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Log in now to continue reading has announced the following promotions: Okunaga is a licensed structural engineer with 13 years experience specializing in bridge load ratings and design/ rehabilitation of military structures including facilities at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz >> Brandon Cezar to associate from project engineer Cezar has nine years experience in structural engineering including design of commercial buildings design and investigation of educational and institutional facilities repair and rehabilitation of bridge structures His projects include the DOT Maui and Kauai bridge inspections Maui County Kaupakalua Bridge emergency replacement and Turtle Bay infrastructure improvements >> Maxx Cullen Toyama to associate from project engineer Toyama has eight years experience in structural engineering including design and investigation of educational and institutional facilities and military structures bridge load ratings and underwater structure inspection as a commercially certified diver His projects include the Hilo Medical Center expansion Koukouai Bridge repair and DOT statewide traffic signal modernization AD Apr 26 (Sat) 2025-Jun 22 (Sun) 2025 52 days left Leave a rating/comment#PaintingBack to ArticlesSHARE Japanese volleyball's rebranded SV.League wants to be the best of the best drawing national team players from around the world "We will try to be a league that players worldwide want to join," SV.League's chairman Masaaki Okawa said in a recent interview before the season begins Friday for men and Saturday for women "We want to be the largest volleyball market and draw more spectators than any other league." "We want a team from SV.League to win the club world championship by 2030 we need some SV.League team to be always in the final four Those are my definitions of the world's top league." previously chairman of Japan's top men's basketball competition says the process of reforming the volleyball league is around halfway to completion The 66-year-old said he saw a bright future for volleyball while serving in his role with the basketball league which has developed strongly in tandem with growing interest in the national team "Matches played by the Japan national volleyball teams were televised Many international tournaments were staged in Japan both in terms of the players and viewers," Okawa said "I didn't think basketball back then would be able to outperform volleyball Japan's men's and women's volleyball teams were both runners-up in their respective Nations League tournaments this year before falling short of expectations at the Paris Olympics Okawa says volleyball has the potential to expand in Japan and around the world and should learn from other sports with the growth mainly in Eastern Europe," he said "I believe we can be one of the world's biggest sports leagues if we take the good parts of baseball Volleyball: New Perugia attacker Yuki Ishikawa looking for titles Olympics: Japan in peril after women's volleyball loss to Brazil 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 Thanks for visiting Today's print edition Home Delivery Former students of Okawa Elementary School in the city of Ishinomaki Miyagi Prefecture — where 84 children and staff lost their lives in the tsunami triggered by the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake — are working to turn the site into a community hub head of the volunteer group Team Okawa: The Future Network says he wants to do more than just preserve the memory of the tragedy.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); “I want to make this a place that connects us to the future,” he said 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 Pop Team Epic mangaka Bkub Okawa has been driven to apologize after an outraged group of Western social media users harassed him over their belief that a piece of fan art he had drawn the character of Marina from Nintendo’s Splatoon “too white” compared to her official depiction RELATED: Nintendo Responds To Media Speculation That ‘Splatoon 3’ Newcomer Shiver Is Non-Binary By Confirming She “Identifies As Female” Known by her full name of Marina Ida (or Iida Marine in Japan) the Octoling in question serves one of the ‘hosts’ of Nintendo’s Splatoon 2 appearing alongside her partner Pearl – both of whom together make-up the fictional in-universe pop music act ‘Off the Hook‘ – to both introduce each of the game’s multiplayer matches as well as provide overall commentary regarding the goings on around the game’s setting of Inkopolis (and in the Octo Expansion and Side Order DLC packs for Splatoon 2 and Splatoon 3 As readers may have already been able to surmise thanks to her darker skin tone (which rather than being based on a specific ‘race’ was instead inspired by the Japanese ‘Gyaru’ fashion trend which itself involves the excessive bronzing of one’s skin through the use of make-up) many Western fans – or more accurately activists – have taken to believing that Marina is a racially black character seeking to crack down on artists that produce art whose skin color differs slightly from the darkest interpretation of a character’s appearance possible usually originate from Western social media users and have infected numerous fandoms And it was under the influence of their own headcanons that many of them recently decided to self-appoint themselves as the ‘Nintendo Art Police’ and set their sights on Okawa the popular mangaka shared an original illustration depicting Marina simply standing in a cute standing pose while using one of her hands to slightly hold up one of her ‘hair tentacles’ RELATED: Genshin Impact Fan Artist Harassed Into Apologizing After Outrage Mob Accuses Them Of White-Washing Kaeya he would find himself absolutely inundated with harassment over the fact that he did not draw Marina acceptably dark enough According to numerous Japanese Twitter users if not the first individuals to kick off this storm was @nutmegknight – who at the time of this article’s writing has since locked their account – who shared a comparison between Okawa’s art and the darkest part of Marina’s official Splatoon 3 render and tweeted “?? “this is genuinely so pathetic lol,” @ENGRAVE_LIVES stated “You have so much art to color pick/reference from and you still do this sh*t “Why is she white,” said @Blu3b3rr1___ “This shows that people dont know how to use the eyedropper tool OR just uses it but makes her skin lighter.” “‘Shes just an octopus” ok idgaf if u don’t think she’s black,” @tmoneydamaster3 declared “That’s still not her damn skin color If you cant get skin colors right in 2024 ur a sh*t artist” “Why is she fifteen shades TOO light?,” @wonyunis proclaimed and toxic habit of lightening dark skin characters for your art and I’ve had it You’ve Edward Cullened my baby!” Several ‘anti-racist’ activists even went so far as to use Okawa’s fan art as an excuse to make condescending generalizations about Japan “JP artists draw poc normally challenge IMPOSSIBLE,” yelloed @such_mag “Japanese people stop whitewashing darkskinned characters challenge,” @nikguh__tweeted “I hate how normalized whitewashing is in japanese culture,” @osasamosas stated @thebugular went so far as to post a hand-drawn parody of the Steven Universe-inspired ‘We’re gonna have to kill this guy, Steven‘ meme as originally created by webcomic artist Haus of Decline wherein both Pearl and Marina herself are shown thinking this thought toward Okawa Okawa eventually apologized for their ‘transgression’ of not using the appropriate color palette to illustrate Marina “I’ve received criticism that the art is racist because it depicts [Marina] with a lighter skin than the original work,” they stated NEXT: YouTuber Chibi Reviews Taking Legal Action After Western Anime Fans Dox Him, Upload Illegal Materials To His DeviantArt Account Over His Positive Opinion Of ‘Dandadan’ More About: For those craving a taste of Japan with a local twist Okawa brings a fusion of matcha-based drinks and Japanese pancakes to Riyadh With two branches that are always bustling the cafe has become a trendy hotspot among dessert lovers and coffee enthusiasts The real star of the menu is their classic matcha latte creamy texture with a rich matcha flavor that is not overpowering — smooth One thing that stands out is the variety of unique Japanese pancake flavors The menu offers flavors that go beyond the usual and even a mix chocolate with hazelnut or biscuit The creativity in flavors adds an enjoyable element to the experience even if the texture itself is not necessarily the best Okawa excels at providing an immersive experience From the minimalist Japanese-inspired aesthetic to the beautifully crafted drinks While the pancakes might not be a must-try for everyone the mix of flavors and the quality of their matcha drinks make it worth a visit — especially for those looking to explore something different in Riyadh’s dessert scene Okawa offers a fun experience with an ever-changing menu that keeps customers coming back to see what is next Bike Europe is a part of VMNmedia. The following rules apply to the use of this site: Terms of Use and Privacy / Cookie Statement | Privacy settings Okawa also shared fan art of Tekken 8's Asuka Kazama and Spirited Away's Lin pic.twitter.com/dVvchum69A pic.twitter.com/Xz2o2QqSZb As of press time, Okawa received over 80,000 likes and over 8,000 reposts for all three posts combined. Check out his account for more random fan art of Medabots Sources: Bkub Okawa's X/Twitter account (link 2, link 3) via Nijimen Chinese firm Okawa Motor Technology is set to expand its presence overseas with the opening of its first e-bike motor assembly line in Europe will be shipped to Anadia in central Portugal with production expected to begin in early 2025 Okawa selected Anadia due to its close proximity to several e-bike assemblers neatly addressing the vulnerability of long supply chains exposed in recent years.  “Customers are open for a change in order to prevent products not being available for a long time,” explained Okawa CEO Luca Du [See more: Chinese battery firm CALB leads new foreign investment in Portugal] Okawa Motor Technology entered the European market three years ago China’s largest producer of electric two-wheelers Okawa takes an exacting approach to design and manufacturing applying automotive industry standards to its e-bike systems and implementing rigorous quality control to ensure the quality and durability of its products.  It also offers a subscription-based business model that provides for longer service life consistent service management and end-to-end recycling European customers can send it to the company’s service centre in Amersfoort the company’s European base in the Netherlands But customers won’t have to wait on repairs instead receiving one of the motors in stock to keep them moving Thanks for visiting Nearly 14 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake struck on March 11 destroyed buildings that serve as reminders of the disaster are continuing to deteriorate Local governments looking to preserve the ruins to teach future generations about the destructive nature of the tsunamis that followed the temblor are struggling to maintain them as they erode over time.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Last December, a section of an exterior wall at the Okawa Elementary School Ruins in the city of Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, fell off. The tsunami that hit the school, which now forms part of the Ishinomaki Tsunami Ruins Game Recap: Men's Soccer | 10/26/2024 5:38:00 PM | Connor Wachtel Thanks for visiting “I stumbled into American Studies the way most people do Some of us discovered American Studies while fulfilling a GE requirement Many found an exciting course while browsing the catalogue (I mean who wouldn’t want to take on American Monsters?) And we decided to try something new by jumping in from a different field No matter how we stumbled into American Studies it is the warmth and support from our faculty and our peers that caught us along the way our struggles and our successes that made it possible for us to be American Studies graduates I’ve had the pleasure of serving as a co-editor-in-chief of our department’s student-run journal “The American Papers.” I’ve twice served as a teaching assistant delivering guest lectures on Japanese American Beauty Pageants and Techno-Orientalism in Popular Culture the first thing that comes to mind is not so much these achievements that look good on paper but rather the incredible people I have met along the way My American Studies peers — the ones you see here sitting before you — have built and sustained a community and I wanted to briefly highlight what they have done the American Studies Student Association organized a completely virtual weeklong conference that offered students a space to present original work on incredibly personal topics The American Papers editorial board spent the entire summer evaluating student submissions for publication students experienced the excitement of seeing their work in print for the first time All of this was accomplished by American Studies students many of whom work full time and take care of family members which was made all the more challenging during the pandemic I am so proud to be an American Studies graduate I think I speak for all graduates when I say: Thank you to the department for welcoming us into a space where we could flex our academic and creative capabilities while being unapologetically ourselves Thank you to our families and friends for supporting us throughout our academic journeys thank YOU for making American Studies a home where we could all learn and grow together Cal State Fullerton Commencement Celebrates Class of 2022 Do you have news you’d like to share with the campus Thanks for visiting A new Japanese professional volleyball league which begins its inaugural season on Friday will take on the challenges to come while holding big dreams and aspirations League as Japan's top volleyball league following a reform initiative that Okawa has been involved in since autumn 2022.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Okawa is a leading figure in the country's sports business world having been involved in the introduction of the club licensing system in the J League and the establishment of basketball's B Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Reading"Illustrator Nori Okawa..." More fromWork Contact Advertising Opportunities Newsletters Insights + Opinion Creatives + Projects Advice + Resources Culture + Lifestyle Nicer Tuesdays The View From... POV Forward Thinking Review of the Year Jenny Brewer Olivia Hingley Ellis Tree Elizabeth Goodspeed Liz Gorny Extra Search circles and linesThe Tokyo-based illustrator discusses Japanese art from the Edo period the joys of the afterlife and her plans to play with her dog more the articulation of characters and movement is pared down to the most minimal use of lines and shapes Bodies are represented by broad ovals with the hands But with such a condensed selection of shapes to work with Nori’s illustrations are far from lacking in expression and momentum Figures dance and fly with elongated arms contorting into impossible poses the simplicity of the figures contrasted with the vibrant use of colour and textures to animate each scene While this visual style gives Nori’s characters a unique and modern feel to them much of her influences go as far back as the 17th “Ukiyo-e was a form of entertainment for the common people during the Edo period,” the artist explains During this period of rapid economic growth a flourishing culture of art and entertainment was enjoyed by even the lowest of the social pecking order in Edo (now Tokyo) The word “Ukiyo” (“a floating world”) was used to describe this lifestyle While Nori is an avid fan of the Apple Pencil and makes her illustrations on Procreate Ukiyo-e pieces were traditionally made as woodblock prints or paintings when taking a closer look at her illustrations you’ll find textures and forms which recall the repeated patterns often found in traditional woodblock prints Inspired by the hedonistic subject matter and techniques of Ukiyo-e Nori is fascinated by the genre because it was made for the “common people” Hoping to take a similar line in her own work and with a keen awareness of the need for art in the troubling times we live in Nori aims to make illustrations which allow her viewer to “project themselves” elsewhere Nori Okawa: Gods Series – Okuninushi × Gaia (Copyright © Nori Okawa Another thing you’ll notice about illustrations – like those from her God Series – is that they often include angelic or god-like figures The reason behind this is Nori’s fascination with creating work that crosses “the boundary between the living and the dead” the illustrator describes it as exploring a “joyful afterlife” One further look at the impossible dynamic poses and staring spherical facial expressions of Nori’s ambiguous characters reveals that they can be “either ghostly or alive” While Nori is excited to be presenting some work at the London-based Sway Gallery in March and would eventually like to have work in a museum her short term goals are clear: “ I want to draw a lot and expand the possibilities of my illustrations.” Nori Okawa: Centre of the world (Copyright © Nori Okawa Nori Okawa: Bijutsutecho (Copyright © Nori Okawa Nori Okawa: Good Boy Lets Joy (Copyright © Nori Okawa Nori Okawa: Dance wildly and good-bye (Copyright © Nori Okawa Nori Okawa: Gods Series – Izanagi&Izanami × Eros (Copyright © Nori Okawa Nori Okawa: No religion (Copyright © Nori Okawa Nori Okawa: Gods Series – Tsukuyomi × Maria (Copyright © Nori Okawa Nori Okawa: Japan series – First penguin (Copyright © Nori Okawa Further Infoinstagram.com/nori_okawa/ Elfie Thomas Elfie joined It’s Nice That as an editorial assistant in November 2021 after finishing an art history degree at Sussex University She is particularly interested in creative projects which shed light on histories that have been traditionally overlooked or misrepresented Fancy a bit of It's Nice That in your inbox Sign up to our newsletters and we'll keep you in the loop with everything good going on in the creative world Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Pinterest About Careers at It’s Nice That Privacy Policy Insights Residence Creative Lives in Progress If You Could Jobs © It’s Nice That 2024 · Nice Face Logo © It’s Nice That The designer’s daily sketchbook pages inform a resourceful and abstract approach to making art on and off screen Taylor Barron blends a playful palette with darker themes The Brazilian illustrator and animator’s recent exploration of grumpiness in women has left her revelling in creating characters that are “visibly pissed off” this animator is using