AD Apr 26 (Sat) 2025-May 11 (Sun) 2025 7 days left Leave a rating/comment#PaintingBack to ArticlesSHARE resembling a sea of clouds.Photo: Tsuyama City Tourism Association Okayama Prefecture is located in the Chugoku region of western Honshu lies Tsuyama Castle in the heart of Tsuyama City As one of western Japan’s premier cherry blossom spots A member of the Tsuyama City Tourism Association spoke with us to highlight its charm A castle built on a hill in a plain is called a hirayama-jiro. Tsuyama Castle is considered one of the three great hirayama castles due to its grandeur and historical significance by enthusiasts etc., alongside Himeji Castle (Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture; See Enjoy The Magnificent View of the World Heritage Site Himeji Castle and Cherry Blossoms in Harmony) and Matsuyama Castle (Matsuyama City with approximately 1,000 trees in full bloom is approximately a two-and-a-half-hour journey by Shinkansen and local train from Osaka City it takes about a 10-minute walk to reach the castle KISHIMOTO Shogo from the Tsuyama City Tourism Association shares the following: “Construction of Tsuyama Castle was started by MORI Tadamasa1 in 1604 and completed in 1616 Tadamasa was the younger brother of MORI Ranmaru a prominent retainer of the famous warlord ODA Nobunaga The castle is known for its magnificent stone walls which stretch about 45 meters in length and rise to heights of 7 to 13 meters were dismantled during the Meiji period (from 1868 to 1912) to commemorate the 400th anniversary of its construction the castle site has been developed into Kakuzan Park and approximately 1,000 cherry trees are planted there The view of the cherry blossoms from the main keep is particularly beautiful and is often described as resembling a sea of clouds This is due to the way the blossoms cover the massive stone walls The cherry blossoms at Tsuyama Castle include varieties such as the Somei-Yoshino the single-petaled pink flowers of Jindai-Akebono the double-petaled pale greenish-yellow flowers of Ukon-zakura and the white flowers of the native Japanese species These blossoms vividly color the castle’s landscape with the arrival of spring The peak bloom season typically occurs from late March to mid-April yellow canola flowers3 bloom in certain areas creating a beautiful contrast with the cherry blossoms making it a popular spot for foreign tourists to enjoy photography “The Tsuyama Cherry Blossom Festival is held annually in line the cherry blossoms’ bloom and various dance events,” says KISHIMOTO “The illuminated cherry blossoms at night are also enchanting offering a different atmosphere compared to the daytime.” Come and experience the beautiful cherry blossoms in full bloom alongside the historic Tsuyama Castle—an exclusive spring spectacle By TANAKA NozomiPhoto: Tsuyama City Tourism Association; PIXTA If you have any feedback or comments on this content please enter them in the space provided below Your valuable feedback and commnents will be referenced for our future operations Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter for receiving monthly updates You will be redirected to an external website Would you like to proceed?If you wish to continue Okayama — Cherry trees are in full bloom in Tsuyama City’s Kakuzan Park (the ruins of Tsuyama castle) and onlookers are enjoying the spectacle of the cherry trees and stone walls of the castle 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 According to the city’s tourism association the park’s 1000 cherry trees began to bloom at the end of last month in the main citadel can be seen floating among the blooming cherry blossoms The spectacular view can be enjoyed until around the weekend visiting with her husband from Hiroshima City “The view of the cherry blossoms seen layered on the stone walls is wonderful It’s as if spring has come all at once The Tsuyama Sakura Matsuri festival is being held at the park through Sunday Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Witness the Japanese countryside in a unique way as a backdrop to art pieces by world-renowned artists be it mountain-rich natural landscapes or artistic crafts that have evolved and developed over literal centuries These two components of the Japanese visual identity not only coexist but strongly influence each other with Japanese artistry embracing natural motifs and elements.  Japan is no stranger to displaying man-made creative expression against a natural backdrop with famous art island attractions like Naoshima and Teshima being flocked to by appreciators of the arts from all over the world.  Okayama is a prefecture in the heart of Japan located in the Chugoku region just west of the venerable Kansai This is a relatively rural prefecture with an abundance of shrines and temples along with some of the most distinct architecture throughout Japan in its more populated areas Okayama perfectly encapsulates the many aesthetics of Japan The prefecture can be accessed via train from major nearby locations like Osaka and Kyoto, as well as from other parts of Kansai, thanks to regional pass options like the Kansai Wide Area Pass and the Kansai Hiroshima JR Pass the exhibition utilizes the natural environments of Okayama Prefecture as a backdrop for outdoor art pieces and the rich environment of the area serves this purpose perfectly  With an ideal climate and an abundance of resources and foodstuffs they are a hub for flourishing life and community looks to present art with a “symbiotic relationship with the landscape.” Indeed well-known natural and local landmarks throughout the region will are host to art installations.  These include the Makido and Ikurado Caves in Nimi City art installations are available for viewing at a number of sites in more residential and urban areas the Katsuyama Historical Preservation Site and the Sakushu Folk Craft Museum will all have installations as well.  The festival’s art director and head curator is Yuko Hasegawa she is well-known in Japan’s art community for her varying creative roles including that of director for the acclaimed 21st Century Contemporary Art Museum in Kanazawa as well as being a Professor Emeritus of Tokyo University of the Arts But aside from her many contributions and roles in her home country Hasegawa’s influence and reach extend to the international stage with curation experience for projects in Istanbul A majority of the 39 featured creators are Japanese such as abstract painter Shiori Higashiyama famous for his utilization of postage stamps in his work artist Shiro Takatani has created an installation that serves as a posthumous work by the famous Ryuichi Sakamoto a member of the highly influential Japanese electronic band Yellow Magic Orchestra A video of roaring water with the audio of his performance in the background stands behind a collection of flowing wires standing in rippling water.  This period of time is characterized by autumn in Okayama when temperatures are mild and the natural foliage of the area converts to beautiful shades of gold and crimson making it ideal for exploring around the area day-of passports will cost 3,000 yen for adults and then 2,000 yen for students High school students and younger are granted free access to all venues throughout the festival period For those only wanting to see specific installations onsite venue tickets can be purchased as well.  Getting between each venue is part of the experience for the Forest Festival of the Arts offering great opportunities to explore the greater northern Okayama area while anticipating each installation venue Doing so is best with a combination of JR trains and buses in the area The Kansai Hiroshima Pass allows for unlimited transit with these JR trains and buses throughout the greater Kansai and West Japan areas The Okayama Forest Festival of the Arts designated "Art Loop Bus," departs from Tsuyama Station and goes around to different venues through northern Okayama Every ride on this bus costs 500 yen and only takes cashless payment each venue will be most freely accessed with a car which visitors to Japan can rent if needed making it an ideal journey for those already holding passes.  