KOFU — Locals in the city of Kofu plan to hold an event to promote the city this year which marks the 50th anniversary of an incident in which two boys claimed to have witnessed an unidentified flying object landing and encountered a space alien 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 Satoshi Sugawara / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer The incident occurred in February 1975 in a vineyard in Kofu who were then second graders in elementary school The incident is still known among UFO geeks who call it “the Kofu incident.” Locals planning the commemoration said they want to revitalize the city using memories of the incident and UFO-related attractions The boys claim they saw a saucer-shaped object giving off an orange light land in a vineyard in the city’s Kamicho district on the afternoon of Feb The boys said they turned away from it in fear But one of them felt a tap on his shoulder and turned back around He then saw a space alien that was about one meter tall and had brown skin and long ears One of them was petrified with terror and the other picked him up and ran off Some neighbors near the site also said they saw the UFO A local newspaper carried an article headlined “UFO appears in Kofu?!” and showed “traces of the landing” such as a concrete pillar leaning at an angle Partly because of an occult boom that was going on in the nation in those years a local radio station personality who moved to Kofu from Chiba Prefecture in 2018 he learned it was one of “the three great Japanese UFO incidents.” He began making plans to revitalize the city and established a general incorporated foundation They have done activities such as making an alien costume and participating in events inside and outside of the city as well as teaming up with a confectionery store to sell “UFO Dorayaki” sweets the Japan Anniversary Association certified Feb He was the boy who was tapped on the shoulder by the space alien He recalled the incident as “such a frightening experience that I still can’t spend time alone.” causing him to keep his mouth shut about his experience he began talking about the incident several years ago “It’s alright if I can contribute to revitalization of the city even a little bit.” Tokutake and his fellows put up panels explaining the incident near the spot where it happened as well as a board where visitors can take pictures with their heads on an alien’s body the foundation will hold an event in Kofu with Yamahata as a guest “We aim to make Kofu a city which comes up whenever people talk about UFOs I hope our activities will create opportunities for other people to learn about the charm of this city and the surrounding areas.” Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report KOFU—The Self-Defense Forces and firefighters are trying to contain a mountain fire that started on Jan 18 and destroyed an estimated 35 hectares by the following day The fire was raging on both sides of a mountain ridge that separates the cities of Fuefuki and Kofu in Yamanashi Prefecture as of noon on Jan There have been no reports of damage to homes A local resident reported smoke rising from near the ridge around 1:10 p.m according to police and the fire department City officials in Fuefuki requested support from the SDF through the prefectural government on the morning of Jan Aircraft from the SDF and fire departments in Tokyo Gunma and Shizuoka prefectures are spraying water on the flames (This article was written by Shin Toyohira and Norikazu Miyake.) Fire that ruined Wajima market likely began with damaged wires Fire near MSDF training area for explosives still rages a day later Residents at loss for words over destruction of Wajima market 48 confirmed dead in Ishikawa after New Year’s Day earthquake ‘Triple whammy’ depleted water during Wajima market inferno Woman in her 80s rescued from rubble 3 days after Noto quake 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 Copyright © The Asahi Shimbun Company. All rights reserved. No reproduction or republication without written permission. 05 Apr 2025 04:30:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Ventforet Kofu won 1–0 over Iwaki FC 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 Ventforet Kofu 1 win(s) Ventforet Kofu and Iwaki FC have drawn their last 3 matches against each other Have scored 5 goals in their last 5 matches Haven't kept a clean sheet in 6 matches Who won between Ventforet Kofu and Iwaki FC on Sat 05 Apr 2025 04:30:00 GMT?Ventforet Kofu won 1–0 over Iwaki FC on Sat 05 Apr 2025 04:30:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 8 goals in their last 5 matches Ventforet Kofu is playing home against Iwaki FC on Sat are striving to make their city Kofu a tourist magnet with extraterrestrial help from an alien Next year marks the 50th anniversary of an incident in which two elementary school children claimed to have encountered unidentified flying objects and an alien It is dubbed one of "three major UFO incidents" reported in Japan Radio personality Kiichi Tokutake is among a group of people organizing events to celebrate the anniversary and boost the city's appeal "I want to make Kofu a mecca for UFO enthusiasts," he said Tokutake's passion grew after he was told by a guest during his show that the UFO sighting in Kofu had recently grabbed attention among some overseas enthusiasts when two boys playing near a vineyard in Kofu saw what they described as two saucer-shaped UFOs flashing in orange at around 6:30 p.m They said a 120- to 130-centimeter tall alien with a big head The alien reportedly had a brown face with no eyes or nose The boys left the scene to call their family the objects started blinking and glared briefly before disappearing Their family and local residents provided similar descriptions 23 is now registered as Kofu UFO Day by the Japan Anniversary Association an organization that registers anniversaries for companies "It scared the life out of me back then," Katsuhiro Yamahata recalled at a February event marking the 49th year since the sighting Local organizers are planning to erect a monument at the site "My hope is visitors interested in the UFO (incident) will take a liking to the city of Kofu and its people," Tokutake said The other two sightings were reported in Kochi Prefecture in 1972 and in the country's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido in 1974 Other places seeking to draw visitors with the stories of alleged UFO sightings include Hakui of Ishikawa Prefecture and the Iinomachi area in Fukushima in the country's northeast known for UFO-related incidents like one in Roswell a Department of Defense report released in March concluded that there was "no evidence" that UFO sightings for decades represented "extraterrestrial technology." FEATURE: Social media trends driving Britain's Japanese literature boom Former reporter traces how famous Ainu portraits wound up in France FEATURE:Hibagon hunters still pursuing mystery beast 50 yrs after sightings 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 TOKYO, Japan, April 12, 2024 ― Renesas Electronics Corporation (“Renesas,” TSE:6723), a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced that it has started operations at its Kofu Factory Renesas aims to boost its production capacity of power semiconductors in anticipation of the growing demand in electric vehicles (EVs) Renesas held an opening ceremony on April 11 with local government officials and partner companies in attendance.  doubling Renesas’ current production capacity for power semiconductors.  “We are proud to announce a remarkable achievement of the Kofu Factory the Kofu Factory has gone through a transformation and emerged as a dedicated 300-mm wafer fab for power semiconductors exactly a decade later,” said Hidetoshi Shibata President and CEO of Renesas. “We extend our heartfelt thanks to the local governments of Yamanashi Prefecture Kai City and Showa Town as well as the plant construction companies outsourcing and other partner companies. The power semiconductors produced at the Kofu Factory will help maximize the effective use of electricity which will be in significant demand as EVs and AI continue to proliferate and advance.”  and solutions delivered straight to your inbox This morning’s first dusting of snow is the latest ever on record Mount Fuji finally saw some snow on its peak.  According to the Kofu Regional Meteorological Observatory staff confirmed seeing snowfall near Mount Fuji’s summit this morning at around 6 a.m This sighting comes 36 days later than the average first snowfall and 33 days later than last year’s sighting on October 5.  