her tools to create new narratives this illustrator takes cues from his “dictionary of ideas” a sketchbook filled with human observations Following her more recent exploration of materiality and tactility the Ukrainian animator and artist reconsiders her practice as one of transition the London-based artist has been expanding his practice in recent years exploring the boundless potential of coloured pencils The perpetual collector’s influences bounce from tattoo artists and graphic designers using Helvetica Football illustrations inspired by variable type and Risograph-printed retro gaming graphics – the illustration stories that made an impression in 2024 The director pulls back the curtain on what it’s like growing up with three sisters tackling the messiness of youth with levity and humour Having one foot in design and the other in illustration Bryson’s multidisciplinary practice merges colourful characters and dewy scenes of nature The Irish animator and filmmaker’s new short takes a shift at a 24-hour night pay window as the stage for her magnified depictions of everyday paranoia In preparation for his archive show in London we caught up with the artist to uncover some of the stories behind his most renowned letterpress prints and to celebrate the birth of the poster and manifesto that has come to define his career sweat and solidarity of musical subculture Not all creative brains are wired the same identifies four creative archetypes to help you better understand your workflow Our Amsterdam correspondent analyses why the city is so known for its publishing prowess and shares a comprehensive list of places for designers The Japanese graphic artist uses space and shape to conduct scenes that feel spiky The European foundry’s wildly variable typeface perfectly encapsulates Gruppo Due’s inquisitive The artist Hannah Lim took to the Nicer Tuesdays stage last month to share the many facets of her vibrant practice she demonstrated how she’s been unpacking the 18th Century aesthetic trend of Chinoiserie through the lens of her mixed Chinese The photographer Ana Flores joined us at April’s Nicer Tuesdays to talk the crowd through her career to date from going with her gut and leaving a background in law to study fashion photography rediscovering her Peruvian roots along the way Ana took us through the process behind some of the projects that have led her to document the indigenous women of her birthplace with a focus on adornment We headed to Arsenal’s training ground to chat to the defender about using creativity to forge a bridge between footballers and the fans Devin and his brother go for a walk (an eight-mile hike through the mountains actually) to see what they can make using only nature and their imaginations SuprOrdinary is presented by It’s Nice That in association with BUCK Aysha Tengiz received a questionable contract asking her to give up rights to her own intellectual property the illustrator explains why that’s such dodgy practice and why creatives need to be more clued up about copyright Porous is a beautifully tender and tactile meditation on healing from sexual trauma instagram.com/nori_okawa/ Verona-based illustrator Giacomo Bagnara explores the world through a short-sighted lens transforming the ordinary into something profoundly new and engaging Elaine Ramos dissects how the illustrator so aptly conveys the dense textures The Tokyo-based illustrator discusses Japanese art from the Edo period About Contact Advertising Opportunities Newsletters Insights + Opinion Creatives + Projects Advice + Resources Culture + Lifestyle Nicer Tuesdays The View From... POV Forward Thinking Review of the Year Jenny Brewer Olivia Hingley Ellis Tree Elizabeth Goodspeed Liz Gorny Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Pinterest Careers at It’s Nice That Privacy Policy Insights Residence Creative Lives in Progress If You Could Jobs In 2011 a tsunami engulfed Japan’s north-east coast survivors are still tormented by a catastrophic split-second decision Pain and anxiety proliferated in ways that are still difficult to measure, even among people remote from the destructive events. Farmers, suddenly unable to sell their produce, killed themselves. Blameless workers in electricity companies found themselves the object of abuse and discrimination. A generalised dread took hold, the fear of an invisible poison spread through air, through water – even, it was said, through mothers’ milk. Read moreThose who work in zones of war and disaster acquire aid worker or reporter can do their job if they are crushed by the spectacle of death and suffering The trick is to preserve compassion without bearing each individual tragedy as your own; and as a foreign correspondent and sometime war reporter “All at once … something we could only have imagined was upon us – and we could still only imagine it,” the journalist Philip Gourevitch once wrote “That is what fascinates me most in existence: the peculiar necessity of imagining what is The events that constituted the disaster were so diverse that I never felt that I was doing the story justice But for much of the time I experienced a numb detachment and the troubling sense of having completely missed the point It was quite late on, the summer after the tsunami, when I heard about a small community on the coast that had suffered an exceptional tragedy. Its name was Okawa; it lay in a forgotten fold of Japan I encountered many survivors and stories of the tsunami but it was to Okawa that I returned time and again Okawa elementary school was more than 200 miles north of Tokyo in a village called Kamaya two miles inland of the point where it flows into the Pacific Ocean was a notorious frontier realm of barbarians with close-cropped hair and an air of mild Every morning he made the 20-minute walk from his house to school with his nine-year-old sister Shiroe; a small celebration was planned at home that evening But otherwise it was an unremarkable Friday afternoon the children rode on unicycles in the courtyard and foraged for four-leafed clovers and a piercing wind came off the river – Tetsuya and his friends stood in a row with their hands in their pockets and turned their backs on it to keep the chill off their faces Lessons at Okawa elementary school finished at 2.30pm the school bus was waiting in the car park with its engine running; a few of the younger pupils had already climbed in But most of the children were still in their classrooms finishing up the last school business of the week the sixth-year class were singing Happy Birthday to one of their number It was in the middle of this song that the earthquake struck The room was shaking very slowly from side to side a man named Shinichi Suzuki was waiting for his son He watched as the water in the school fish tank slopped over its sides in waves the fifth year were getting ready to go home for the day we all took cover under our desks,” he said right away: ‘Follow me outside.’ So we all put on our helmets and went out.” The school building was evacuated with exemplary speed Scarcely five minutes after they had been crouching under their desks wearing the hard plastic helmets that were stored in each child’s locker the city authorities would compile a minute- by-minute log of the events of that afternoon based on interviews with surviving witnesses It conveys something of the atmosphere after a big earthquake Child: Everyone sat down and the register was taken and Miss Shirota and Miss Konno were stroking their heads and saying “It’s fine.” One of the sixth-grade boys was saying “I wonder if my game console at home is OK.” Child: It must have been a kind of “earthquake sickness” because there were little kids throwing up Child: My friend said: “I wonder if there’ll be a tsunami.” The alarm of the younger children was renewed by repeated, jolting aftershocks. At 2.49pm, while the vibrations of the mother quake were still jangling outwards across northern and eastern Japan, the Meteorological Agency issued a warning: a six metre-high tsunami was expected; everyone on the coast of north-east Japan should evacuate to higher ground the Meteorological Agency updated its warning: the tsunami was expected to come in at a height of 10 metres The teachers in the playground formed a huddle beneath the cherry trees and engaged in a discussion in low voices the operations of Okawa elementary school were governed by a manual covered everything from ethical principles to the protocol for graduation ceremonies The Education Plan was based on a national template which was adjusted according to the circumstances of each school teachers and children were following instructions to ascend up steep paths and cliff steps had been responsible for revising the Education Plan but he had left unchanged the generic wording of the template he found only these vague words to puzzle over: “Primary evacuation place: school grounds in case of tsunami: vacant land near school The vagueness of this language was unhelpful etc” made little sense out here in the countryside there was an abundance of that – the question was: where The school was immediately in front of a forested hill the children had gone up there as part of their science lessons to cultivate a patch of shiitake mushrooms This was a climb that the smallest among the children could have easily managed Within five minutes – the time it had taken them to evacuate their classrooms – the entire school could have ascended high above sea level beyond the reach of any conceivable tsunami later recalled one brief conversation with Ishizaka after checking for stragglers inside the school Should we run to the hill?’ I was told that it was impossible with the shaking.” But one of the survivors from the sixth year recalled a much more dramatic intervention His alarm was picked up by one of the students who made their own appeals to their sixth-year teacher the ground might split open and swallow us up The boys began to run in the direction of the mushroom patch the boys were ordered to come back and shut up and they returned obediently to their class Two distinct groups of people were beginning to gather at the school arriving by car and on foot to pick up children The second were local people from the village – to complicate matters further Okawa elementary was itself designated an official place of evacuation for the village of Kamaya was manifesting itself in the attitudes of the two groups wanted to get their children out and away as soon as possible and we told Mr Takashi that I was going home “The radio says that there’s a 10-metre tsunami coming.” I said “Run up the hill!” and pointed to the hill Most of the parents who came to the school were full-time mothers and housewives; most of the villagers offering their opinions were retired It was another enactment of the ancient dialogue Toshinobu Oikawa – a grey-suited man in his late 50s who worked in the local branch of the Ishinomaki town government – was in his office the first tsunami warning was received from the Meteorological Agency Oikawa and five of his colleagues were climbing into three cars mounted with rooftop speakers of their own and setting out to deliver the warning in person They were driving through the outer margins of Kamaya when Oikawa became aware of something extraordinary taking place two miles ahead of them the spit of fields and sand where a ribbon of pine forest grew alongside the beach swallowing up their pointed green peaks and tearing up the forest in a frothing surge foaming over the top of the trees,” he said “It was coming down over them like a waterfall And there were cars coming in the other direction and the drivers were shouting at us: ‘The tsunami is coming Get out!’ So immediately we made a U-turn and went back the way we’d come.” 1:22Television helicopter footage captures the tsunami as it devastates north-east JapanWithin seconds they were driving through Kamaya again But it was as if the entire village had fallen under a spell One of Oikawa’s colleagues was shouting through the car’s loudspeaker: “A super-tsunami has reached Matsubara “There were seven or eight people standing around the street I saw the patrol car parked in front of the village police box But the policeman wasn’t passing on the warning and we couldn’t clearly see the playground people were doing what they always did after an earthquake: tidying up Among them was a farmer in his 60s named Waichi Nagano who lived in a big house out in the fields “There was the loudspeaker car from the town hall going up and down Everyone in the village must have heard them A mood of bored resignation had established itself There was no sense of anything much happening or that anything was likely to happen very soon At 3.25pm Oikawa and the three loudspeaker vans drove past the teachers were preparing to burn wood in oil drums to keep the children warm an elderly man named Kazuo Takahashi fled his home next to the river until he became abruptly aware of the sea streaming over the embankment beside his house It seemed to be coming from below the earth as well as across it: metal manhole covers in the road were being lifted upwards by rising water; mud was oozing up between the cracks that the earthquake had opened in the road Takahashi directed his car towards the closest place of evacuation On the main street of Kamaya he saw friends and acquaintances standing and chatting He rolled down his window and called to them Get out!” He passed his cousin and his wife and delivered the same warning Takahashi parked his car next to the school he became aware of a large number of children issuing forth from the school in a hurry who had remained in the playground with his class Tetsuya and his friend Daisuke Konno were at the front of the group The traffic island was less than 400 metres away at the point where the road met the New Kitakami Great Bridge It was as he approached this junction that he saw a black mass of water rushing along the main road ahead of him Debris in a second-floor classroom at Okawa elementary school Photograph: Asahi Shimbun via Getty ImagesBarely a minute had passed since he had left the playground and a sheet of white spray above the black the direction in which the children had been ordered to move Some of those at the front of the line froze in the face of the wave turned at once and ran back the way they had come The rest of the children were continuing to hurry towards the main road; the little ones towards the back were visibly puzzled by the sight of the older children pelting in the opposite direction Tetsuya and Daisuke found themselves at the foot of the hill at the steepest and most thickly forested section of the slope Tetsuya became aware that Daisuke had fallen he looked back over his shoulder and saw the darkness of the tsunami rising behind him “It felt like the huge force of gravity when it hit me,” he said “It was as if someone with great strength was pushing I was struggling for breath.” He became aware of a rock and a tree heard and smelled something subtly different and the obstacles that the water had to overcome to reach you but quickly sucking and battering at legs and chests and shoulders Most disturbing of all were the sounds it generated as it collided with the stuff of the human world: the crunch and squeal of wood and concrete like the cloud of pulverised matter that floats above a demolished building whole towns were being placed inside the jaws of a giant compressor and crushed could see the whole scene spread out below them as the water swept in pulsing surges over the embankment and across the village and the fields which came on all at once and destroyed the houses,” he said “It was the voices of children,” said Hideko there was the crunching sound of the wave and the rubble and their voices became weaker and weaker.” blinded by mud and with the roar of the tsunami in his ears His limbs were immobilised by spars of debris and by something else – something wriggling and alive which was shifting its weight on top of him Kohei’s life had been saved by a household refrigerator It had floated past with its door open as he thrashed in the water ridden it like a boat and been dumped by it on his schoolmate’s back Beyond Kamaya had been a succession of hamlets the swaying curve of the river and finally the Pacific Ocean the fields and everything else between here and the sea was gone Tetsuya’s first thought was that he and his friend were already dead He took the raging water to be the River of Three Crossings Those who have led good lives cross the river safely by bridge; evil-doers must take their chances in the dragon-ridden waters rely on a kindly Buddha to make their passage and to protect them from the depredations of hags and demons The devastated town of Minamisanriku Photograph: The Asahi Shimbun/Getty Images“I thought I’d died,” Tetsuya said But then there was the New Kitakami Great Bridge And so I thought this might be Kamaya after all.” the ill-fitting plastic helmet that he wore had twisted on its strap and dug brutally against his eyes His vision was affected for weeks; he could only dimly make out what was going on in the water below Kohei’s left wrist was broken and his skin was punctured by thorns Whatever was visible of the fate of his school and his schoolmates Only later would the full scale of the tragedy at Okawa elementary school become clear Of the 78 who were there at the moment of the tsunami many of the children’s parents were tormented by self-reproach for not rushing to the school to collect them they had followed the course of action that would have been most likely to secure their safety and survival Nowhere in Japan are precautions against natural disaster more robust than in state schools out of 18,000 people killed by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan only 75 were children in the care of their teachers All but one were at Okawa elementary school Katsura Sato’s daughter Mizuho was one of the children killed at Okawa and I became very suspicious about the circumstances in which we lost our daughter I knew that this was a great natural disaster and I assumed at the beginning that there must have been many other cases like this other schools where the same thing happened But why did I never hear of them?” In the nearby villages along the river as they began to catch their breath in the weeks following the disaster other parents were asking the same question The revelation of the truth about what had happened was itself the opposite of a tsunami A document exposing contradictions in the official account Every few months there was a new “explanatory meeting” at which the bureaucrats of the Ishinomaki Education Board submitted themselves to the anger of the parents their refusal to muster a human response to the grief of the families seemed at the beginning to be a collective failure of character the parents