See a list of art installation venues:  VENUES FOR THE OKAYAMA FOREST FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS Tsuyama CitySakushu Folk Crafts MuseumShurakuen GardenJosai Romance HallJoto's Old TownhousesFormer Tsuyama International Hotel siteTsuyama Wonder MuseumTsuyama Castle (Kakuzan Park)Tsuyama Railroad Educational MuseumPORT ART＆DESIGN TSUYAMAGreen Hills Tsuyama area Tsuyama CityGreen Hills TsuyamaArea in the vicinity of Nagi MOCA Nagi TownSymbol RoadSpark Nagi Indoor Gateball FieldNagi MOCAMakido Cave Niimi CityIkurado CaveFureai Center MakiMakido CaveManabi no Mori Niimi Library (Sub - Venue）Hiruzen area Maniwa CityGREENable HIRUZENKatsuyama Historical Preservation District Kagamino TownOkutsukei ValleyOkutsu Promotion Center Togiyacho Rent a house in Okayama 173m² 8 travelers WIFI Discover our Houses in Okayama (2)All the themes of the city Nightlife in Japan: Going out, seeing and drinking Temples and shrines in Japan Markets in Japan Onsen, Hot Springs and Public Baths Family Travel Parks and Gardens Outdoor Activities Museums and Galleries View more Sign up and be the first to hear our news and special offers a must-see open-air art festival in West Japan!","entityTaxonomy":{"content_category":{"1":"All about Japan"}},"userUid":0}); Location Please select your country on the list below: Japanese center using Raystation treatment planning with Mitsubishi Electric proton therapy system for pencil beam scanning 2018 — Tsuyama Chuo Hospital in Okayama Prefecture has commenced clinical use of RayStation to plan pencil beam scanning (PBS) treatments at its Proton Beam Cancer Center the center carried out the world’s first patient treatment using RayStation together with Mitsubishi Electric’s proton therapy system The proton center opened in 2016 and is run jointly with Okayama University It is equipped with Mitsubishi Electric’s proton therapy system which supports both PBS and uniform scanning (US) Tsuyama Chuo Hospital has also expressed an interest in starting PBS treatments using multi-leaf collimator (MLC) following market clearance of Mitsubishi Electric’s MLC technique by Japanese authorities medical physicist at Tsuyama Chuo Proton Beam Center "We are very pleased to have started PBS treatment safely using RayStation 6 we would like to establish comprehensive treatment combining PBS US and photons with high-precision RayStation features such as multi-criteria optimization and deformable image registration." says: “We are delighted by this first clinical treatment with RayStation at Tsuyama Chuo Hospital Proton therapy is a key focus area for RaySearch and our goal for RayStation is to support as many treatment delivery platforms as possible I look forward to a long and successful clinical cooperation.” Tsuyama Chuo Hospital opened in 1951 and was the first general hospital in northern Okayama Prefecture The Proton Beam Cancer Center opened in 2016 and is jointly operated with Okayama University Hospital Both organizations have central roles in proton beam therapy clinical research and education at the new facility RayStation integrates all RaySearch’s advanced treatment planning solutions into a flexible treatment planning system It combines features such as multi-criteria optimization tools with full support for 4-D adaptive radiation therapy It also includes functionality such as RaySearch’s algorithms for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) optimization and highly accurate dose engines for photon The system is built on the latest software architecture and features a graphical user interface with state-of-the-art usability For more information: www.raysearchlabs.com 2024 — Researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have demonstrated that adding .. 2024 — In a head-to-head comparison with FDG PET/CT FDG PET/MRI demonstrated comparable or superior diagnostic .. News emerging from several leading organizations and vendors in the radiation therapy arena came in at a fast pace in .. 2024 — The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) issued the following statement from Jeff M .. 2024 — Insights from the latest Mordor Intelligence report “Radiotherapy Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth .. a leading radiopharmaceutical-focused company committed to enabling clinicians .. 2024 — The American Society of Radiologic Technologists has launched the BeRAD Professionalism Award to .. 2024 — A new editorial paper was published in Oncoscience (Volume 11) on May 20 2024 — RaySearch Laboratories AB announced a milestone in radiotherapy technology where RaySearch’s RayStation .. 2024 — The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) published an updated clinical guideline that details .. See All Videos See All Blogs See All Comparison Charts To learn more about Tsuyama Furniture, visit tsuyamafurniture.com Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond she's likely sharing her favorite finds with others Kelly can also be found tracking down new music or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe FiiO'S sub-brand Snowsky has launched the Retro Nano user-friendly vinyl flattening machine that restores warped records to their original shape using precision heat technology Zaha Hadid Architects transforms public transit at the KAFD Metro Station in Riyadh with futuristic architecture Full of natural materials and respect for modern Swedish design the STOCKHOLM 2025 collection from IKEA debuts 96 new pieces You’ll always hear it from Design Milk first Our passion is discovering and highlighting emerging talent and we’re energized by and for our community of like-minded design lovers — like you Tsuyama Castle was a casualty of an 1873 government ordinance for feudal castles to be torn down A watchtower (Bitchū yagura) was restored in 2004 in commemoration of the castle’s 400th anniversary It is now open to the public and provides a magnificent view of the cherry blossoms Sakura 100: Japan’s Best Blossoms Banner photo © Okayama Prefectural Tourism Federation.) Japanese boxer Nao Tsuyama may look like any other fighter training for a match hitting the punching bag and shadow-boxing But the camera pans out and the audience sees him with a prosthetic leg This is a scene from "Gensan Punch," a film inspired by the real story of Naozumi Tsuchiyama a now retired boxer who moved to the Philippines in 2005 after Japan's boxing rules banned him from going pro due to his physical disability directed by award-winning Filipino filmmaker Brillante Mendoza was shown during this year's Tokyo International Film Festival It follows the story of the fictional Nao Tsuyama as he defies the odds by earning a professional boxing license backed by his Filipino coach and teammates in Gensan Gensan is an abbreviation for General Santos City in the Philippines it is known as the city where world-renowned Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao held his training camp "The protagonist was not able to achieve his dream of becoming a professional boxer because of the limitations and restrictions in his country but there was a realization about his ambition." "It is a reminder for all of us to accept whatever situation that we have especially in situations we cannot do something about and to really empower ourselves," he said Japan's boxing body will not sanction Nao's professional boxing license he heads to the Philippines where he is given a chance to become a pro if he can win three consecutive bouts Tsuchiyama was also rejected due to Japan