This record-breaking absence of snow on Mount Fuji arrives after Japan’s hottest summer for two consecutive years. On September 3, The Asahi Shimbun reported that this summer’s temperatures averaged 1.76 degrees higher than normal with locations such as Sano in Tochigi Prefecture and Kuwana in Mie Prefecture hitting 41 and 40.4 degrees Celsius respectively in late July and early August.  NHK reported that the abnormal heat significantly harmed Japan’s agricultural and fishing industries Thousands also suffered from heatstroke and the number of deaths were in the hundreds.  Kofu Regional Meteorological Observatory’s observation and forecast manager, Mamoru Matsumoto, informed NHK that the observatory had been receiving many inquiries from the public regarding this abnormally long wait for snow While the observatory is glad to finally see some white flakes the delay remains a cause for concern.  Fixtures & Results, Trainings Players & Staff Stadium Hometown Activities Frequently Asked Questions Notice of 'TOKYO GIRLS DAY' Photo Spot SNS Campaign for the 5/10 (Sat) Kobe Match [Updated: 5/6] TOKYO GIRLS DAY to be held on 5/10 (Sat) vs Kobe 6/14 (Sat) C Osaka Match "Brazil Festa" Held 5/10 (Sat) Kobe Match "Komae City PR Booth" Exhibition Announcement 5/10 (Sat) Kobe Match Announcement of "Soccer Experience & Stadium Exploration Tour" for Truant Children [Update 4/26] Announcement of "Amino Vital® presents FC Tokyo Relay Marathon at Ajinomoto Stadium" [4/25 Update] Announcement of 'AO-AKA LIGHT THE NIGHT' to enhance the night games of the 2025 season Holiday) Shimizu Match 'TOKYO DOROMPA' Appearance Information #Imperial_Household #Sannomaru_Shozokan #Yamanashi An exhibition featuring the artistic treasures of The Museum of the Imperial Collections Sannomaru Shozokan* (Tokyo) associated with Yamanshi a noncoastal prefecture to the southwest of Tokyo will soon open at the Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art in the prefectural capital of Kofu.  Emperor Emeritus) and his mother Empress Kojun (1903-2000) donated artistic treasures — paintings — that had been passed down in the Imperial Household up until the Showa era (1926–89) to the Japanese government The Sannomaru Shozokan was opened in November 1993 in the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace to store The collection grew as other members of the Imperial Household left or donated their precious belongings to the state The museum was temporarily closed in 2019 for renovations to expand its storage and exhibition space but partially opened a newly built facility in November 2024 to hold exhibitions It will be closed again soon to complete the renovations The Beauty of the Imperial Household in Connection with Yamanashi: The Masterpieces of the Museum of the Imperial Collections “The Beauty of the Imperial Household in Connection with Yamanashi: The Masterpieces of the Museum of the Imperial Collections Sannomaru Shozokan,” the exhibition set to open on Apr will showcase paintings and craft associated with Yamanashi including works by Imperial Household artist Noguchi Shohin (1847-1917) and nihonga (Japanese-style painting) artist Tomioka Tessai (1836-1924) who enjoyed close ties with Shohin’s family and painted Mt Some of the works to go on display are housed at the prefectural museum Among the must-sees of the exhibition are Shohin’s “Poetry and Genre Scenes from Yuki Province” (1915) a pair of folding screens rendered on the occasion of the enthronement of Emperor Taisho (reign: 1912-26) and the “Scenes from the Tale of Genji” (16-17th century) a pair of folding screens attributed to Kano Eitoku (1543-90) a prominent patriarch of the famous Kano school of painters Eitoku is renowned for his production of the “Chinese Lions,” a designated national treasure of Japan A well-made reproduction of the screen painting will also go on display and is known for its excellent view of Japan’s highest peak a number of paintings and craft works to go on display are themed on the sacred mountain Among them are Tessai’s “Picture scroll of Mt the “Foremost Peak in Japan” (1928) by nihonga artist Yokoyama Taikan (1868-1958) and the “Tobacco box with design of Mt Fuji” (1905) by metal artist Toyokawa Mitsunaga II (1851-1923) Imperial treasures associated with Niigata Prefecture to be showcased in Nagaoka ＃Sannomaru_Shozokan ＃Ito_Jakuchu ＃Niigata_Prefectural_Museum_of_Modern_Art Museum of the Imperial Collections exhibits artistic treasures to mark reopening ＃Imperial_Household ＃national_treasure Imperial treasures highlighted at Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art in Sapporo ＃Hokkaido_Museum_of_Modern_Art Exhibition celebrating Emperor's 5th year in reign to be held at Sannomaru Shozokan Inaba tenmoku: One of three remaining Yohen tenmoku tea bowls in the world Swords designated as national treasures featured at Mitsui Memorial Museum Treasured Five-storied Pagoda of Kofuku-ji temple in Nara to undergo major repairs Japan's artistic treasures showcased in Osaka to celebrate opening of Expo 2025 A beginner’s guide to Japanese art: Painting on silk (kenpon chakushoku) #Ito_Jakuchu #Katsushika_Hokusai #Nihonga #Buddhist_art #national_treasure #Tokyo_National_Museum #Kyoto_National_Museum #Nara_National_Museum #Kyushu_National_Museum We use cookies to personalize content and ads analyze access and for other reasons in order to improve user convenience KOFU—There is still no sign of snow atop Mount Fuji here after two predicted observation days in October yielded nothing If snow is observed on the mountaintop on Oct this year will tie for the record of the latest snowcap on Mount Fuji Prior record-holding years were set in 1955 and 2016 Mamoru Matsumoto was at the office at 5 a.m the official at the Kofu branch of the Japan Meteorological Agency in Yamanashi Prefecture would ultimately be disappointed after observing no snow on the peak Meteorological officials are tasked with reporting each year's snowcap from the branch’s roof but its location about 40 kilometers from Mount Fuji means any cloudy weather in the city obscures the summit This limits them to checking when the temperature is forecast to drop below zero and snow is possible Matsumoto started looking for snowfall from the end of September The meteorological observatory began this practice in 1894 and Mount Fuji’s first snowcap of the year traditionally signifies the transition of the seasons also began observing the year’s first snowcap this came to an end in 2002 in Mishima and 2003 in Fujikawaguchiko due to automation of the facilities Kofu is the only observatory carrying on the tradition The very first observed snowcap in 1894 when the observation started was on Sept 22 and mostly occurred in September in the subsequent years “I believe one of the causes is global warming but I don’t know what the exact reason is,” Matsumoto said 26 to 28 as the next stretch of observation days a front is expected to move northward over the Japanese archipelago bringing with it the possibility of snowfall on Mount Fuji’s summit the local municipality of Fujiyoshida at the foot of the mountain has also declared the first snowcap of the season independently The municipal government’s Mount Fuji division visually confirms it from Fujiyoshida and began watching for this year’s first snowcap in September Even when the summit of the mountain is obscured from the meteorological office’s rooftop The Mount Fuji division’s latest recorded observation was Oct It initially started observing and sharing the first snowcap in 2006 said when a cold morning for the next day is forecast staff will wonder if it will be the day to see the first snowcap to check the mountain peak from his home and if there is snow on the ground of the mountain summit makes the announcement after arriving at the office he thought he would announce the year’s first snowcap on Oct Both Haneda and his colleagues were disappointed when that was not the case “The snowcap doesn’t affect the city residents’ lives but I’m waiting for the day when I can tell them about the changing of the seasons,” he said Fuji’s summit hits 3 days later than normal 1st snowcap of the season is spotted on Mount Fuji’s summit Feeling out of sorts in Tokyo as temps dive No reproduction or republication without written permission 2022 ― Renesas Electronics Corporation (“Renesas” a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions today announced that it will conduct a 90-billion-yen worth investment in its Kofu Factory While the Factory was closed in October 2014 Renesas intends to reopen the fab in 2024 as a 300-mm wafer fab capable of manufacturing power semiconductors As the momentum for carbon neutrality grows