevention mindset,” said Kinoshita Circus President Tadashi Kinoshita The city of Kitakyushu will partially preserve 133-year-old railway remnants that it had planned to demolish in order to construct a new public facility Mayor Kazuhisa Takeuchi announced Thursday The city will leave part of the Meiji Era (1868-1912) remains of the original Moji Station complex on site while relocating another part of it for display The rest will be demolished to allow for the construction of a new five-story complex that consolidates several aging public facilities into one.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Sections of the foundation of what used to be the station’s locomotive shed — which experts believe is the most important element of the remains as it showcases a combination of European and Japanese construction techniques from the 19th century — will be kept and reburied onsite The 43-year-old man arrested in connection with the stabbing case in which two students were attacked at a McDonald’s restaurant in Kitakyushu had been causing noise and other problems in his neighborhood The police on Thursday arrested Masanori Hirabaru on suspicion of attempted murder of a schoolboy who was injured in the incident on Saturday Police also aim to file charges against him for the murder of Saaya Nakashima the 15-year-old girl who died in the incident According to several residents living near his house sturdy man who interacted little with his neighbors he had been setting off firecrackers and playing military-like music at high volume Neighbors are also said to have heard angry shouts and strange noises While the incidents had calmed down over the past month or two red and blue lights had been spotted eminating from his house Police received complaints about noise and other issues in May and October Sato Hitomi (R)/Hashimoto Honoka of Japan compete during the women's doubles semifinal between Qian Tianyi/Chen Xingtong of China and Sato Hitomi/Hashimoto Honoka of Japan at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Qian Tianyi (L)/Chen Xingtong of China compete during the women's doubles semifinal between Qian Tianyi/Chen Xingtong of China and Sato Hitomi/Hashimoto Honoka of Japan at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Sato Hitomi (R)/Hashimoto Honoka of Japan react during the women's doubles semifinal between Qian Tianyi/Chen Xingtong of China and Sato Hitomi/Hashimoto Honoka of Japan at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Qian Tianyi (R)/Chen Xingtong (C) of China are given a yellow card during the women's doubles semifinal between Qian Tianyi/Chen Xingtong of China and Sato Hitomi/Hashimoto Honoka of Japan at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Qian Tianyi (L)/Chen Xingtong of China react during the women's doubles semifinal between Qian Tianyi/Chen Xingtong of China and Sato Hitomi/Hashimoto Honoka of Japan at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Wang Chuqin reacts during the men's singles quarterfinal match between Wang Chuqin of China and Truls Moregard of Sweden at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Truls Moregard hits a return during the men's singles quarterfinal match between Wang Chuqin of China and Truls Moregard of Sweden at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Truls Moregard reacts during the men's singles quarterfinal match between Wang Chuqin of China and Truls Moregard of Sweden at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Wang Chuqin hits a return during the men's singles quarterfinal match between Wang Chuqin of China and Truls Moregard of Sweden at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Wang Chuqin celebrates scoring during the men's singles quarterfinal match between Wang Chuqin of China and Truls Moregard of Sweden at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Wang Chuqin (L) greets Truls Moregard after the men's singles quarterfinal match between Wang Chuqin of China and Truls Moregard of Sweden at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Coach Wang Hao (R) instrucs Wang Chuqin during the men's singles quarterfinal match between Wang Chuqin of China and Truls Moregard of Sweden at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Truls Moregard serves during the men's singles quarterfinal match between Wang Chuqin of China and Truls Moregard of Sweden at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu 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 Japanese version Wang Manyu celebrates scoring during the women's singles semifinal match between Wang Manyu of China and Bernadette Szocs of Romania at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Wang Manyu hits a return during the women's singles semifinal match between Wang Manyu of China and Bernadette Szocs of Romania at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Wang Manyu (L) serves during the women's singles semifinal match between Wang Manyu of China and Bernadette Szocs of Romania at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Wang Manyu (L) greets Bernadette Szocs after the women's singles semifinal match between Wang Manyu of China and Bernadette Szocs of Romania at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Bernadette Szocs hits a return during the women's singles semifinal match between Wang Manyu of China and Bernadette Szocs of Romania at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Bernadette Szocs serves during the women's singles semifinal match between Wang Manyu of China and Bernadette Szocs of Romania at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Bernadette Szocs reacts during the women's singles semifinal match between Wang Manyu of China and Bernadette Szocs of Romania at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Coach Ma Lin (R) talks with Wang Manyu during the women's singles semifinal match between Wang Manyu of China and