Boxing Commission regulations eventually winning a 2006 match that allowed him to obtain a pro boxing license -- making him the only Japanese boxer with a prosthetic leg to turn pro The idea of the movie was first suggested by Okinawa-born actor Shogen who plays the boxer and was already a friend of Tsuchiyama off-screen and aware of his inspirational story the film is scheduled to hit theaters in Japan next year which explores the boxer's pride as a fighter and the family-like camaraderie of the boxers at the gym Passion is also what brought Shogen to Mendoza who has won several film accolades overseas Mendoza worked with Japanese actors using a unique non-scripted method But Mendoza made sure his first jab in the sports genre was not too focused on boxing itself "I wanted to focus more on (Nao's) journey as a disabled boxer." And the real-life journey of Tsuchiyama was arduous who hung up his gloves in 2015 without ever being able to officially compete in an official match in Japan said at a press conference during the Tokyo film festival that he was humbled to see his life as a boxer onscreen despite not having "a belt or any outstanding achievement" to speak of "I wanted to lead a life of passion and boxing gave that to me," Tsuchiyama said 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 Tsuyama Chuo Hospital in Okayama Prefecture the center carried out the world’s first patient treatment using RayStation together with Mitsubishi Electric’s proton therapy system It is equipped with Mitsubishi Electric’s proton therapy system following market clearance of Mitsubishi Electric’s MLC technique by Japanese authorities Medical Physicist at Tsuyama Chuo Proton Beam Center says: "We are very pleased to have started PBS treatment safely using RayStation 6 says: “We are delighted by this first clinical treatment with RayStation at Tsuyama Chuo Hospital I look forward to a long and successful clinical cooperation.” The hospital opened in 1951 and was the first general hospital in northern Okayama Prefecture RayStation integrates all RaySearch’s advanced treatment planning solutions into a flexible treatment planning system It combines unique features such as multi-criteria optimization tools with full support for 4D adaptive radiation therapy It also includes functionality such as RaySearch’s market-leading algorithms for IMRT and VMAT optimization and highly accurate dose engines for photon RaySearch Laboratories AB (publ) is a medical technology company that develops innovative software solutions for improved cancer treatment RaySearch markets the RayStation treatment planning system to clinics all over the world and distributes products through licensing agreements with leading medical technology companies The company has recentley launched the next-generation oncology information system which comprises a new product area for RaySearch RaySearch’s software is used by over 2,600 clinics in more than 65 countries The company was founded in 2000 as a spin-off from Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and the share has been listed on Nasdaq Stockholm since 2003 * Subject to regulatory clearance in some markets johan.lof@raysearchlabs.com  The dates displayed for an article provide information on when various publication milestones were reached at the journal that has published the article activities on preceding journals at which the article was previously under consideration are not shown (for instance submission Forest Ecology and ManagementCitation Excerpt :Suboptimal temperatures disrupt various physiological processes in plants resulting in reduced water-absorbing capacity and deactivation of metabolic pathways (Lukatkin et al. Plant responses to climate stress play a pivotal role in determining forest tree mortality and distribution (Allen et al. which have significant implications for sustainable forest management Tree mortality can influence stand productivity and ongoing research is investigating the relationship between climate change and productivity All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. A Japanese court on Wednesday recognized a transgender man's petition to legally change his gender without having first undergone sterilization after the country's top court ruled the requirement unconstitutional in October welcomed the ruling from the Okayama Family Court's Tsuyama Branch as "profoundly moving." It is likely to be followed by more from other family courts deliberating over similar circumstances The petition lodged in December was Usui's second after his first was rejected in 2016 because he had not undergone sterilization The latest decision comes after the Supreme Court ruled that a provision effectively requiring the removal of a person's reproductive capacity to officially change their gender is unconstitutional But while the top court did issue a ruling on sterilization surgery it also requested that a high court re-evaluate the requirement that a person's genitals must conform in appearance with those of the gender they identify with The Okayama court judged that the man fulfilled the appearance criterion the same conclusion it reached in his first petition due to factors including his having undergone hormone therapy where he lives with his 46-year-old partner and her son the pair will be able to fulfill their long-held wish to marry I feel a new life is beginning," Usui said in a press conference after the decision Usui was assigned as female at birth and has said that he felt uncomfortable being treated as such from a young age he was diagnosed with gender identity disorder Usui told reporters the latest outcome "left me feeling society has changed" and that he is "moved by the progress that has been made." with Usui's lawyer saying during the press conference that the judgment was the first of its kind they were aware of Japan's law on gender dysphoria stipulated six conditions to register as a different sex an individual must be at least 18 years old have a diagnosis of gender dysphoria from at least two physicians and must have genitals that resemble those of the gender to which the person identifies 11,919 people successfully switched genders on the family registry between 2004 and 2022 the World Health Organization called for the elimination of forced and involuntary sterilization transgender people are made to undergo sterilization to obtain documents that reflect their gender identity Japan firm nixes translation of U.S. book questioning trans surgery Japan hospital denies LGBT woman support for IVF pregnancy FOCUS:Japan faces hurdle to changing law after transgender surgery decision A man serving a life sentence for killing a girl in western Japan two decades ago was arrested on Thursday for an alleged stabbing in 2006 while hinting at his involvement in the high-profile murder of a different girl the following year potentially signals a new phase in the investigation over the fatal stabbing of a 7-year-old girl which local police have been struggling to solve Katsuta was handed an indefinite prison term by the Okayama District Court in 2022 for stabbing 9-year-old Yukiko Tsutsushio to death in Tsuyama Okayama Prefecture neighboring Hyogo in 2004 His possible involvement in other attacks targeting girls emerged as investigators continued questioning him while he was behind bars Katsuta was arrested for allegedly attempting to kill a girl in 2006 by stabbing her in the chest on a street in Tatsuno She was attacked on her way home from a cram school and security camera footage near the site showed a man carrying a backpack fleeing the scene the second-grade elementary school pupil was stabbed in her chest and stomach in front of her house after returning from a nearby park At the time of his arrest in the Tsuyama case in 2018 Katsuta was already serving time for stabbing a female junior high