demand for highly efficient power semiconductors is expected to dramatically increase globally over the years Renesas especially anticipates rapid growth in demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and therefore plans to enhance its production capacity for power semiconductors such as IGBTs in order to contribute toward decarbonization Once the Kofu Factory reaches its mass production the total production capacity of Renesas’ power semiconductors will double The Kofu Factory of Renesas Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. previously operated both 150mm and 200mm wafer fabrication lines Renesas decided to utilize a remaining building of the factory and revive it as a 300mm wafer fab dedicated to power semiconductors “Sustainability is at our heart and with ‘To Make Our Lives Easier’ as our Purpose we want to build a sustainable future where our semiconductor technology and solutions help make our lives easier,” said Hidetoshi Shibata “This investment enables us to have our largest wafer fabrication line dedicated to power semiconductors which are key to realizing decarbonization We will continue to conduct necessary investments to enhance our in-house production capability while further strengthening ties with outsource partners To address the mid to longer term demand growth Renesas remains committed to ensuring security of supply in order to provide our customers with the best possible support.” Trade and Industry’s Strategy for Semiconductors in consideration Renesas plans to conduct its investment within the year of 2022 while closely coordinating with the Ministry While this investment will not have a material impact on Renesas’ performance for the year of 2022 an announcement will be promptly issued if (Remarks) All registered trademarks or trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Get the latest news, products, and solutions delivered straight to your inbox. 13 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Ehime FC vs Ventforet Kofu on Sun The current head to head record for the teams are Ehime FC 3 win(s) Who won between Ehime FC and Ventforet Kofu on Sun 13 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT?Ehime FC vs Ventforet Kofu on Sun 13 Apr 2025 07:00:00 GMT ended in a 0–0 tie.InsightsHave scored 3 goals in their last 5 matches Ehime FC is playing home against Ventforet Kofu on Sun Vietnamese worker Ho Anh Duc could provide health insurance to his family back home in Vietnam thanks to a Japanese insurance company and Yamanashi prefectural officials a provider of cleaning and equipment maintenance services based in the Yamanashi prefectural capital of Kofu His father working at a coffee plantation in Vietnam is now insured “Foreigners working in Japan are all concerned about the health of their family members they left behind,” Duc said “I greatly appreciate the coverage because medical fees are expensive in Vietnam.” Yamanashi Prefecture’s accident and health insurance policy was drafted by Tokio Marine Insurance Vietnam a Vietnamese arm of a leading Japanese insurer The prefecture subsidizes part of the costs said the program benefits local employers as well “It is not necessarily a big burden for our company to help his (Duc's) insurance premium payment,” said Sakamoto prospective Vietnamese workers may choose Yamanashi Prefecture because of the availability of such an arrangement.” But the health insurance program has created local controversy The Yamanashi prefectural government was flooded with angry phone calls last year when it announced the initiative for Vietnamese nationals working in the prefecture to insure their relatives back home The novel measure is intended by Yamanashi officials to compete in the battle to lure overseas workers to their communities which is becoming only fiercer not just between Japan are covered by the national health insurance program in Japan But Tokio Marine Insurance Vietnam’s plan insures their relatives in their home country while Vietnamese workers on the payroll of businesses in the prefecture sign as the policy holder The annual premium is 26,000 yen ($173) per relative The insurance will cover effectively 90 percent of medical costs the insured person will have to pay an employer needs to contribute to the cost of premiums for at least 75 percent The threshold will make the employer qualified to receive subsidies amounting to half of the contribution from the prefectural government different from Japan’s public health insurance But the plan to use taxpayer money for relatives in Vietnam set off a torrent of criticism in and outside of Yamanashi Prefecture More than 400 phone calls flooded the prefectural government over the two weeks after the project was announced in May disrupting daily operations of prefectural employees “We could not perform our regular duties,” recalled an official involved in the implementation of the program Many members of the public considered the setup as “preferential treatment” of foreign workers getting the mistaken impression that Japanese taxpayers would be covering 90 percent of the health care costs for Vietnamese worker’s family living far from Japan the authorities should prioritize reducing out-of-pocket medical fees for older Japanese adults to 10 percent or bolster assistance to help Japanese in need There were fewer calls currently lambasting the program a deputy chief of the prefectural government’s section to promote measures for international workers “We are living in an age where a growing number of foreigners seeking jobs are tending to pass up Japan,” he said it will be impossible to attract them if our prefecture whose wage and recognition levels trail our urban rivals The use of public funds for the premiums will help local businesses struggling to secure manpower for survival about 11,000 foreigners worked in Yamanashi Prefecture Vietnamese account for about 30 percent of the total making them the largest foreign nationality and a reflection of the trend at national level had signed up for the insurance policy by the end of December Some companies are said to be considering joining the program from fiscal 2025 Yamanashi Prefecture’s “unique” offer of insurance for Vietnamese relatives is part of steps that local governments are pushing across Japan to court international students and workers and retain their services longer as well as 20 ordinance-designated cities with a population of 500,000 or more which have been hit hard by decades of depopulation are growing anxious as the nation makes a pivotal shift in the policy involving blue-collar foreign workers The existing technical intern training system which was introduced in 1993 and basically prohibits workers under this visa status from changing jobs during their stay in Japan trainees will be allowed to move on to a new job if they work for a certain period of time The shift means that even if small businesses can successfully bring in foreign workers in collaboration with local governments they may lose them to employers in other prefectures or in large cities that offer better pay and working conditions Many rural regions are painfully aware that they are being put at an enormous disadvantage against municipalities in urban centers The shift comes as Japan is becoming less attractive as a destination to prospective workers from Southeast Asia and South Asia Paying cash bonuses is another attempt to earn the loyalty of foreign workers started a program in 2024 that offers an incentive to workers from Vietnam and India who came as technical intern trainees or specified skilled workers They will be eligible to receive 300,000 yen if they work for three years in the prefecture after learning Japanese cultural traditions and the Kochi Prefecture dialect at dispatching organizations in their home country that are certified by the prefectural authorities A sum of 24 million yen was set aside for 80 slots for the incentive in the prefecture's fiscal 2024 budget Some local governments provide subsidies to businesses to help cover their foreign employees’ housing costs and expenses for attending Japanese language schools But Kochi Prefecture is the only local government that offers cash benefits directly to foreign workers among those covered by the Asahi survey compared with the national average of 1,055 yen we face an enormous hurdle in attracting foreign workers and keeping them here,” said an official handling measures for foreign workers But there is a local government that offered a larger payout to retain them when the Asahi contacted other local governments not covered by its survey offers up to a 400,000 yen bonus to foreign workers the