Bernadette Szocs of Romania at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Wang Yidi of China reacts during the women's singles semifinal match between Chen Xingtong of China and Wang Yidi of China at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Wang Yidi (L) of China serves during the women's singles semifinal match between Chen Xingtong of China and Wang Yidi of China at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Wang Yidi (L) of China reacts during the women's singles semifinal match between Chen Xingtong of China and Wang Yidi of China at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Chen Xingtong of China competes during the women's singles semifinal match between Chen Xingtong of China and Wang Yidi of China at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu Chen Xingtong (L) of China competes during the women's singles semifinal match between Chen Xingtong of China and Wang Yidi of China at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu KITAKYUSHU — Two junior high school students were stabbed by a man at a McDonald’s in Kitakyushu on Saturday and one victim was later confirmed dead at the hospital The deceased was a 15-year-old girl from the city The other victim was a boy of the same age who suffered non-fatal injuries and who is also from the city the two were standing in line at the cash register of the McDonald’s at around 8:30 p.m on Saturday in the city’s Kokura Minami Ward when they were stabbed by the man The girl was stabbed in the stomach and the boy in the lower back the man went straight up to the two students stabbed them without saying a word and then fled The man is believed to have spent less than a minute inside the restaurant There were no injuries to other customers or employees The suspect is around 40 years old and about 1.7 meters tall and the man is believed to have fled holding the knife No Defensive Wounds Found in Stabbed Students; No Shop Staff or Customers Witnessed Crime Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting, readable fomat. Qian Tianyi of China hits a return during the women's singles round of 16 match between Qian Tianyi of China and Adriana Diaz of Puerto Rico at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu, Japan, Nov. 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Adriana Diaz of Puerto Rico serves the ball during the women's singles round of 16 match between Qian Tianyi of China and Adriana Diaz of Puerto Rico at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu, Japan, Nov. 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Qian Tianyi (R) of China serves the ball during the women's singles round of 16 match between Qian Tianyi of China and Adriana Diaz of Puerto Rico at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu, Japan, Nov. 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Qian Tianyi of China catches the ball during the women's singles round of 16 match between Qian Tianyi of China and Adriana Diaz of Puerto Rico at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu, Japan, Nov. 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Adriana Diaz of Puerto Rico reacts during the women's singles round of 16 match between Qian Tianyi of China and Adriana Diaz of Puerto Rico at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu, Japan, Nov. 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Wang Yidi of China hits a return during the women's singles round of 16 match against Cheng I-Ching of Chinese Taipei at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu, Japan, Nov. 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Wang Yidi of China serves the ball during the women's singles round of 16 match against Cheng I-Ching of Chinese Taipei at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu, Japan, Nov. 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) Wang Yidi (R) of China serves the ball during the women's singles round of 16 match against Cheng I-Ching of Chinese Taipei at World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals Fukuoka 2024 in Kitakyushu, Japan, Nov. 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu) 22 Feb 2025 05:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Giravanz Kitakyushu won 2–0 over Nagano Parceiro on Sat The current head to head record for the teams are Giravanz Kitakyushu 0 win(s) Haven't kept a clean sheet in 7 matches Have kept the most clean sheets in the competition (1) Who won between Giravanz Kitakyushu and Nagano Parceiro on Sat 22 Feb 2025 05:00:00 GMT?Giravanz Kitakyushu won 2–0 over Nagano Parceiro on Sat 22 Feb 2025 05:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 8 goals in their last 5 matches Giravanz Kitakyushu is playing home against Nagano Parceiro on Sat A night junior high school founded by a third-generation Korean woman in southwestern Japan for ethnic Koreans who were unable to receive a normal education during the chaotic postwar period marked its 30th anniversary this year initially established the school in the industrial city for her mother and other older Koreans But the institution has not only become a haven of learning for those who never attended school but also a source of emotional support for others without a formal education When Yanai was a student at the University of Kitakyushu some three decades ago she was bewildered by the contradiction of Japan's Constitution which touts the "right to education," despite the fact many so-called zainichi Korean residents having received no formal education during or after World War II They were mostly first- and second-generation Korean residents who were unable to return to the Korean Peninsula nor afford to go to school due to their low social status after Japan's surrender in the war "I had no adolescence," Yanai's mother had told her Many Koreans then were "socially invisible because they couldn't write their names and addresses in Japanese and