began to suspect another motivation – an obsession with avoiding anything that could be taken as an admission of liability The metallic tang of lawyerly advice lingered around many of the bureaucrats’ utterances They were happy to express grief and condolence and willing to abase themselves in general terms for their unworthiness But to acknowledge specific negligence on the part of individuals institutional failure – that was a step no one would take the Ishinomaki city government announced the establishment of something called the Okawa elementary school incident verification committee which would spend a year reviewing documents and conducting interviews Its findings were published in a 200-page report in February 2014 Read moreThe doors of the courtroom were opened How many hours I had spent talking to them over the years They had spoken to me about each stage of the lives of their children Grief was in their noses like a stench; it was the first thing they thought of when they woke in the morning and the last thing in their minds as they went to sleep at night and the community of families of which it was the focus They described the disaster and its unfolding and all at once the three judges – a young woman and two middle-aged men – were seated in their black gowns So I focused instead on the faces of the listening parents – there I would immediately be able to read the verdict They frowned in concentration; their features were blank and expressionless and the occupants of the court were standing up and filing out They exchanged no words or glances; they looked grave and even grim I thought I had been able to follow part of the judge’s ruling the part when he seemed to be ordering the defendants to pay what sounded like a very large sum of money I stepped out into the corridor where the Japanese reporters were huddled The Okawa parents had won their case – they had been awarded more than £11m Ghosts of the Tsunami by Richard Lloyd Parry (Vintage Publishing, £9.99). To support The Guardian and Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com Follow the Long Read on Twitter at @gdnlongread, or sign up to the long read weekly email here You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Class: 1975 Obituary Bette Ann beloved daughter of Hiroshi and Marianne S 2009 after a lengthy battle with lung cancer Hamasaki as well as her maternal and paternal grandparents She is survived by her mother and two brothers Kerry and Douglas Yung and two nephews Christopher and Jason Yung as well as numerous cousins and their children 507-222-4000 Sign In Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information OSAKA--It's difficult to see the stars from the city but the Okawa river was awash here with its own brilliant blue milky way on July 7 with help from 21st-century magic Star festival celebrants floated around 40,000 plastic bowls containing LEDs on the river to create a galaxy that stretched roughly 500 meters between the Tenjinbashi and Tenmabashi bridges Except for a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic the event has been held annually since 2010 to celebrate the traditional Tanabata festival Inn topped by grounded boat in tsunami-hit city to be torn down Analysis shows 3 more Chinese zodiac animals at Kitora Tomb Diplomat’s 1895 letter confesses to assassination of Korean queen Locals decry new school name listed in only 1 of 341 submissions 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 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 Copyright THE MAINICHI NEWSPAPERS. All rights reserved. Here are other secrets to longevity that centenarians and super-centenarians have revealed in recent years: • “Believe in the Lord,” the third-oldest American Susannah Mushatt Jones, 115, shared with TIME during a visit to her Brooklyn home • Pork, the second-oldest American, Jeralean Talley, 115, told TIME in 2013 Her signature dish is hog’s head cheese (pigs’ ears and feet in a jelly stock) • “Kindness,” the oldest American, Gertrude Weaver of Camden, Arkansas, revealed to TIME shortly after her 116th birthday • At 111 years old • A Scottish 109-year-old Jessie Gallan advised “staying away from men” and eating porridge • Duranord Veillard, a 108-year-old from Spring Valley, N.Y., who has been married to his wife Jeanne for 82 years • Alexander Imich of New York City, formerly known as the world’s oldest man, said he didn’t drink alcohol • Eating raw eggs, said 115-year-old Emma Morano-Martinuzzi of Verbania • Alfred Date, a 109-year-old Australian man, said knitting, is “a good way of getting along in life.” Recently, he knitted sweaters for injured penguins • During her 107th birthday celebrations, Downing Jett Kay of Baltimore said drinking lots of coffee was a big part of her long life who has been called the oldest living veteran adds whiskey to his morning coffee and smokes up to 12 cigars a day • When Adelina Domingues of San Diego was 114, she told U-T San Diego, “I’ve never been to a beauty shop and I’ve never been vain.” Read next: The New Age of Much Older Age Write to Olivia B. Waxman at olivia.waxman@time.com founder and CEO of the Happy Science religious organization died on Thursday aged 66 of undisclosed causes Okawa worked at a major Japanese trading company after graduating from the University of Tokyo Okawa went on to establish the Happiness Realization Party and run in the Kinki block of the proportional representation section in the 2009 House of Representatives election a new age movement which incorporates elements from "all the various religions," has over 700 branches and temples as well as 10,000 missionary houses in over 166 countries around the world including one titled "The Laws of the Sun," which has sold a million copies is said to be in remarkably good health and says she is ‘very happy’ to be 117 Misao Okawa, a widow for more than 80 years, celebrates her 117th birthday at a nursing home in Osaka GuardianJapan This article is more than 10 years oldLife seems short, says world's oldest person at 117This article is more than 10 years oldMisao Okawa, born in 1898, is said to be in remarkably good health and says she is ‘very happy’ to be 117 Queen Victoria was on the British throne and the Spanish-American war was in its infancy She married almost a century ago and has been a widow for more than 80 years Okawa, the world’s oldest person, celebrated her 117th birthday at a nursing home in Osaka, western Japan and despite her longevity she remarked how short her life seemed Their marriage produced two daughters and a son and Okawa has four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren she disappointed any who hoped she would reveal the secret to a long life On her 116th birthday Okawa attributed her longevity to plenty of sleep and a varied diet While she has spoken of her love of mackerel sushi Okawa says she is not particularly fussy when it comes to food Family and friends say she is in remarkably good health apart from slight trouble with her hearing Among those who visited Okawa were her eldest son dressed in a cherry-blossom-print pale pink kimono looked up from her wheelchair and said she was “very happy” to be 117 brought her a bouquet and wished her many happy returns When he asked how she felt about the past 117 years Misao Okawa receives a bouquet Photograph: Buddhika Weerasinghe/GettyOkawa’s life spans three centuries four Japanese emperors and 20 US presidents She was five when the Wright brothers achieved the first powered flight Okawa became the world’s oldest person in June 2013 following the death at 116 of fellow Japanese Jiroemon Kimura and is one of only a handful of people alive today who were born in the 19th century the supercentenarian – a term for people aged at least 110 – won’t be lost for company if she ever feels like reminiscing about events from early last century was born in Fukushima prefecture and now lives at a care home in Tokyo He stays healthy and alert by eating well and practising calligraphy Japan is home to more than 58,000 people aged 100 or over The country’s elderly population is expected to soar in the coming decades About a quarter of its 127 million people are 65 or over and the proportion is expected to grow to about 40% by the middle of the century Experts attribute Japan’s longevity statistics to a traditional low-fat diet affordable healthcare and generous pensions life expectancy for Japanese women was 86.6 years a 117-year-old woman in Japan named Misao Okawa and died of heart failure just a few weeks after celebrating her birthday Okawa was named the world's oldest person in 2013 the world's oldest living person is Gertrude Weaver according to the Gerontology Research Group Okawa previously told The Japan Times that the key to her longevity was "eating delicious things," such as ramen noodles The average human life span has increased by almost 30 years over the past century thanks to lower infant mortality rates and medical advances ranging from vaccines to heart treatments Life extension is a ripe field of research and experiments in animals have shown promise in tacking more years on to people's lives Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox One approach to living longer is calorie restriction when researchers found that rats on severely restricted diets lived up to 40 percent longer than rats that ate normally Restricting calories also has been shown to extend the lives of other animals