incentive was made available in 2024 to those working at facilities for the elderly in the city after taking a designated one-year Japanese language course The workers can receive 100,000 yen after working for six months and an additional 100,000 yen after a year “Foreign caregivers may eventually switch jobs but we are hoping that the cash reward will discourage them from doing so at an early date,” a city official said But other local leaders view the development as concerning said support to foreign workers to enable a stable living such as teaching Japanese and Japanese customs should be rigorously expanded by municipalities that have direct jurisdiction over them who also chairs a group of 11 municipalities across Japan with a large share of foreign residents said local governments should not compete monetarily ‘Come to our community and then we will give you 300,000 yen,’ it would devolve into a ‘negative race’ that would end up depleting our limited resources,” he said about 3.77 million foreigners lived in Japan an increase of 10.5 percent from the previous year according to the Immigration Services Agency One estimate predicts that the share of foreigners in Japan might account for 10 percent of the total population in around 2050 if the current pace of the growth continued coupled with a sharp drop in the number of Japanese residents The predicted year of 2050 is 20 years earlier than the central government’s projection (This article was written by Saori Kuroda and Makoto Oda.) Survey: Local governments 'battle' to secure foreign workers Vietnamese couples seek visa change to raise kids in Hokkaido Tsunami-hit area struggles to find foreign workers in pandemic Good Samaritan comes to rescue of Vietnamese in dire straits at the south exit of JR Kofu Station for the first time in a while — I used to work at the Kofu branch office over 20 years ago A ramen shop called Akari is located just a 2-minute walk from the statue The shop serves ramen using lots of Kosyu Jidori chicken I met the owner at the Nippon Local Ramen General Election event held in Shinjuku By Futoshi Mori / Japan News Senior Writer greeted me with a cheerful voice from the kitchen The shop has the atmosphere of an izakaya pub There is an L-shaped counter on the first floor The shop is close to the south exit of JR Kofu Station Akari’s paper lantern in front of the shop A small Kosyu Jidori chicken banner on the counter All the ramen dishes are made with a Kosyu Jidori chicken broth as the base The menu includes “Rich chicken paitan” (white broth) (¥1,030) I ordered the paitan ramen marked “Recommended” at the top of the menu “I use whole Kosyu Jidori chicken,” Furuya explained as he used a hand blender to create a beautiful bowl of white He placed the ramen on the counter in front of me and I could really taste the flavor of the chicken “I make the broth by boiling chicken bones chicken feet and whole chickens with a lot of vegetables,” says Furuya He then combines the chicken broth with a seafood-based broth made from kombu seaweed The ratio of chicken broth to seafood broth is about 4 to 1 “This is to bring out the chicken’s umami,” Furuya said Grilled chicken thigh chashu that is roasted before serving Medium-thick noodles that go well with the broth Chicken breast chashu cooked at a low temperature The paitan ramen uses medium-thick noodles that are glutinous and go well with the broth while the salt and soy sauce ramen use medium-thin noodles The noodles are bought from the famous Kyoto-based noodle maker Menya Teigaku The chicken chashu toppings were incredibly delicious It was the best chicken chashu I’ve ever had “So this is Kosyu Jidori!” There were two types of chicken chashu: One was made from grilled thigh meat which is roasted over charcoal with a yuzu sauce on top before serving and the other was made from breast meat cooked at a low temperature while the breast meat was moist and flavorful I can say the toppings are simple and beautiful Furuya whisks the broth with a hand blender what kind of local chicken is Kosyu Jidori chicken Furuya told me that “it has a strong umami flavor and is characterized by its light aroma.” According to the Kosyu Jidori production association’s website it is a breed that was developed and raised by Yamanashi Prefecture and the association The animal is a cross between a male Shamo and a female Shiro-Rokku They are free-range chickens raised in a large area where they can roam freely Although the meat is more expensive than ordinary chicken Furuya is very fond of Kosyu Jidori and has incorporated it into his ramen The salt and soy sauce ramen use a clear soup The salt ramen uses a blend of five different types of salt originating from Miyazaki to France while the soy sauce ramen uses a blend of eight different soy sauces from all over Japan an event where ramen from 10 different regions across Japan was served was held over a week in October at Okubo Park in Shinjuku Furuya teamed up with two Yamanashi Prefecture ramen shops that serve ramen using Kosyu Jidori chicken — Menya Shindo from Kai and Reel Cafe from Yamanakako — to form Team Kosyujidori and serve “Kosyu Jidori Ramen,” which they developed together The Kosyu Jidori ramen booth at which the Yamanashi team including Furuya served their dishes at Okubo Park in Shinjuku You can enjoy changing the flavor by adding spicy “suridane,” which is popular in Yamanashi You can also order a la carte dishes other than ramen “I used to run a yakitori restaurant at this location [in Kofu],” Furuya said I started that restaurant using Kosyu Jidori chicken but the number of customers dropped sharply due to the COVID-19 pandemic So I started this ramen shop to get back in business.” When he thought about what business might survive even if alcohol sales were slow the idea that came to his mind was ramen using Kosyu Jidori chicken “Yamanashi is famous for Hoto hot pot udon and Yoshida udon but I realized there weren’t many places that served Kosyu Jidori ramen,” Furuya said He changed his business to the current ramen shop in 2021 Since he had only worked part-time at a ramen shop during his high school days he visited famous ramen shops and places that served ramen using local chicken across the country to do research before completing his own menu and opening the shop there are also izakaya-style dishes from the yakitori restaurant days Many customers enjoy drinking while eating a la carte dishes such as chicken giblets gyoza and fried chicken before finishing off with a bowl of ramen There is also a large room upstairs with table seating “I want more people in the local area to know about Kosyu Jidori chicken and I want to develop Kosyu Jidori ramen nationwide as a local specialty of Yamanashi Prefecture.” This is Furuya’s ambition 2-3-7 Marunouchi, Kofu. Open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. for dinner (open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays). Closed on Thursdays and Sundays. For more information, please visit the official X account, @torisoba_Akari It’s a serious battle for both the cook and the diner There are many ramen restaurants in Japan that have a tremendous passion for ramen and I’d like to introduce to you some of these passionate establishments making the best of my experience of enjoying cuisine from both Japan and around the world 【ラーメンは芸術だ！】山梨県甲府市で起死回生のラーメンに出会う、甲州地どりに驚かされた「鶏そばAkari」 KOFU—A court here ordered the Kofu municipal government to pay about 58 million yen ($382,430) to the parents of an overworked city official who committed suicide in 2020 were seeking about 80 million yen in their lawsuit against the city but they were satisfied with the Kofu District Court’s decision on Oct as it was considerate of our feelings,” Mukoyama’s father The court recognized a relationship between Mukoyama’s death at the age of 42 and the long hours he put in for the municipal government He started working for the Kofu city government in 2002 He was assigned to a newly established division to streamline clerical work in 2019 when he was a section chief in charge of a number of part-time workers Presiding Judge Kazunori Nitta recognized that Mukoyama worked 148 to 209 hours of overtime a month during the two months before he died The judge said Mukoyama’s boss at that time should have correctly known how many hours Mukoyama was working and should have reduced his workload or changed his duties the boss did not do anything beyond verbally confirming what time Mukoyama left the office at night The judge recognized that Mukoyama developed a mental illness from his overwork and that he died after the municipal government breached its duty to take care