school student in Himeji He had also previously faced allegations of random attacks on other girls in the same prefecture 1986 Japan murder case to reopen as prosecutors give up appeal Young man dead after being found naked and bruised in Hokkaido park Tokyo couple face new murder charge after arrest over 2 kin deaths Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report Okayama Prefecture--A grandmother arrested in connection with the death of her 2-year-old grandson told police she had simply forgotten the boy was in her car on the searingly hot day in question was accused of negligence resulting in death for leaving the child unattended in the vehicle for about nine hours while she went to work 10 following her arrest by officers of the Tsuyama Police Station Police said 2-year-old Haruto Mese was left in the car between roughly 8:15 a.m The car was parked in the lot of the hospital where Shibata works Police will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death Shibata was supposed to have taken her grandson to a day care center on behalf of her oldest daughter but after picking the boy up from her daughter’s home she drove directly to the hospital instead Shibata only realized her grandson was still in the back seat of her car after she had finished work for the day He did not respond when she found him and a colleague called the emergency number The parking lot has no roof and the high temperature in Tsuyama on Sept Sisters 3 and 6 die of apparent heatstroke after 16 hours in car Man rearrested on suspicion of helping girl commit suicide Creator of ‘cyber onsen madam’ in Oita missing after heavy rains　 Missing Tokyo girl found dead in central Japan; couple arrested Hundreds of drivers stuck by heavy snow on Niigata freeway 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 Okayama Prefecture--It might not be to everyone’s taste but chocolate based on a recipe from the Edo Period (1603-1867) is now on sale in Japan The brainchild of an enterprising tourist promotion organization here The unusual offering was inspired by cooking instructions translated into Japanese during feudal times by Udagawa Yoan (1798-1846) a doctor and scholar of Western studies working for the Tsuyama Domain (present-day Okayama Prefecture in southwestern Japan) “We cooked it exactly as the recipe said to make it as authentic as possible to replicate the taste associated with Tsuyama but I have to say it was less than delicious,” said Mikie Kobayashi a Tsuyama City Tourist Agency official who was involved in the one-year project to develop the product The cooking method was originally contained in a household encyclopedia published in France The instructions on how to cook “chocolade” are included in “Kosei Shinpen,” a Japanese translation of the Dutch version of the French encyclopedia Its ingredients include bitter cardamom as well as cinnamon and clove which give the finished product more of a medicinal taste than a traditional sweet Kobayashi kept tinkering with the recipe while basically adhering to the original ingredients and ended up including more cacao butter for the final solid version Her take on chocolate produced in Japan more than a century and a half ago A bag containing eight pieces of Youan Chocolat sells for 650 yen ($5) and is available at the Tsuyama tourism center and elsewhere Student creates chocolate for patients with mouth blisters Japanese college student fights to get Ghana cacao farmers fair deal Students ‘space food’ mackerel lands on plates back on Earth Starbucks to sell special local Frappuccinos in each prefecture Chocolate giant scoops up Kyoto-based Dari K Metrics details To investigate the effects of radiation exposure due to the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident following the disaster Fukushima Prefecture launched thyroid ultrasound examinations of residents who were generally younger than 18 years at the time of the earthquake As the rate of pediatric thyroid cancer was higher than expected we conducted biological dose assessment based on the frequency of translocated chromosome (Tr) aberrations using peripheral blood lymphocytes Tr formation frequency was compared among the thyroid cancer (n = 38 Tr aberration frequency was initially significantly higher in the thyroid cancer than in the other two groups; however differences among the groups disappeared after adjusting for history of CT scan the significant difference in the initial number of Tr formations is presumably due to radiation exposure from CT the effects of medical exposure on the chromosomes of children and adolescents should be noted we analyzed the number of Tr formations among patients with thyroid cancer patients with thyroid-related disease (non-thyroid cancer) and healthy individuals of the same age as control in FP with the aim of elucidating whether the occurrence of thyroid cancers detected in the TUE program is related to radiation exposure Comparison of age-adjusted translocated chromosome (Tr) frequency (per 100 cells) among three groups: thyroid cancer thyroid-related disease (non-thyroid cancer) Significant difference was found between the thyroid cancer and thyroid-related disease groups (p = 0.0124) and between the thyroid cancer and control groups (p = 0.0037) but not between the thyroid-related disease and control groups (p = 0.7035) The top of the box indicates the position of 75% and the bottom the 25% of the inter-quartile range the horizontal line inside the box indicates the median value the line above the vertical line is the largest value indicating [the top of the box + inter-quartile range × 1.5] and the line below the vertical line is the smallest value indicating [the bottom of the box + inter-quartile range × 1.5] a comparison of age-adjusted Tr aberration frequency among the three groups of thyroid cancer patients thyroid-related disease (non-thyroid cancer) patients and the controls revealed a slight increase in age-adjusted Tr formation in patients with thyroid cancer but the difference was not significant after adjusting for sex and a history of CT examinations These findings suggest that CT examinations performed prior to treatment may have affected Tr formation in patients with thyroid cancer We also compared Tr frequency before age-adjustment among the same three groups as above, and similar results were obtained (Supplementary Fig. S3) there are age-related differences in the Tr formation even in healthy subjects which accordingly suggests that a dose–response curve for at least every 10 years might be necessary it is difficult to determine radiation exposure below 100 mSv based on the number of Tr formations 22.8 ± 9.4 mSv (n = 4) for CT of the chest and 54.5 ± 7.9 mSv (n = 3) for CT from the chest to pelvis the effective dose for the head using the same CT equipment as above was approximately 1.8 mSv for a standard Japanese body type of adult Although WAZA-ARI could have been used to estimate past exposure doses based on the specific detailed of each CT scanning site in the present study we did not consider differences in the number of CT examinations or CT scanning sites for the following reasons: (1) CT equipment differed between facilities; (2) some thyroid cancer and non-thyroid cancer patients had multiple CT examinations; (3) effective dose of head CT which was more frequently performed in the control subjects is lower than those for other CT scanning sites by WAZA-ARI; and (4) estimation of radiation exposure dose below 100 mSv based on the number of Tr formation is difficult If the initial higher Tr aberration frequency in the thyroid cancer group had been caused by radiation exposure from the nuclear power plant accident then the frequency should have remained significantly higher in that group even after adjusting for a history of CT examination the significant difference among the