but it's not clear whether the benefits extend to humans Chemicals such as resveratrol also have been reported to have anti-aging effects but the findings on whether they actually help people live longer have been somewhat conflicting other research is focused on developing tissue-engineered organs to replace faulty ones or repairing the body through nanotechnology More speculative ideas include the notion of cryonics or freezing a dead body in hopes that future medical technologies can bring it back to life or uploading the mind to a computer to achieve a kind of digital immortality you're probably better off sticking with a healthy diet and exercise Legendary 'women of the sea' in South Korea freedive well into their 80s Scientists just discovered a single molecule that may treat rare May's full 'Flower Moon' will be a micromoon Suggestions or feedback? This website is managed by the MIT News Office, part of the Institute Office of Communications Massachusetts Institute of Technology77 Massachusetts Avenue In the past few years there has been a push to encourage more visitors to the village A tiny, mystical village located in Kochi Prefecture in the center of Shikoku; Okawa is the kind of place that makes you feel like you’ve been transported back in time it is a quiet destination where you can enjoy a much slower pace of life The fact that it is home to just over 350 people is a major reason for this it has the second smallest population of any inland municipality in Japan slightly ahead of Nosegawa village in Nara Prefecture The population peaked at just over 4,000 in 1960 but fell dramatically after the local copper mine closed. In 2017, Okawa made headlines nationwide when, due to a lack of candidates, it considered abolishing its assembly to instead introduce a direct democracy with voters participating in municipal decisions did raise the profile of Okawa and local officials wanted to make the most of that there has been a big push to encourage more visitors to the secluded village With a population density of approximately four people per square kilometer it’s the kind of place that appeals to tourists searching for an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life there’s certainly a lot of space to move around There are also some delightful hiking trails plus several scenic spots such as the Shiumi Valley and Sameura Dam town or village in Japan is food and Okawa is no exception With 700 kilometers of coast facing the Pacific Ocean Kochi Prefecture is probably most well-known for its seafood and that is what takes center stage in Okawa The tiny village is said to be home to some amazing black beef and umami-rich local chicken known as Tosa Hachikin jidori We recently had the privilege of trying the latter at a luxurious chicken night in Tokyo’s Azabu-Juban district It took place at Kafuka a stylish restaurant with an open kitchen and autographs from famous global chefs on the wall the sophisticated eatery is the brainchild of the talented chef who wanted to create a space where he could have a face-to-face relationship with his guests as he cooked He prepares a variety of Japanese dishes that go well with sake The meal began with an attractive-looking dish featuring some flavorful stewed chicken skin a smooth and silky steamed egg custard with chicken broth and some nutritious chicken liver which included chicken breast cooked at a low temperature was the main dish: a beautifully presented plate with various cuts of Tosa Hachikin jidori Each piece was lean with an extremely pleasant texture and rich taste that complemented Kochi’s sake superbly There’s a total of 38 breeds of jidori in Japan yet arguably isn’t the most famous meat in the region That title goes to the Tosa Akaushi wagyu beef the cattle there are said to produce tender this beef is arguably the biggest attraction for tourists when they join the Okawa Village Meat Carnival in fall The event is held annually on November 3 (Culture Day) at the charming Asa Valley which is particularly picturesque in autumn when the leaves change color Despite there being a population of less than 400 in Okawa a maximum number of 1,500 can take part in the festivities handmade dishes and vast supplies of regional sake a traditional dance performed by children of the village For those interested in joining in 2024, registration by phone is required in advance. The number is 0887-84-2201 This year’s cost was ¥6,000 for adults and ¥4,000 for high school students and younger Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Tokyo by writing wishes on colourful strips of paper and hanging them on bamboo branches there's an event that puts a twist on this summer festival by letting you write your wishes on LED lanterns that will be floated along the Okawa River You’ll get to see hundreds of iridescent blue inori boshi (LED lights) floating down the Okawa River between Tenjinbashi and Temmabashi bridges from sundown to 9pm creating a beautiful ‘Milky Way’ effect on the water It’s possible to get a view of the river for free during the event, but we recommend purchasing tickets to get front row seats. Plus, if you buy a ticket, you’ll also get an inori boshi that you can write your wish on. Tickets are available on the day of the event for ¥1,500 or for ¥1,200 in advance via the website (in Japanese only) Visit the website for more information.  Bulgari Ginza reopens its champagne rooftop terrace for the summer Shake Shack collaborates with Michelin-star restaurant La Cime for a special menu Street go-karting is back in Tokyo – here's how to get behind the wheel 100-yen store Can Do is releasing a special Pac-Man collection Takanawa is getting the largest indoor park in Tokyo and a Kengo Kuma buildingWant to be the first to know what’s cool in Tokyo? Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates from Tokyo and Japan. facebooktwitterpinterestinstagramAbout us Figures published in three new reports have highlighted a number of milestones for Australia’s energy sector with total emissions lowered and record renewable energy generation in 2024 The figures are set out in the latest Quarterly Carbon Market Report (QCMR) and 2023–24 National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) data published by the Clean Energy Regulator (CER) and the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Quarterly Update: September 2024 released by the Federal Department of Climate Change the September 2024 Quarterly Update shows total emissions across all sectors were 0.5 per cent or 2.2Mt lower than the same period in 2023 Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions are now 29 per cent below 2005 levels – the base year for the 2030 Paris Agreement target The most recent Emissions Projections show emissions will continue reducing to 42.6 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 The Federal Government said it has turned around Australia’s emissions trajectory and put the nation on track to meet its legislated targets in the last three years including through reforms such as those to the Safeguard Mechanism which is working to reduce emissions from Australia’s largest polluters This is reinforced by NGER data for 2023–24 which shows a reduction in direct emissions compared to 2022–23 for facilities such as electricity generators and includes emissions not covered by the Safeguard Mechanism Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy said the Federal Government’s plan is working “Australia must stay the course and continue to lift our efforts to increase these reductions to 2030 and beyond.”  The CER said the QCMR shows that Australia’s carbon market coupled with the reformed Safeguard Mechanism are assisting businesses to make strong contributions toward Australia achieving its emissions reduction targets schemes administered by the CER are estimated to have reduced emissions by at least 69.2Mt of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2-e) This is expected to rise to at least 72Mt CO2-e in 2025 The CER said these are conservative estimates as they use the average emissions intensity of the electricity grid rather than assuming renewables are solely displacing coal and gas generation said the CER issued a record 18.8 million Australian carbon credit units (ACCUs) in 2024 with a total of 53.9 million ACCUs now held in the registry “We have also observed increased trading activity in Q4 of 2024 as safeguard facilities ensure they have adequate supply to meet their upcoming safeguard obligations by 31 March 2025.”  