of its employees In his announcement after the court’s decision “We will review the ruling and decide our response.” Local public servants put in grueling hours after Noto quake Mitsubishi Motors worker’s suicide certified as death from overwork Public sector urged against tight turnaround business orders KOFU—Mount Fuji donned its first snowcap this season on Nov which makes the annual official announcement said officials visually confirmed that the nation’s tallest peak was dusted with snow at 6:15 a.m The temperature fell to minus 8.4 degrees at the summit of the 3,776-meter mountain around 7 a.m Meteorological officials said rainfall did not result in snow in October when average temperatures at the mountaintop were the highest on record They said global warming is believed to be a factor Snow was observed from some locations on Nov but clouds blocked the view from the meteorological office located in the capital of Yamanashi Prefecture The previous record for the most-delayed snowfall was Oct Fuji was confirmed to be covered with snow for the first time this season the Kofu Local Meteorological Office in Yamanashi Prefecture announced Thursday The Shizuoka Local Meteorological Office said Wednesday that the mountain top was thinly covered with snow on the Shizuoka prefectural side official announcements are made when snow is visually confirmed from the Kofu office This was the first time for the mountain’s initial snowcap to be observed in November since observations began in 1894 This year’s announcement came 36 days later than average; the previous latest date was Oct A grape variety called Shine Muscat is helping to change perceptions that farming isn’t lucrative That may explain a surge in new mostly young farmers to the mountainous region in central Japan Many of the newcomers are choosing to grow grapes peaches and plums as Yamanashi is renowned for its fruit production A record 344 individuals took up farming in the prefecture in fiscal 2023 It marked the highest number for the fourth consecutive year It was also the eighth year in a row for the number of new farmers to exceed 300 Officials said 201 of the 344 new farmers chose to cultivate fruit They noted that 157 of them are working for themselves while the others are hired by agricultural corporations while 62 had quit city life to start afresh Fourteen were retirees starting new careers in agriculture Figures showed that 79 percent of the self-employed farmers and 41.2 percent of those working for someone else Around 70 percent of all new farmers were in their 40s or younger Sixty-four self-employed farmers and 102 hired by agricultural corporations were under 40 The number of new self-employed farmers ranged from 20 to 50 annually until fiscal 2005 but then increased significantly after the premium Shine Muscat grape was listed as a variety in 2006 Its popularity grew both in Japan and overseas which has helped change perceptions that farming isn’t lucrative,” said a prefectural government official “Farmers in the prefecture are skilled and grow all sorts of varieties to mitigate risks “I believe many people think that Yamanashi Prefecture is the best place to start grape cultivation,” he said The number of new employed farmers reached 187 surpassing the previous record of 185 in fiscal 2020 66 were involved in growing tomatoes and other vegetables making the category the second most popular choice after fruit cultivation Prefectural officials said efforts to consolidate farmland had contributed to job creation in agriculture Kumamoto farmers hurt by loss of land amid TSMC project Confectionery in Japan creates hard candy that tastes like wine Japan’s latest trading card craze: shirtless fishermen Ventforet Kofu have a mountain to climb to stay in the Asian Champions League after the J-League second-division outfit lost 3-0 away to Ulsan Hyundai in the first leg of the round of 16 on Thursday The 2022 Emperor's Cup champions Kofu had put in a series of commendable performances to top Group H but came unstuck against the two-time reigning champions of South Korea's K League at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium at Tokyo's National Stadium on Wednesday in the second leg "We had a tame performance away from home so will give every bit of ourselves when we play at home," Kofu forward Kazushi Mitsuhira said Joo Min Kyu's header hit the post within nine minutes and Um Won Sang's shot from the angle came off the bar 10 minutes later in a testing start for Kofu while Ulsan center-back Kim Kee Hee was fortunate to go unpunished after elbowing Mitsuhira from behind before the home side took the lead Kofu keeper Kohei Kawata could only parry a cross into the path of Joo who had an easy job of heading the ball into the unguarded net in the 37th minute Former Sagan Tosu player Kim Min Woo was then tripped inside the box by Kofu defender Kaito Kamiya to win a penalty that Joo converted in the 45th minute for his second goal of the night Ulsan added their third in the 61st minute when Seol Young Woo combined with Um down the right before finding the far bottom corner to all but put the game to bed Kofu substitute Peter Utaka thought he had given his side a lifeline by burying a header three minutes from time only to see the goal ruled out for offside Football: Marinos draw their round-of-16 ACL opener against Bangkok Football: Frontale survive tough game as ACL knockout stage opens The 300mm Kofu fab aims to double the Renesas production capacity for IGBTs and other products in 2025 doubling the current production capacity for power semiconductors in anticipation of the growing demand in electric vehicles (EVs) The Kofu Factory previously operated both 150mm and 200mm wafer fabrication lines under Renesas Semiconductor Manufacturing Renesas made the decision to re-open the factory in May 2022 as a 300mm wafer fab with a Y90bn ($600m) investment in 2022 The fab has a clean room of up to 18,000 square meters “We are proud to announce a remarkable achievement of the Kofu Factory exactly a decade later,” said Hidetoshi Shibata “We extend our heartfelt thanks to the local governments of Yamanashi Prefecture The power semiconductors produced at the Kofu Factory will help maximize the effective use of electricity which will be in significant demand as EVs and AI continue to proliferate and advance.” www.renesas.com Login | Sign Up Nintendo Life Guest Login or Sign Up If you're here, you're on the Victory Road path, and this walkthrough is here to guide you towards your next task in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Cascarrafa Gym is located in a beautiful white resort area with waterfalls, fountains, and water-powered lifts. It's beautiful, and the music is catchy. And, if you're playing through the gyms in our recommended order this is your fourth stop on the path to Victory Road On this page: Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Guide: Victory Road - How To Get The Water Badge Like an oasis in the desert, Cascarrafa is a haven on the southeast side of the Asado Desert. It's directly north of the Bug gym at Cortondo, and in the northeast part of West Province (Area One) so make use of those Pokémon Centers and the picnic stops From Cortondo, head south and west towards a brand new Pokémon Center, past a wind farm, on the other side of the river. Then, head north, cross another river and follow the path northeast to a second Center. You'll also pass by Team Star's Dark Base on the right Enter the city and head to the very top level to find the gym You won't even get a chance to enter the gym before the leader and ask you to chase after the Water-type gym leader as he's left his wallet behind But you'll need to cross the Asado Desert to get there so bring your best Pokémon to tackle the wild 'mons and trainers on the way head inside the market and approach the apron-wearing leader His assistant will challenge you to a battle This Gym Trainer fights with a level 28 Floatzel and Clauncher Electric and Grass-type Pokémon are your friends here Kofu the Surging Chef is after a rare cooking ingredient which is being sold at the auction — the wakame seaweed all the way from Hoenn All you need to do is make the winning bid on the item and all you have to do is select any option until the 50k option comes up Now you have to head all the way back to Cascarrafa Head back to the gym and report to the receptionist to challenge Kofu Kofu has two very obvious weaknesses — Grass and Electric This means that Sprigatito users should be able to make good use of their Floragato so stick to those Electric-types just in case Kofu will hand over the Water Badge and TM022 Chilling