three groups disappeared after adjusting for a history of CT examination the subjects in this study were younger than 30 years of age and the effect of confounding factors is considered small we consider the CT examinations to have the greatest impact on the occurrence of chromosomal translocations we consider that radiation exposure by CT examination is the most likely cause of the increased Tr aberration frequency The results of this study support the claim that the occurrence of pediatric thyroid cancer in FP was not caused by radiation exposure due to the nuclear accident The study had a 5-year observation period after the CT examination to rule out latent cancer at the time of the CT scan and it is of interest that the excess relative risk (ERR) of brain tumor was highest in 5 to > 10 years and lowest in \(\ge \) 15 years since the exposure it is important to minimize medical exposures from such as CT examination the analysis of Tr aberration frequency using PB lymphocytes supports the claim that there was no evidence of additional exposure without CT examinations in pediatric thyroid cancer patients compared with the control it should be noted that medical exposure from CT scans in children and adolescents can affect chromosomes or genes 40 patients with thyroid cancer were enrolled but one was excluded because of a history of radiotherapy and chemotherapy for a brain tumor Another one patient was excluded because the patient was found outside of FP and was unrelated to the TUE program in FP we enrolled 32 healthy students over 20 years of age from Fukushima Medical University but one patient with a history of CT examination was excluded because of a history of surgery for a cervical tumor in childhood Age information is not included in those tables to protect individual information Mononuclear blood cells were isolated from heparinized PBs using BD Vacutainer CPT tubes (BD Biosciences USA) according to the manufacturer’s instructions Cells were suspended in RPMI 1640 medium (Nacalai Tesque Japan) containing 20% fetal bovine serum (Equitech Bio and 60 μg/mL of kanamycin solution (Life Technologies Lymphocytes were cultured in a 5% humidified CO2 incubator at 37 °C for 48 h First-division metaphase cells were obtained by treating the culture with colcemid (final concentration colcemid was added for the last 24 h to prevent overcontraction the cell pellets were suspended in 1–2 mL of fixative One drop (around 20 μL) of the suspension was dispensed onto a slide and spread on a water bath Each slide was first dried at 65 °C for at least 1 h for hardening 6–7 μL of a Customized XCP-Mix probe (Mix-#1R-#2G-#4RG; MetaSystems Germany) solution was applied per 22 × 22-mm area and the slide was covered with a glass coverslip and sealed with paper bond Subsequent operations were carried out according to the manufacturer’s instructions Nuclear DNA was denatured by incubating the slides on a hot plate at 75 °C for 2 min followed by incubation overnight at 37 °C in a humidified chamber to allow for hybridization The glass coverslips were removed and the slides were washed in 0.4 × SSC at 72 °C for 2 min the slides were then washed in 2 × SSC/0.05% Tween-20 at room temperature (RT) for 30 s the slides were briefly rinsed in distilled water to avoid crystal formation and then air dried at RT nuclei were counterstained with Vectashield Mounting Medium containing DAPI (Vector and the slides were covered with a glass coverslip and sealed with nail polish experienced observer blinded to information of the subjects’ backgrounds an NCJ of 1 or 2 indicates one translocation an NCJ of 3 or 4 indicates two translocations an NCJ of 5 or 6 indicates three translocations the formula used to calculate the frequency of translocations across the whole genome (FG) was based on the following formula Fp: the translocation frequency detected by FISH taking into account the sex of the subject (female: fp = 0.2234 The proportion of the genome occupied by chromosomes 1 FG is determined by the following formula: differences in age-adjusted Tr aberration frequency between those with and without a history of CT examination and between men and women were analyzed by Student's t-test Differences in age-adjusted Tr aberration frequency among patients with thyroid cancer differences between groups were compared by Tukey's test Because a history of CT examination affected the age-adjusted Tr frequency we made the same comparisons only among those with a history of CT scan differences in age-adjusted Tr aberration frequency among patients with thyroid cancer and controls were compared by ANCOVA after adjusting for sex and history of CT examination USA) was employed for all statistical analyses with two-tailed probability values for the statistical tests P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due [Even in Fukushima Prefecture the number of thyroid cancer patients is limited and there is a risk that individuals could be identified some patients have legal battles with the Fukushima nuclear power plant company] but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request Cancer consequences of the Chernobyl accident: 20 years The Chernobyl accident and its consequences United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) Reports A comprehensive review of the progress and evaluation of the thyroid ultrasound examination program National Cancer Center, Epidemiology and Prevention Division. Cancer prediction (2015–2039). https://ganjoho.jp/data/reg_stat/statistics/dl/cancer_prediction (2015–2039).xlsx Childhood and adolescent thyroid cancer in Fukushima after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident: 5 years Comparison of childhood thyroid cancer prevalence among 3 areas based on external radiation dose after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident: The Fukushima health management survey Associations between childhood thyroid cancer and external radiation dose after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident and risk of childhood thyroid cancer after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident: The Fukushima health management survey Nested matched case control study for the Japan Fukushima Health Management Survey's first full-scale (second-round) thyroid examination Comparative analysis of the growth pattern of thyroid cancer in young patients screened by ultrasonography in Japan after a nuclear accident: The Fukushima health management survey Incidence of thyroid cancer among children and young adults in Fukushima screened with 2 rounds of ultrasonography within 5 years of the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station accident 19th Thyroid Examination Evaluation Subcommittee 1 August at Fukushima City (2022) [in Japanese] Cytogenetic dosimetry: Applications in Preparedness for and Response to Radiation Emergencies Dose-response curves for analyzing of dicentric chromosomes and chromosome translocation following doses of 1000 mGy or less based on irradiated peripheral blood samples from 5 healthy individuals Increase in dicentric chromosome formation after a single CT scan in adults Investigation of the cumulative number of chromosome aberrations induced by three consecutive CT examinations in eight patients Analysis of chromosome translocation frequency after a single CT scan in adult Study protocol for the Fukushima health management survey Comparison of the yields of translocations and dicentrics measured using conventional Giemsa staining and chromosome painting Preferential reduction of dicentrics in reciprocal exchanges due to the combination of the size of broken chromosome segments by radiation The latest update on individual external doses in an early stage after the Fukushima nuclear accident External doses available for epidemiological studies related to the Fukushima health