couldn't even ride the trains," Yanai said Yanai came to know of the presence of night junior high schools through renowned film director Yoji Yamada's film "A Class to Remember," but there were no such public night classes in Kitakyushu Yanai approached her academic advisor at the university and opened a reading and writing school for first- and second-generation Korean students at a local community center based on a voluntary evening junior high school in Osaka she had learned about more than 100 people have taken classes at the school located in the Ano district of the city's Yawatanishi Ward and known now as the "Ano Junior High Night School." Classes are held from 7 p.m three days a week in such locations as the local elementary school library With eight people in their 30s to 80s currently enrolled retired teachers and others teach the Japanese language and other subjects of their specialty on a one-on-one basis Such schools in Japan that are not officially accredited but teach privately are called "voluntary evening schools." The education ministry is encouraging each of Japan's 47 prefectures and big cities designated by the government to establish or operate at least one school of the type Some 100 people attended a ceremony held at the community center in Ano on June 29 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the opening of the night school Pae came to Japan in 1942 when she was 7 years old She studied at a public elementary school for about two years but was forced to quit to attend to household chores when she was nearing 60 years old and still unable to read Japanese she began taking night classes along with Yanai's mother who continues her studies at the school today passed the fifth-grade Japan Kanji Aptitude Test in 2011 "I was ashamed to appear in public when I was unable to read and write Japanese I will keep attending as long as I am physically able to do so," she said Not only ethnic Koreans attend the night school a 30-year-old Japanese woman who dropped out of school "I can study at my own pace and teachers teach me until I understand I've come to think that learning is enjoyable," she said While voluntary night junior high schools are not authorized to award diplomas students at the Kitakyushu school are allowed to study there for as many years as they wish "We want to operate our classes so that we can offer learning opportunities that meet different needs with public and voluntary (schools) working in parallel," Yanai said FEATURE: Japanese companies look to jump on "neurodiversity" bandwagon FEATURE: Foreign students spotlight Utoro history, ethnic Koreans in Japan FEATURE: Sprint school spreading Usain Bolt's gospel of speed around Japan Police arrested a man in his 40s Thursday on suspicion of the attempted murder of a junior high school student who was stabbed at a McDonald’s fast food restaurant in Kitakyushu Two junior high school students were stabbed A female student died and a male student was injured Man Arrested over High-Profile Stabbing Case in Japan’s Fukuoka Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report KITA-KYUSHU--Once Japan’s most feared yakuza gang Kudo-kai based here in Fukuoka Prefecture now exists mostly in name only the group’s ranks are depleted and those left are so starved of revenue sources that some can’t even afford a drink in a bar The gang’s downfall 10 years ago will be celebrated in the annals of successful police operations for decades to come Residents have taken back control of city streets where members once swaggered with impunity 11 marked the 10th anniversary of “Operation Summit” by Fukuoka prefectural police that spelled the end of Kudo-kai with the arrest of its don “It was such a relief to see firsthand that we had finally come this far,” said a resident as she recalled her feelings on hearing that Nomura had finally been arrested The gang’s propensity for violence earned it the special designation of most dangerous yakuza group in Japan Kudo-kai was “too ferocious to be merely called a gang.” “Kudo-kai was more of a terrorist group,” she said “But this was not fully understood at that time which is why not everybody was eager (to fight the yakuza).” The woman was working as a hostess at a nightclub in the city’s Kokura-Kita Ward in August 2003 when a Kudo-kai member lobbed a grenade into the establishment was run by a man who spearheaded a campaign against Kudo-kai mobsters from Kudo-kai openly roamed the streets of Kita-Kyushu at night The woman relocated to another club nearby only for the same gangster to show up at her new workplace and sit next to her a former police inspector who had headed investigations into Kudo-kai was gunned down on the street and seriously wounded It was the trigger for other police organizations such as Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department and Osaka prefectural police to send their officers to Kita-Kyushu to team up with Fukuoka prefectural police to bring down Nomura and his second in command a system that obliged business operators to erect signs barring gang members from entering commercial facilities started in Fukuoka Prefecture Mobsters who took no notice of the edict faced fines and other penalties a woman working at a restaurant where the sign posted was slashed in the face A building housing a shop that prominently displayed the anti-yakuza sign was set on fire The club staffer was terrified after learning that a store that posted the anti-yakuza label had received a threatening call the woman made a point of holding her cellphone in the palm of her hand with the screen prominently displaying the number of a police acquaintance she could summon quickly if she ran into trouble “I felt much safer wandering around the town as there were police officers and security cameras everywhere,” she said “It was frightened to stay home by myself.” Nomura’s arrest brought about a dramatic