Water Want to know where you can and should go next? Surf's up, our Pokémon Scarlet & Violet walkthrough guides have everything you need Let us know if you're finding this walkthrough helpful Alana has been with Nintendo Life since 2022 She enjoys nothing more than overthinking battle strategies Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment.. Nintendo Switch System Update 20.0.0 Is Now Live, Here Are The Full Patch Notes ICYMI: 12 Switch Games Will Receive Free Switch 2 Upgrades Switch Users Are Getting Error Codes After Updating To Version 20.0.0 Oops, Yuji Horii May Not Have Leaked Massive Remake News After All Update: Translator was just having fun with Chrono Trigger Nintendo Highlights Multiple Switch Games Launching In May 2025 Show More © 2025 Hookshot Media, partner of IGN Entertainment | Hosted by 44 Bytes | AdChoices | Do Not Sell My Personal Information Today's print edition Home Delivery A 21-year-old man was sentenced to death on Thursday over a 2021 murder-arson case marking the first time a defendant age 18 or 19 at the time of a crime has been given the death penalty following the lowering of the age of adulthood from 20 to 18 in 2022 The Kofu District Court in Yamanashi Prefecture gave Yuki Endo the death penalty for killing the parents of a girl he went to high school with and setting their home on fire.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Presiding Judge Jun Mikami said that the defendant had “the full ability to take responsibility for the crime” and that “his age is not a reason to avoid the death penalty.” 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 Japanese shogi sensation Sota Fujii was beaten by his challenger for his Eio title Thursday losing one of the eight major titles for the first time since he secured the full set in October last year gave up the Eio title in his 23rd title match in the city of Kofu won his first crown with three wins and two losses.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Fujii became the youngest shogi player to win a major title by claiming the Kisei title at the age of 17 years and 11 months He later dominated all eight major titles — Ryuo Fujii said Thursday's result was inevitable because he made many mistakes in the endgames Fujii said that he had thought it was only a matter of time so he would do his best without worrying too much Ito made his debut as a professional shogi player in 2020 Looking back at the five matches with Fujii as there were many difficult games overall Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Japan can brag about an immense and millennial culture with several gods trying to exert influence over the peasants the main deity in Shintoism and the stem from the royal Japanese family Her softhearted and merciful personality makes justice to her role: the supreme divinity At the skirts of Mount Fuji we have a small city called Kofu two hours away from the capital Tokyo in a single train trip With a population that falls short of 200.000 inhabitants you can find the fields where Takeda Shingen’s almighty cavalry fought for a unified country the gorgeous Shosenkyo Gorge and the finest quality of sake Kofu is the birthplace of Nakata Hidetoshi the man who made a breakthrough for Japan in the world football map due to his runs in Serie A and Premier League The Future of Japanese Football Japanese clubs have interesting names related to the story and culture of each city Our main character borrows the name from the French words: vent This alludes to the leitmotiv of Takeda Shingen for a swift battle: fūrinkazan (風林火山) which in turn comes from Sun Tzu’s The Art of War: “as swift as wind Ventforet Kofu’s last season in the top flight was 2017 and they barely escaped from relegation to J3 League in 2022 Yet thanks to a sensational win of the Emperor Cup last year they claimed a spot in the AFC Champions League topping their group and earning a chance to fight for the most prestigious Asian tournament for clubs The system to qualify for the top continental tournaments makes the presence of clubs outside the top flight very unlikely such as the Europa League (remember Wigan Athletic yet for the different Champions League presentations the odds are less than 0.1% Even if the Argentine side Patronato made it to Libertadores Ventforet Kofu’s run is rather an exception How come a second-tier is defying all odds and the status quo of Asian football the association leagues ranking tells you not only how many spots you have for Asian competitions Japan can provide all four clubs to the AFC Champions League: one for the playoff (3rd place in J-League) allocated for the top two clubs in the league plus the winner of the Emperor Cup Inside the Havoc of Indonesia’s Failed Attempt to Host the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup The Emperor Cup is also open for all clubs no matter the precedence: the first three levels of professional football the higher a club is located in the pyramid they had to start from the second proper round taking on Pacific International University from Okayama and thrashing them 5-1 Even the most optimistic fans were not prepared at all for the epic journey they would walk Ventforet Kofu had to fly to Sapporo to face Hokkaido Consadore Again in an away fixture for the Round of 16 The score was an exhibit of how the game was: a bare 2-1 win at extra time the clubs from the lower divisions receive the attention as the curiosity for someone a priori weak defeating odds compels fans to follow closely the run the only side to be out of the J1-League had to play against Kashima Antlers Ventforet Kofu was theoretically the local Ventforet upset everyone with a single goal… they were in the final This shining club had a draught since 1969 No other outsider had been able to sneak into the final since 1980 (Tanabe Pharmaceuticals) The Reality Show That Triggered the Afghan Football League Ventforet scored first and it was a minute away from a win in regular time Ventforet scored more penalties in the series producing the biggest upset ever in the Emperor Cup and qualifying to the AFC Champions League at the same time What fate did the draw tell for Ventforet Kofu A group where everything could be possible – G the Chinese Super League third place Zhejiang and the Australian City Football Group franchise their JIT Recycle Ink Stadium fell short of the AFC guidelines so Ventforet Kofu would not be able to play in Kofu a world-class scenario to keep on dreaming Ventforet Kofu earnt respect from the Japanese common fans and the East Asian audience… for example holding braces to keep short Melbourne City in Australia with a 0-0 sitting on the top of the group and with fair chances to progress into the last 16 they had to survive in Thailand to play against an old salt like Buriram United Ventforet Kofu became the first non-top-flight team ever to get out of the group stage Multiculturalism in the Chinese National Team The draw posed yet another challenge: their rival is Ulsan Hyundai the giant Korean side that has already become Asian Champion twice yet Ventforet Kofu has the prerogative to never stop believing They have to keep in mind that they had already knocked out top-flight clubs on their way to the implausible Emperor Cup they also climbed a mixed group with champions and formidable rivals They have been proving everyone wrong… Ulsan can be the next to bite the dust Ventforet Kofu can comfortably state good mentors: Amaterasu gives the blessings all the way from Mount Fuji Nakata Hidetoshi transfers some bravery he needed to conquer Italy and England and  Takeda Shingen gives out the dream of joining all coins of Japan to rule over Asia as swift as wind Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Masashi Hara / Getty Images celebrates with his teammates during a 2023-24 AFC Champions League round of 16 match against Ventforet Kofu at JIT Recycle Ink Stadium in Japan on Wednesday J-League second-division outfit Ventforet Kofu took a big step toward the Asian Champions League knockout stage Wednesday with a 4-1 victory over China's Zhejiang FC at Tokyo's National Stadium Masahiro Sekiguchi and Yoshiki Torikai found the net for Kofu The J2 side moved to the top of the group on seven points from two wins with goal difference separating them from second-place Melbourne City Kofu took the lead in the 17th minute after the 39-year-old Utaka's assured finish from Ryotaro Nakamura's through ball withstood a review for offside by the video assistant referee "I tried to take advantage behind the defense," said former Nigeria international Utaka I knew I could be very dangerous against this team." Getulio volleyed