management survey: First 4-month individual doses and municipality-average doses for the first year Signatures of mutational processes in human cancer BRAF(V600E) mutation is highly prevalent in thyroid carcinomas in the young population in Fukushima: A different oncogenic profile from Chernobyl Identification of three novel fusion oncogenes in thyroid cancers of young patients in Fukushima WAZA-ARI: computational dosimetry system for X-ray CT examinations Radiation transport calculation for organ and tissue doses evaluation using JM phantom WAZA-ARI: computational dosimetry system for X-ray CT examinations II: Development of web-based system Development of a web-based CT dose calculator: WAZA-ARI Representativeness of individual external doses estimated for one quarter of residents in the Fukushima Prefecture after the nuclear disaster: The Fukushima Health Management Survey Radiation exposure from CT scans in childhood and subsequent risk of leukaemia and brain tumours: A retrospective cohort study Cancer risk in 680,000 people exposed to computed tomography scans in childhood or adolescence: data linkage study of 11 million Australians Are the studies on cancer risk from CT scans biased by indication Elements of answer from a large-scale cohort study in France Brain cancer after radiation exposure from CT examinations of children and young adults: Results from the EPI-CT cohort study International guidelines for ethical review of epidemiological studies Distinct diagnostic criteria for ultrasonographic examination of papillary thyroid carcinoma: A multicenter study Ultrasound diagnostic criteria for thyroid nodule Cytogenetic Analysis for Radiation Dose Assessment: A Manual Detection of stable chromosome aberrations by FISH in A-bomb survivors: comparison with previous solid Giemsa staining data on the same 230 individuals International study of factors affecting human chromosome translocations Download references This work was supported in part by a Grant for Strategic Research Promotion of Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine and Network-type Joint Usage/Research Center for Radiation Disaster Medical Science Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine Naohiro Tsuyama & Misaki Sugai-Takahashi Fukushima Medical University School of Health Sciences Department of Radiation Physics and Chemistry and M.ST.; writing—original draft and editing The authors declare no competing interests Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41501-x Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science President and Chief Executive Officer: Kenichi Hori) together with Veolia Japan K.K President: Guillaume Dourdin) and Seven & i Holdings Co.,Ltd President: Ryuichi Isaka) will build its plant in Tsuyama City Its recycled PET resin production capacity is approx Circular Pet was established with an aim to develop a circular business model whereby used PET bottles are collected and recycled as raw materials for producing PET bottles the three companies will further reduce their environmental impact and aim to create a circular economy society to ensure a richer global environment for future generations Establish a foundation for sustainable and stable supply Cultivate societies that respect human rights Empower our people to build brighter futures COPYRIGHT © 1996-2025 MITSUI & CO. A convicted murderer of a young girl has claimed responsibility for a second killing and a stabbing attack against another girl two crimes that have gone unsolved for nearly two decades The 45-year-old man was arrested in May 2018 on suspicion of murdering a 9-year-old girl in Tsuyama The Supreme Court finalized the man’s life sentence in September 2023 admitted to stabbing a fourth-grade girl in Tatsuno She suffered serious injuries in the 6:20 p.m Hyogo prefectural police are moving to arrest the man on suspicion of attempted murder Police released security camera footage in September 2024 of a man fleeing the scene They called on the public to provide any information Investigators are also looking into the reliability of statements made by the convict about his involvement in the unsolved fatal stabbing of Yuzuki Unose Police said they are being careful about their investigation into the man’s statements because of other stabbings of young girls in Hyogo Prefecture The convict was arrested for the Tsuyama murder while he was behind bars He was doing time for attempting to murder a 14-year-old junior high school girl who was stabbed in Himeji (This article was written by Natsu Miyasaka and Kenji Oda.) said Shibuya stabbing was a dry run for killing her family Teen held in Shibuya stabbing said she hoped to get death penalty 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 Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) 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. Osaka When it comes to cherry blossoms, tourists often flock to popular destinations like Tokyo and Kyoto. Meanwhile, Okayama prefecture offers a calmer alternative, particularly if you're looking to combine cherry blossom viewing with art at nearby Naoshima island With the city of Okayama serving as a major gateway to Naoshima the prefecture is an ideal base for both nature and art According to the latest cherry blossom forecast (as of March 21) Okayama's cherry blossoms are expected to flower on March 31 and reach full bloom on April 7 here are five of the prefecture's most popular cherry blossom spots Renowned as one of the country’s three most beautiful Japanese gardens, Okayama Korakuen is a must-see spot for cherry blossoms in Okayama city The garden features around 280 sakura trees the yaebeni-shidare has delicate double-layered petals blooming on graceful Nearby Korakuen is Asahikawa Sakuramichi, where you'll find around 250 somei-yoshino cherry trees lining a 1km stretch on the east bank of Asahikawa River. The Okayama Sakura Carnival (March 28-April 6 10am-9pm) held here is the liveliest cherry blossom festival in Okayama city as it features a variety of food and drink stalls when the cherry blossoms are illuminated with lanterns and floodlights from sundown until 9pm Tsuyama Castle, along with the surrounding Kakuzan Park, is counted as one of Japan's top 100 cherry blossom spots. It offers a stunning view of 1,000 blooming somei-yoshino trees set against the historic castle. The best vantage point is from the main citadel, where a sea of pink flowers unfolds at peak bloom. Here, the Tsuyama Cherry Blossom Festival takes place from March 29 to April 13 One of Japan’s grand dame cherry trees, the city of Maniwa's Daigozakura is estimated to be around 1,000 years old which is why it has been designated a natural monument of Okayama prefecture This majestic tree stands 18 metres tall with a base circumference of 9 metres From March 28 until the end of the flowering period food stalls will be set up from 9am to 9pm visit at night when the tree glows with illumination from 6.30pm to 9pm The sakura trees in this historic post town were planted in 1906 around 133 somei-yoshino trees create a breathtaking 500m-long tunnel of cherry blossoms come spring Take the time to also explore the nearby streets of the old Izumo Kaido route that once connected the city of Izumo with Kyoto and Edo (former Tokyo) The annual Gaisen Cherry Blossom Festival will return from April 5 to 13 with a special illumination (6.30pm-9pm) taking place for just three days during peak bloom These restaurants, cafés and bars are coming to Time Out Market Osaka Panasonic’s pavilion at Osaka Expo will showcase cool new immersive technology Time Out Osaka launch issue out now: The city on a plate Experience the future of sweets at Theo’s Cafe by Juchheim at Osaka Expo 2025 Dive into the otherworldly with Mika Ninagawa's exhibition at Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! twittertiktokAbout us Contact us Tokyo It’s been eight years in the making, but now Brillante Mendoza’s international boxing film ‘Gensan Punch’ is finally set to hit Japanese cinemas for the first time – and boy this trilingual film centres on an aspiring Japanese boxer who when denied a boxing licence in Japan because of his prosthetic leg decides to kickstart his boxing career in the Philippines Model-turned-actor Shogen ('Street Fighter: Assasin' who moves from his hometown of Okinawa to the city of General Santos (GenSan) in the Philippines in a bid to find a boxing gym and acquire a professional boxing licence.  