Aggregate 2023–24 covered emissions at safeguard facilities reduced to approximately 136Mt CO2-e The CER said the reformed Safeguard Mechanism is operating as intended to encourage safeguard facilities to progressively reduce their industrial emissions at source ACCUs and Safeguard Mechanism credit units are expected to play an important role in allowing companies to comply with their safeguard obligations while they transition by implementing their decarbonisation projects “Industry intelligence over the course of 2024 has revealed that many safeguard entities have advanced plans in place for decarbonisation Others are earlier in the journey or face significant technological challenges,” Mr Parker said Approved large scale power stations – mainly wind farms – contributed 4.3GW to the record renewable generation capacity of 7.5GW in 2024 the CER anticipates that renewable penetration in the NEM could reach 44 per cent to 46 per cent in 2025 This assumes a return to average generation conditions The CER also released the 2023–24 NGER data which reports on corporations’ scope one and two emissions The updated data showed an overall decrease in scope one emissions of 4Mt tonnes compared to totals for the previous year The decrease was led by emissions reductions in the primary metal and metal product manufacturing chemicals and petroleum/coal products and coal mining sectors controlling corporations can choose to report market-based scope two emissions in addition to mandatory location-based scope two emissions For more detail, visit https://cer.gov.au/markets/reports-and-data/nger-reporting-data-and-registers/2023-24-published-data-highlights   National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Quarterly Update  The Quarterly Update of Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory reports on the latest greenhouse gas emissions The report shows emissions were 434.9Mt CO2-e in the year to September 2024 This is a decrease of 0.5 per cent (2.2 Mt CO2-e) compared with the previous year DCCEEW said the year-on-year change in emissions to September 2024 reflects movements across sectors For more detail, visit https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/publications/national-greenhouse-gas-inventory-quarterly-update-september-2024   As the dust settles from the 2025 Federal Election Energy is revisiting the Labor Party’s energy policies and election promises.. As the energy industry transforms under the influence of technological innovation professionals are challenged to keep up by adopting smarter.. All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media Privacy Policy | About Our Ads The Nisei Veterans Memorial Center hosts a book signing and lecture with Dr at the Stanley Izumigawa Resource Center on the NVMC campus.  The event is free and open to the public but reservations are required Social distancing measures will be in place.  emeritus professor of English at Youngstown State University in Ohio and a visiting scholar at the Center for Biographical Research at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa will present her book “Remembering Our Grandfather’s Exile: US Imprisonment of Hawaiʻi’s Japanese in World War II” a composite chronicling of the Hawaiʻi Issei (first generation) experience in mainland Internment Camps during WWII told through the eyes of a granddaughter and researcher born during the war.  Since her time as a visiting scholar at the Smithsonian Institution Okawa has been engaged in research on the experiences of Japanese immigrants from Hawaiʻi—including her maternal grandfather a Christian minister on Maui and the Big Island—who was imprisoned during WWII in internment camps on the mainland run by the Justice and War departments.  This was an arduous journey from local facilities like the Wailuku Jail to Sand Island Internment Camp on Oʻahu to prison camps in Louisiana among others.  Her research has expanded to include the visits of military sons (100th/442 MIS) who were killed in action in Europe and the Pacific She has published numerous essays in national journals and collections and has presented papers and lectures nationally and internationally.  Guests will be able to visit the NVMC exhibit Internment: Stories from Maui after the talk.  NVMC’s mission is to ignite the potential in people by inspiring them to find the hero in themselves through the legacy of the Nisei Veterans The Nisei Veterans Memorial Center is a nonprofit organization that aspires to a world where people act selflessly for the greater good NVMC owns and manages an intergenerational campus on Go For Broke Place in Kahului that serves as a home for Kansha Preschool Maui Adult Day Care Center’s Oceanview facility the Stanley Izumigawa Resource Center and the NVMC Education Center To learn more, visit www.nvmc.org For a weekly listing of Maui music and other events, go to Maui Entertainment, Arts, Community, May 19-May 25 and click here posed for a photo with her son Hiroshi Okawa (left) and other family members as they celebrated her birthday last month in Osaka And now comes word that Japan's Misao Okawa has died at age 117 She had been the world's oldest person since 2013 We reported on Okawa last month when she celebrated her birthday along with her family She was known to eat three big meals each day and sleep eight hours every night according to the head of the retirement home where she lived He added that Okawa was particularly fond of both sushi and ramen "Okawa was born to the family of a kimono shop owner in Osaka in 1898, the same year the United States annexed the Hawaiian Islands and Pepsi-Cola was launched," reports The Japan Times The Associated Press says the title of the world's oldest person now belongs to Gertrude Weaver of Arkansas citing the Los Angeles-based Gerontology Research Group Become an NPR sponsor who once declared that life seemed too short died peacefully as if she had fallen asleep Japan’s Misao Okawa celebrates turning 117. GuardianJapan This article is more than 10 years oldWorld's oldest person, Misao Okawa, dies weeks after 117th birthdayThis article is more than 10 years oldJapanese daughter of a kimono maker, who once declared that life seemed too short, died peacefully as if she had fallen asleep, nurses said The world’s oldest person, Misao Okawa of Japan has died a few weeks after celebrating her 117th birthday Okawa succumbed to heart failure surrounded by relatives and nursing home workers who praised her for achieving a long Okawa, who was born in Osaka on 5 March 1898, was recognised as the world’s oldest person by Guinness World Records in 2013. Read moreGuinness World Records said it was in the process of discovering who would replace her as the world’s oldest person labour and welfare said a 115-year-old woman in Tokyo had succeeded Okawa as the country’s oldest person was not released at the request of her family Okawa had been eating well until losing her appetite 10 days ago enjoying her daily cup of coffee and her favourite dishes such as ramen she said at her recent birthday celebration that her life had seemed rather short Okawa responded nonchalantly: “I wonder about that too.” She was survived by four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren Japan has the most centenarians in the world When words fail to tell the story of the enigmatic expanse of our planet, photographer Aya Okawa’s photos provide viewers with captivating tales of wonder and robust expression Harnessing the power of imagery to deepen understanding of civilizations and cultures Okawa’s storytelling seeks to highlight abstract patterns and the intriguing intersections of natural and human systems Okawa is a visual anthropologist a subdivision of social anthropology that evaluates and produces imagery for the purpose of studying humanity “All my shots celebrate the beautiful complexity of our planet It is a privilege to have the opportunity to take it all in So many times while I’m out shooting I am fully awestruck — just can’t believe my eyes and am so grateful to witness these scenes,” Okawa says Okawa’s artful storytelling techniques manage to garner a deeply intrinsic gratitude for the Earth and its history I try to capture the sense of wonder that I experience in front of a scene – whether it is my neighborhood “That initial sense of wonder is often followed closely by curiosity and my edit process is thus deeply connected with research.” the San Francisco-based photographer has been interested in the preservation or documentation of the memories of her travels After using everything from Canon Powershot point-and-shoots Okawa has allowed the process of photography to take her to new heights introspectively and in the greater world I became aware of how the beliefs that most shaped my worldview were precisely the ones I didn’t realize I held — until they were illuminated by alternate circumstances While I didn’t start studying anthropology at that time my interest was piqued […] So many of the forces that shape human behavior are not articulated in words or thought of consciously on a day-to-day basis.” she says photography for Okawa also evolved from its previous utility of studying humanity and its cultural trends to an appreciated reprieve and outlet for personal expression “It became a way to shut off the chatter of my mind and to tune into my surroundings and senses Photography for me now is a practice of listening and observation that is an essential part of my life and internal alignment.” Okawa explains The sweeping perspective-broadening images that Okawa showcases are a direct mirror of her own experiences with perspective enlargement “About 10 years ago when I started flying in small planes I was struck by how tiny our ‘all-important’ lives actually looked from above when moments ago the concerns of terrestrial life had seemed so all-encompassing I was shocked by how little I actually knew about the area that I had lived in for decades.” She then journeyed on foot and noticed how the little details of a fence or some form of barrier had kept her perspective of her neighborhood much smaller than it is in reality “I started capturing and studying images of the infrastructure around my community and those of communities globally when I traveled visually investigating the infrastructure that I previously hadn’t thought much about in everyday