in the second from a Jumma Miyazaki cross in the first-half stoppage time to send the home side into the break leading 2-0 Zhejiang's Brazilian forward Leonardo pulled one back from the spot after Ventforet keeper Michael Woud conceded a penalty early in the second half Sekiguchi made it 3-1 with his blast from the right of the box in the 58th minute and Torikai completed the rout on a breakaway with a minute left in regulation who reached the ACL by winning the Emperor's Cup are currently sixth in the J2 and will aim to secure a place in the promotion playoffs by winning their final match of the domestic season on Sunday reigning ACL holders Urawa Reds suffered a setback in their title defense with a late 2-1 loss away to former champions Pohang Steelers of South Korea Maciej Skorza's side scored first through Jose Kante in the 36th minute but conceded a penalty equalizer to Zeca before going down to 10 men with Takahiro Akimoto's 72nd-minute red card Kim In Sung struck the winner in the 94th minute for Pohang who stayed on top of the group with their fourth straight victory and second in a row against Urawa Football: Kawasaki beat 10-man Pathum 4-2 to stay unbeaten in ACL Football: Kubo man of the match as Sociedad win in Champions League Football: Urawa outclassed by S. Korea's Pohang in ACL celebrates scoring a goal during an AFC Champions League match against Ventforet Kofu at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan on Thursday JAPANESE the 22nd round of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League against Tokyo Verdy the stage was set for the Emperor's Cup third round match against Ventforet Kofu There were eight changes to the starting lineup from the Tokyo Verdy match Hayato Okuda returned to the starting lineup after missing the match due to illness Jordy Croux and other players who had been out of the lineup for the last few matches were also back in the lineup.The first half started with Cerezo trying to fend off Kofu's attack Cerezo could not settle down and Kakeru Funaki received a yellow card in the 5th minute but after 10 minutes they started to get possession and after gaining time Masaya Shibayama and Croux came close to scoring with crosses from both flanks and in the 24th and 26th minutes their opponents threatened from the left but the central defenders and goalkeeper did well to keep them out Cerezo's best chance of the first half came in the 35th minute won the ball and Kagawa passed it to Croux and Okuda The score was 0-0 at the start of the second half but in the 46th minute the opponents scored After losing possession on their own left flank Peter Utaka broke free and dribbled in to score "Kofu has a player who can score goals on his own or with another player How to prevent counter-attacks will be a key point," and so they conceded Another chance came in the 53rd minute when Utaka's through ball was played in but goalkeeper Yang Han Been made a great save to prevent a second goal The attacking players responded to their goalkeeper's efforts a minute later when Watanabe capitalized on an opponent's mistake and fired a right-footed shot from long range Cerezo equalized with a stunning mid-range shot from distance seeing this as a critical point in the game Lucas Fernandes and Capixaba all came on at the same time as the team looked for the winner Cerezo again had a chance after an errant pass from an opponent Ceara found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper Kofu then had a series of good chances in the 73rd but the defenders did their best to keep them out The game ended 1-1 after 90 minutes and the match went into extra time.In the first half of extra time Cerezo was on the defensive from the start as Kofu kept possession but again the defense managed to block the shots Cerezo regained possession and pushed forward but were unable to break through Kofu's back five defense and were unable to get a shot off Fernandes broke down the right flank and penetrated deep only to be tackled by a Kofu defender who was deemed to be on the ball and no whistle was blown Kofu midfielder Yoshiki Torikai and Fabian Gonzalez combined to score a goal did not leave the field after using up all his substitutions but went to the front and started a power play Cerezo tried until the end to equalize with crosses and set pieces but they could not catch up and the game ended 1-2 Cerezo lost in the third round of the Emperor's Cup this season."I think the game was exactly as the result showed we couldn't score any goals," said Watanabe "We have to face the reality that we were outscored by Kofu in terms of performance We have to show with the result that we have changed because of this game rather than pretending that this game did not happen," Nishio expressed his determination the only competition left this season is the league "We want to fight for our goals in each of the next 16 games I believe we are still capable of achieving our goal so we all want to do our best without wavering," said manager Kogiku The team will first recover physically and mentally for their upcoming must-win match against Kawasaki Frontale in the 23rd round of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League in three days' time TOP > NEWS > Review: Cerezo Osaka 1-2 Ventforet Kofu (Emperor's Cup 3rd Round) Goalkeeper Kohei Kawata saved a penalty at the end of extra-time and another in the subsequent shootout to help J-League second-division outfit Ventforet Kofu stun heavy favorites Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the Emperor's Cup final on Sunday clinched their first major silverware with the 5-4 penalty shootout victory after the final was deadlocked 1-1 through 120 minutes at Nissan Stadium Kazushi Mitsuhira gave Kofu the lead in the 26th minute but Takumu Kawamura equalized in the 84th for the J1's third-place team who were chasing their first Emperor's Cup of the J-League era after finishing runners-up five times The 34-year-old Kawata stopped Makoto Mitsuta's 118th-minute spot kick after 42-year-old defender Hideomi Yamamoto was penalized for handball then etched his name in club history by saving Kawamura's penultimate penalty shootout attempt for Hiroshima "I'm so happy to be able to win a title with this club," Kawata said "Yamamoto has been such a great player for this club I didn't want to let things end like that." The more adventurous side in the first half Ventforet went ahead with a perfectly executed set piece Corner kick taker Motoki Hasegawa played it short before feeding a ball into the onrushing Sho Araki whose low cross was tapped in by Mitsuhira from directly in front Hiroshima asserted control as the game wore on and eventually found their equalizer when Kawamura received the ball from Ezequiel at the left of the area and blasted into the top right corner The J1 side nearly took the lead two minutes into the first extra-time period when Mitsuta hit the crossbar with a free kick from the edge of the area who had been gunning for a cup double in their first season under German manager Michael Skibbe will look for consolation in the Levain Cup final against Cerezo Osaka on Saturday this year's Emperor's Cup final was brought forward to accommodate the 2022 World Cup Emperor's Cup champions Ventforet Kofu became the first Japanese second-division team in the history of the Asian Champions League to advance to the knockout stage sealing the top spot in Group H with a 3-2 win Tuesday over Thailand's Buriram United Ventforet finished the group with three wins taking a 3-0 first-half lead at Buriram Stadium with well-traveled forward Peter Utaka scoring a brace and keeper Kohei Kawata making a save on a potential 88th-minute equalizer Motoki Hasegawa gave the visitors the lead 24 minutes in dispossessing a defender and firing home from the left side of the penalty area scored a brace before the half off some lucky bounces that Buriram defenders were unable to corral Utaka volleyed a cross into a defender's chest but got to the rebound before his opponents and fired home he scored off a corner kick when a bouncing ball evaded defenders and came to him at the far post but also that we qualified," Utaka said on the pitch after the game before he was interrupted by cheering Kofu fans who had traveled to Thailand We appreciate every single one of them that made this trip we went to them to show them our appreciation." Buriram reduced the deficit to a single goal early in the second half through Arthit Boodjinda and Goran Causic Arthit's spectacular individual effort to take the ball the last third of the pitch and score made it 3-1 three minutes after the break and Causic buried his penalty