When Nao arrives in the Philippines, his coach (Ronnie Lazaro) and fellow boxers at the Gensan Punch gym barely give his prosthetic leg a second glance No one looks at him disapprovingly when Nao steps into the ring for the first of three fights required to obtain a licence and the health certificate he needs is signed by a Filipino doctor without hesitation Nao’s relief at this reception is palpable – the disability that held him back in Japan is suddenly negligible in the boxing rings of GenSan.  who first pitched the film to producer Takahiro Yamashita ('Smokin' on the Moon') in the early days of its conception described it as an adaptation of the life story of his longtime friend Naozumi Tsuchiyama with some elements taken from his own life While the real-life Tsuchiyama grew up in Nagasaki Nao in ‘Gensan Punch’ is from Okinawa ‘Gensan Punch’ is primarily in English with bits of dialogue in Japanese and Tagalog ‘Gensan Punch’ is overall light on the dialogue with a significant amount of weight put on unspoken interactions between the characters.  Beyond the theme of endurance and determination to break barriers it’s the interpersonal relationships in this film that make it such a joy to watch Shogen spent six months in the Philippines with his fellow cast members before filming took place something that Mendoza insisted on in order to make certain scenes in the film as authentic as possible which on any other set would have involved a stunt coordinator Shogen was left to improvise with professional boxers on the day of filming – not all of those cuts and bruises are entirely down to movie magic ‘Gensan Punch’ is not your typical story of blood and triumph but that’s just what makes it such a gem.  ‘Gensan Punch’ will open on May 27 in cinemas in Okinawa and from June 3 in Tokyo cinemas. Not in Japan? You can stream the title on HBO Asia now.  Survey: tell us what living in Tokyo is really like for you The first Time Out Market in Asia is opening in Osaka ahead of World Expo 2025 New Trunk Hotel in Shibuya will have an infinity pool over Yoyogi Park A gigantic Ultraman has appeared in Asakusa Happy anniversary Tokyo Skytree: the iconic tower turns 10 this month Want 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 KOBE—Hyogo prefectural police arrested Kunihiko Katsuta on Nov 7 on suspicion of stabbing a fourth-grade elementary school girl on a street in Tatsuno is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of another elementary school girl “I definitely stabbed the girl,” but police said he denied having the intent to kill her Police believe that Katsuta stabbed a 9-year-old girl several times in the stomach and chest with a knife-like object at around 6:20 p.m It took two months for the child to recover from the physical injuries she sustained The fourth-grader had been riding her bike home at the time Katsuta was arrested in May 2018 on suspicion of murdering a third-grader who was also 9 in Tsuyama prefectural police began to interview Katsuta voluntarily because of the similarities between the Tatsuno and the Tsuyama cases in terms of modus operandi Katsuta initially denied that he had done it but later began explaining his role in the child's stabbing In light of the girl’s injuries and the circumstances of the crime scene prefectural police concluded that Katsuta’s statement “was credible.”  Police are also thoroughly investigating a third case from October 2007 and his given statement on the murder of a 7-year old Second-grader Yuzuki Unose was stabbed to death in Kakogawa Katsuta has hinted at his involvement in this case as well Katsuta had already been imprisoned in May 2015 for attempted murder after stabbing a junior high school girl with a knife in Himeji According to the testimonies and statements made during the trial of the case Katsuta grew up in a family of four comprised of his parents and older sister and he “began to distrust people and lived in isolation.” A 77-year-old woman whose child was a classmate of Katsuta told The Asahi Shimbun that she remembers Katsuta visiting her home when he was a child She said she had the impression that he was adorable but she heard Katsuta’s father say that his son had “changed because of bullying.” Katsuta joined the Maritime Self-Defense Force He later studied English at a vocational school and went to the United States to study abroad A woman in her 80s who is a resident of the neighborhood in Kakogawa where Katsuta used to live said that she often saw him washing his car in front of his home Katsuta has a history of self-harm at odds with these outward impressions He began stabbing himself in the stomach when he was in his third year of junior high school Katsuta was hospitalized for a self-injury After speaking with a doctor who was concerned about his health “I decided to stab someone else because I could no longer stab myself.” He stated at the trial that he targeted a junior high school girl because “I thought she was weak and would not resist.” (This article was written by Natsu Miyasaka Convicted killer admits to other stabbings of young girls 61-year-old man admits to stabbing junior high student Okayama -- Old-time diesel train cars sit in a row their flat faces poking out of a fan-shaped roundhouse Opened in 2016 on the west side of JR Tsuyama Station in Tsuyama the Tsuyama Railroad Educational Museum displays 13 trains including diesel locomotives and railcars from the days of the now-defunct Japanese National Railways (JNR) which were used throughout the nation and are now quietly spending their "golden years" at the museum "It's like being in the world of a picture book!" exclaimed 5-year-old Kei Kawamoto of Higashi-Hiroshima with its turntable capable of reversing the direction of the trains and 15 sets of tracks has a similar structure to the one that appears in the popular "Thomas the Tank Engine" anime series "I really like its round face," Kawamoto said with a smile when he saw the D51 steam locomotive popularly known as "Degoichi." Tsuyama has long been an important transportation hub connecting the Sanin and Sanyo regions The roundhouse was established in 1936 on the grounds of Tsuyama Station in tandem with the completion of the Kishin Line It is the second-largest of the more than 10 fan-shaped roundhouses remaining in the country after the one at the Kyoto Railway Museum in Kyoto The Tsuyama roundhouse is distinctive for its large number of diesel trains The regular exhibition of the trains began in 2016 and has drawn more than 200,000 visitors so far Train enthusiasts are particularly drawn to the DE50 diesel locomotive a rarity in that only one was manufactured in Japan in 1970 Reportedly due to such factors as the electrification of the lines on which it was scheduled to be introduced stopped in front of the simple red body of a DF50 "When the Kii Peninsula was connected by a single train line I took a trip on a train pulled by this locomotive," Okamura said a 20-year-old university student from Chofu "They have a certain dignity different from the stainless steel bodies of trains nowadays." Mori's gaze was fixed on train cars that had operated around the country in such capacities as special express and express trains The "JNR colors" of dark red or