life and exploring the human-made systems that define the foundations of our societies and economies.” Aerial views had kindled a love for the kinds of details that presently complements and exemplifies her work “As I edit I love to zoom in and find tiny details in the images that I couldn’t see at first – like tiny birds that stopped into a long exposure or a couple on bicycles alone on a path amidst miles and miles of fields […] There are often unexpected details like that to discover in the images that I only find during editing and printing,” Okawa shares Okawa is focused and well-planned in her executions but admits to yielding to surprise discoveries and encounters “The most valuable part of photography for me is allowing myself to be in tune — alert and open to observe […] If it is an aerial series I work out the logistics to connect with a pilot in the area planning potential flight plans[…] In practice plans are made to be broken […] I love the open exploration of aviation which is incredible to experience.” As for the challenges in the pursuit of her vision and timing are an all too common and semi-predictable trio of foes Many flights get canceled due to weather or visibility problems weather conditions are always emergent.” Okawa continues “Things change so quickly in flight so I’ve learned to have everything I need gear-wise at my fingertips so as not to waste time in the air I don’t want to waste flight time messing around with batteries (it has happened) or full XQD cards (also has happened lol)…Prep and communication with pilots about the flight plan and maneuvers in advance are great […] I’m so grateful to all the amazing pilots I’ve flown safely with over the years!” she shoots with a Nikon D850 favoring the image results and dynamics while tolerating its weight to achieve her goals but I love it and the tactile experience of shooting with it I tried to switch to mirrorless but didn’t like adjusting to the digital viewfinder experience When asked by PetaPixel about her thoughts on drone photography Okawa is intrigued by the expression but satisfied with her current method of shoots drone photography has advanced dramatically over the years Some of the footage is very exciting to see — like long exposures from a drone I still prefer to shoot aerial images from planes […] I just love the feeling of being in the air and exploring and the type of shots I’m interested in is well suited to higher altitudes But it’s really interesting to see the way drone photography is evolving Her breathtaking images continue to beckon viewers to ask about the landscapes they are inhabiting or the story of how humanity is interacting with them a cycle of curiosity that the photographer relishes the more I became fascinated by the mesmerizing patterns that emerged — in both the human-made and natural ecosystems and my goal for the photos is to share this sense of awe and curiosity with others.” Feedback on her projects has been inspiring as well as illuminating as audiences have shared their unique experiences with thinking differently about their areas of residence or abstract interpretations of her work I love to hear the associations people have I’ve heard ‘that looks just like broccoli…’ or caramel or a strip of bacon […] On the flip side another theme is toys: I’ve heard it looks like Legos It’s so interesting to hear how unique each person’s reaction is!” What’s on the horizon for the photographer is more contributions to the National Geographic Your Shot community (which she has been a part of for the past eight years) and working on other projects “I’ve learned so much from this community and the Nat Geo editors that built and shepherded the community and continue to enjoy connecting with the vastly diverse and incredibly talented photographers that participate there […]I love the Imogen Cunningham quote – ‘Which of my photos is my favorite The one I’m going to take tomorrow.’ I’m excited now to continue shooting a few projects I’ve been working on over the past year including Energyscapes & the Value of Trees.” For more from Aya Okawa, make sure to visit her Website and Instagram Become a PetaPixel Member and access our content ad-free was formally recognized Wednesday as the world's oldest woman Misao Okawa said Wednesday that she was "very happy" to receive the recognition and a certificate from Guinness World Records After a meal of her favorite mackerel sushi Okawa nodded off as she sat in her wheelchair she said it was to "watch out for one's health." The recognition by Guinness World Records was a nice gift for Okawa who will mark her 115th birthday next week According to the Gerontology Research Institute which verifies age information for Guinness The world's oldest living person as recognized by Guinness - 115-year-old Jiroemon Kimura - also lives in Japan Okawa was married in 1919 to her husband Yukio and had three children - two daughters and a son She now has four grandchildren and six great grandchildren said that though he inherited some of his mothers' genes he doubted he would manage to match his mother's longevity there are some who lived long and some who don't - like my father who died at 36 - so I doubt I'll live as long," he said who celebrated her 116th birthday on Wednesday Okawa, who became the world's oldest person last June following the death at 116 of fellow Japanese Jiroemon Kimura was given a cake with just three candles at her nursing home in Osaka – one for each figure in her age Okawa is one of only five people alive – all women – confirmed as having been born in the 19th century While she has spoken of her love mackerel sushi Okawa isn't particularly fastidious when it comes to food or sashimi – every day," said an employee of the nursing home where Okawa has lived for the past 18 years "She always says the secret to living a long time is to eat a good meal and relax," the employee added that means an uninterrupted eight hours' sleep every night the Spanish-American war was in its infancy and Queen Victoria was still on the British throne Okawa married in 1919 but her husband died in 1931 two of whom are still alive and in their 90s Okawa has four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren Okawa has dealt with the media attention with incredulity When notified that she was in line to become the world's oldest woman last year she reportedly said: "Have I really lived that long?" one of about 24 Japanese alive who have passed the 110-year milestone and quickly recovered after breaking her leg in a fall at the age of 102 and is even still gaining weight," the nursing home employee said Experts attribute Japan's enviable longevity statistics to its traditional low-fat diet affordable health care and decent pensions Other studies point to the advantages of staying active and spending time with family and friends Japan was home to more than 54,000 centenarians last year and its elderly population will soar in the coming decades About a quarter of its 127 million people are already aged 65 or over but that is expected to swell to about 40% by the middle of the century Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images The oldest known living person, Misao Okawa, died on Wednesday in Osaka surrounded by relatives and members of the local media she was asked the question that springs to every journalist’s lips when in the presence of someone who’s stayed alive for a really long time: What’s the secret While Okawa’s tips—plenty of sleep and mackerel sushi—might not be a comprehensive guide the many interviews with the record-settingly old together provide a pretty sound roadmap to living your best life Here is a suggested schedule for enjoying one glorious day from the people who’ve done it better than anyone else: Wake up early, then stay in bed as long as you like. When you decide to get dressed, don’t skimp on the fancy underthings Lunch: matzo ball soup, barbeque chicken, Dr. Pepper Entertain yourself in the afternoon with some parliamentary debates on TV. Yell at the politicians all you like! Have some ice cream. Have a cigar. Have seven Dinner: mackerel sushi and birthday cake, in honor of the recently departed Misao Okawa. If so moved, toast her memory with some Paisano wine or Southern Comfort Go to bed whenever and sleep 12 hours or more. Repeat. Outlive 11 popes. IFLR is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025 Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement Kohei Okawa is a partner at Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu His primary area of practice is restructuring and insolvency He has abundant experience handling Japanese restructuring and insolvency proceedings Kohei has managed three corporate reorganisation proceedings and seven civil rehabilitation proceedings as deputy trustee or counsel and many bankruptcy proceedings as trustee or deputy trustee he has handled six out-of-court workouts as counsel or deputy supervisor He has also managed a lot of distressed M&A cases on behalf of both sellers and buyers Kohei earned his LL B from Waseda University in 2002 and his LLM from Duke University School of Law in 2018 He is a member of the Japanese Association of Turnaround Professionals; the All-Japan Bankruptcy Lawyers’ Network; the Bankruptcy Law Division Tokyo Bar Association; and the Business Rehabilitation Research Organisation He was Deputy Secretary-General of the Bankruptcy Law Division from April 2020 to March 2021