after a handball in the area by defender Shion Inoue who had already qualified for the next round ending the J-League team's perfect group-stage record Football: J2 Kofu draw with Melbourne, Urawa grab late win over Wuhan Football: J2 Kofu thrash Zhejiang, move closer to ACL knockout stage 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 KOFU--Prosecutors here for the first time in Japan named a 19-year-old youth indicted in a murder and arson case under the revised Juvenile Law that took effect from April 1 The provision allows for public disclosure of a suspect’s name if the individual is aged 18 or 19 and defined as a “specified juvenile.” The revised Civil Law that also went into effect on April 1 lowered the age of adulthood from 20 to 18 The Kofu District Public Prosecutors Office announced April 8 that Yuki Endo had been indicted for fatally stabbing a married couple and torching their home in October 2021 After prosecutors ordered a psychological evaluation to assess whether the suspect was competent to stand trial the case was sent to Kofu Family Court in March the Kofu Family Court remanded the case back to prosecutors on grounds the crime was “extremely atrocious.” The family court revealed that Endo became incensed with the couple's older daughter and had planned to kill either the entire family or everyone except the girl Because Endo never offered a motive for the crime nor showed signs of remorse “There are no circumstances that allow for a measure other than criminal punishment.” In explaining the decision to release the name of the suspect Kofu prosecutors pointed to the gravity of the crime and the impact it had on the local community reported the names of individuals involved in crimes and other incidents it did not divulge names of juveniles based on provisions of the Juvenile Law which barred the media from such disclosure as well as photos of the individual concerned out of consideration for the possibility that rehabilitation remained an option Under the legal revisions that took effect this month individuals defined as “specified juveniles” and indicted for crimes committed when they were 18 or 19 are exempt from the ban in the Juvenile Law regarding publication of their names and photos Although those under 20 are still treated as juveniles under the Juvenile Law crimes committed by “specified juveniles” can be treated in a different manner from those committed by those aged 17 or younger Prosecutors have indicated that they will release the names when “specified juveniles” are indicted and the case is to be tried in court by citizen judges The lay-judge system is mainly reserved for serious cases that carry the possibility of death sentences or life imprisonment there is no change in the spirit of the Juvenile Law which stresses the importance of sound development and rehabilitation of youth The Asahi Shimbun will report the names when “specified juveniles” are indicted after giving comprehensive consideration to such factors as the gravity of the crime and its effect on society Sources: Naming juvenile suspects acceptable in heinous cases Panel calls for tougher penalties for criminals aged 18 and 19 Stiffer penalties under revised juvenile law from April 2022 EDITORIAL: Juvenile Law’s ideals must not change even after revisions Man who raped teens when he was a minor gets prison term Ex-nurse who murdered three patients avoids death sentence KOFU--A man who killed the parents of a girl who had spurned him when he was 19 became the first person sentenced to death for a crime committed at age 18 or 19 after the Juvenile Law was revised and the legal adulthood age lowered 18 by the Kofu District Court as sought by prosecutors Endo was accused of murder and arson charges for fatally stabbing a married couple and torching their home here in 2021 driven by a strong intent to kill,” said Presiding Judge Jun Mikami “Even when fully considering that the defendant was 19 years old at the time of the crime it does not justify disqualifying the death penalty.” people aged 18 and 19 are considered “specified juveniles” and their names can be disclosed if they are indicted The revised law took effect at the same time the age of adulthood in Japan was lowered from 20 to 18 Endo was the first specified juvenile whose name was publicly disclosed by prosecutors Endo stabbed a 55-year-old company employee and his 50-year-old wife to death at their home in Kofu on Oct He also hit their second daughter in the head with a machete Judges determined that the defendant was fully criminally responsible based on the testimonies including that of a psychiatrist who conducted a mental evaluation during the investigation They said that taking two lives is an extremely heinous offense stemming from the despair and anger that Endo felt from the rejection by the couple’s eldest daughter was “extremely self-centered and unreasonable.” The court noted that even if Endo's difficult upbringing had influenced his motive It also said that he showed no clear signs of remorse and apology making it unlikely that he could be rehabilitated The court concluded that the death penalty was unavoidable saying that “there is a limit even taking into account his age of 19 in the sentencing.” “It’s regrettable that our arguments were not accepted We will carefully decide on whether to file an appeal with the defendant.” There have been notorious cases in which defendants who were juveniles at the time of their crimes received the death sentence In the 1999 murder of a mother and her child in Hikari and the 2010 stabbing of three people in Ishinomaki both 18-year-old defendants were sentenced to death “It is not that he does not reflect on what he had done but is incapable of doing so due mainly to inappropriate upbringing.” The defense had sought to avoid the death penalty a former criminal judge and now a professor at Hosei University Law School pointed out that “the defendant was 19 years old at the time of the crime and had misfortunes in his upbringing.” he said that “the judges probably decided that the death penalty was unavoidable,” by emphasizing the brutality of the crime and the number of victims among nine factors of the “Nagayama Criteria,” a standard for applying capital punishment set by the Supreme Court in 1983 (This article was written by Yusui Munekata and Norikazu Miyake.) Death penalty sought over Kyoto Animation fire that killed 36 Kleptomaniac receives rare ‘double’ stay of execution Name of teenage murder suspect released for the 1st time KOFU--Autopsies on two victims of a crime scene initially suspected to be a case of arson showed they had been stabbed and bled to death The bodies believed to be those of Seiji Inoue and his wife were found at their home here after it was gutted by fire in the early hours of Oct A 19-year-old male arrested on suspicion of assaulting the couple's second daughter was referred to the Kofu District Public Prosecutors Office on Oct Police investigating the case as one of alleged murder and arson said the suspect apparently injured the girl by punching her in the head at Inoue’s home around 3:45 a.m The suspect attended the same high school as the couple’s eldest daughter and apparently harbored an emotional attachment for the girl citing police interviews with those who know him The suspect had found he was unable to contact her via the Line messaging app The couple’s second daughter was in bed on the second floor in the early hours of Oct 12 when she heard a commotion on the first floor She went downstairs to investigate and bumped into the man who then attacked from behind when she tried to flee escaped from the balcony on the second floor “A thief broke into (our house),” the elder sister told police when she called to report the intrusion the two-story wooden-framed house went up in flames The suspect admitted he attacked the younger daughter and hinted he set fire to the house while Inoue and his wife were inside The Inoues had never complained of harassment threats or assault by the suspect or third parties Police concluded the bodies were likely those of Inoue and his wife because they remained unaccounted for after the blaze Final confirmation of their identities will be made through DNA analysis Teen arrested on suspicion of hitting girl prior to a deadly arson Man arrested after wife found dead following fall from balcony but then decided it was better to kill her Prosecutors say suspect fit to stand trial over fire that killed 36 Multiple murder charges filed over 2019 arson attack on Kyoani Sources: Widow contacted drug dealer before husband’s death No reproduction or republication without written permission.