change in the mindsets of not only the citizenry but also gangsters members who quit Kudo-kai opened up about their involvement in a range of incidents Their accounts helped detectives investigating cases linked to the group Fukuoka prefectural police stepped up their efforts to protect individuals who cooperated with investigators About 90 former yakuza members and others provided their recollections at Nomura’s first trial Nomura was handed an unprecedented death sentence by the Fukuoka District Court in his first trial on murder and other charges Nomura was given an indefinite term of imprisonment by a higher court While “Operation Summit” was successful in rounding up senior members of Kudo-kai to effectively immobilize the organization Fukuoka prefectural police simultaneously took steps to shut off its sources of income According to court testimonies and other sources Kudo-kai raised funds through “donations” from general contractors responsible for large-scale engineering projects as well as “mikajimeryo” protection fees from restaurants A local businessman acknowledged that he paid 1 million yen ($7,000) to Kudo-kai during the Bon holiday season in summer and again at new year in the form of mikajimeryo his monthly protection fee came to 100,000 yen The man said he arranged meetings with gang members in the parking lots of large retailers where he would hand over cash through the window of his car without either side leaving their vehicle “It was taken for granted in Kita-Kyushu that those having trouble with someone would be accompanied by (gangsters) when negotiating a settlement,” the businessman said The prefectural police mounted a major investigation into mikajimeryo payments following the staging of Operation Summit The crackdown emboldened the businessman to stop making his payments “Kudo-kai has been constantly going downhill in the face of the loss of its sources of income,” he said “Gang members can no longer swagger down the street with impunity.” Statistics from Fukuoka prefectural police show that a total of 28 offices affiliated with Kudo-kai have been shut down since Operation Summit Kudo-kai’s headquarters in the city’s Kokura-Kita Ward were demolished in 2019 The site was acquired by nonprofit group Hoboku with the aim of building a shelter for poor people and a welfare center for locals under a Kibo no Machi (Town of hope) project A lawyer who fought to rid the city of yakuza offices explained the reason for this success “People got behind the movement to do away with Kudo-kai facilities because they feel so safe following Operation Summit and have little fear in terms of potential reprisals from the gang,” the lawyer said A questionnaire survey by city authorities in 2023 on yakuza links with local companies found that none of the 133 respondents answered “yes” to the question of whether they had been subjected to unreasonable demands for money and goods or forced to sign contracts with crime syndicates when Kudo-kai reigned unchallenged in the city 33.9 percent answered “yes” to the same question The ratio had hovered around 2 percent since 2015 It was the first time for the percentage to hit zero since the study began in 2001 Another spinoff from Kudo-kai’s downfall is that standard land prices along major roads in Kita-Kyushu are now on an upward trend The value per square meter of land by Heiwa-dori street in front of JR Kokura Station bottomed out in 2015 at 490,000 yen and rose to 860,000 yen in 2024 A local real estate appraiser noted that leading general contractors used to avoid joining development projects in Kita-Kyushu due to a string of assaults on citizens in the past “Investors even from the greater Tokyo metropolitan area are now interested in buying properties here as people increasingly deem the municipality to be safe and secure,” said the estate appraiser The police crackdown that cut off revenue sources for Kudo-kai motivated many gang members to sever ties with the group “I barely have enough to live on these days since I have no income,” said a veteran member of decades standing with Kudo-kai He had to quit his home and now lives alone in an apartment in Kita-Kyushu “Even if I feel like having a drink in town the Kudo-kai member said he maintains his loyalty to Nomura “Many members who remain at our organization are waiting for him and what the Supreme Court will say in its ruling,” said the gangster Fukuoka prefectural police believe Kudo-kai is still collecting funds via fraudulent bank transfers and stimulant sales “Although the organization has been increasingly weakened this does not mean everything is over,” said Kazuhito Sumitomo “Our mission is to pursue all the members to the end.” Citizens battle Kudo-kai yakuza gang to take back their streets Kita-Kyushu sheds image as city gripped by yakuza violence Manners and suit concealed true nature of deadly top yakuza boss Master plan to take down boss of Kudo-kai gang launched in 2014 High court overturns death sentence for yakuza leader Don of yakuza gang dealt unprecedented death sentence 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 A cache of what appeared to be rocket launchers handguns and hand grenades was found on a river plain in Kitakyushu the Fukuoka prefectural police announced Friday found on the plain beside the Murasaki River in Kokura-Minami Ward Police said that they were checking out the authenticity of the weapons and investigating a possible link to organized criminal gangs a man and a woman in their 70s were walking along the plain when they found a box containing a handgun and other items and reported it to police at around 4 p.m Police rushed to the scene and found the plastic box in the grass A subsequent search on Friday uncovered several other containers which included rocket launchers over one meter in length as well as live ammunition multiple numbers of each object were found Japanese version