scarlet on cream give them a retro feel In the exhibition rooms near the roundhouse are displayed an assortment of old tools and devices that were used in the station or for trains A block instrument for preventing collisions between trains on a single line of track can actually be operated making one feel like a station employee of old on which a number of station buildings made of wood still remain has drawn attention in recent years as a local line that lets visitors enjoy an old-time atmosphere the line has been running a "nostalgia train" with an outer and inner decor based on that from the JNR days The line suffered damage last year from landslides and other effects of torrential rains that hit western Japan but operations fully resumed about a month later "This roundhouse is still in active use today," says museum staffer Shogo Kishimoto A slot near the center is generally kept open for trains needing maintenance or inspection the roundhouse earned the designation of national "heritage of industrial modernization" in 2009 and last year was named a JR West "railway monument." Light streaming in through the windows illuminates the inside of the roundhouse I feel its history of overcoming war and disaster while serving as the legs of the region Admission is 300 yen for high school students and older and 100 yen for elementary and junior high school students The crafts hall is a 20-minute walk from JR Tsuyama Station or on the following day if Monday is a public holiday Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/ Kyotaro Tago's job late in World War II was to decide which young pilots to send to their deaths on kamikaze suicide missions is wracked by feelings of guilt that he was nothing less than a murderer Tago can still write down the order from memory he faithfully reproduced one such order using a felt pen “Our military must find and destroy (enemy ships)” read part of the order that originated from the Imperial Japanese Army headquarters in spring 1945 and was passed down through the air division Tago recalled that his hand shook each time he took a pencil to write the order for airmen about the same age as him to fly their bomb-laden aircraft on one-way missions to dive onto enemy ships the face of the soldier (who would receive it) flashed in my mind,” Tago said but at the air base they stood at attention and saluted me I wrote about 10 orders and sent off about 20 pilots on their missions.” the Imperial Army’s 9th Air Wing operated its command post out of caves near a base in Yilan Tago was 19 when he was assigned to the section that decided which army aircraft would be assigned on a suicide mission Of 6,418 individuals who died during the war on suicide missions 3,903 were pilots who perished in their planes according to a national organization that reveres them as heroes A simple twist of fate prevented Tago from facing a similar destiny Tago studied at what is now Kwansei Gakuin University in Nishinomiya Tago volunteered to become a special pilot trainee with the Imperial Army Tago entered the Shimodate training corps of the Imperial Army’s flight school located in Ibaraki Prefecture close to Tokyo They trained daily to take their aircraft to altitudes of about 2,000 meters before diving toward a target simulated to be an enemy ship “Everyone realized they were kamikaze pilots only after undergoing the ‘training for death,’” Tago said Tago said some corps members were so shocked by the realization that some tried to inhale dust on their futon bedding in the hope of developing tuberculosis and an early death But training was temporarily halted because of a petroleum shortage brought on by the worsening war situation facing Japan the unit was ordered to transfer to Singapore to continue training as fuel reserves were plentiful there But shortly after departing from Moji Port in Kita-Kyushu making it impossible to continue with training Tago was ordered transferred to a section administering flight plans and later moved to the room that drew up the kamikaze mission orders “The only reason I can think of is that my handwriting was so precise,” Tago said I also felt extremely sorry for my new comrades in Taiwan who would be flying on missions that I should have been on.” Tago and his unit heard the news that the war was over in the caves of Taiwan Half of the aircraft in the wing had been lost due to the suicide missions He returned to Tsuyama after the war and took over the family soy sauce business six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren While Tago rarely talked about his war experiences he agreed to an interview with The Asahi Shimbun because he felt a pressing to pass on his story One memory that still haunts Tago is of a night shortly before the end of the war and the sight of pilots awaiting their flight orders singing a song popular at the time “I believe they all thought about how to keep on living right up to the time of their deaths,” Tago said “Those young men gave up their lives by telling themselves they were protecting the nation and their families I feel talking about their existence to today’s generation will serve as a requiem for them.” Wartime Japan and COVID-19 conformity offer some parallels Wartime airfield in Hyogo hands down area’s tragic history actions during pandemic emulate wartime propaganda NAGOYA--Supporters of foreign nationals incarcerated at immigration detention centers are calling on the authorities to review the food menu for Muslims following the case of a man who lost significant weight due to his lack of access to halal dishes The issue involves a detainee at the Nagoya Regional Immigration Services Bureau senior officials at the bureau replied that they are considering whether to revamp the menu who works to provide support for foreign nationals staying in Japan said the detainee told her during a recent interview that he had lost 10 kilograms over two months said he only ate rice and vegetables because he was unsure if the ingredients of other dishes served were permissible in accordance with his faith The man complained about his lack of access to halal foods prepared according to Islamic principles since he was first held at the detention center Muslims are not permitted to consume pork or pork-related ingredients and alcohol But exactly what foods they are permitted to eat differs from region to region and ethnic group Mano said she made a request in late July for halal food to be served to Muslims at the detention center Immigration authorities acknowledged that the detention center does not serve halal food But they said they are taking alternative measures “We provide meals using ingredients permitted in place of pork and other prohibited items if detainees cannot eat certain foods out of religious or health reasons,” said an official at the bureau The Immigration Services Agency of Japan said the rules require that detainees are treated in accordance with the lifestyle of their home country But no rule is in place for the content of meals served at detention centers across the country The agency said no halal foods are served in detention centers for foreign nationals in Japan Director defends secret filming to expose cruel detentions Asylum seekers speak out about cruel detention in secretly shot film Security guard injures detainee at immigration facility Sisters question ‘final’ report on death of detainee from Sri Lanka Convenience store in Toyama offers halal foods for Muslims Long detentions of overstayers take physical Today's print edition Home Delivery League MVP Daiki Tanaka and two other players have tested positive for COVID-19 Tanaka as well as point guards Genki Kojima and Shota Tsuyama were found to have contracted the virus after the club administered PCR tests this week.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); The Alvark stated that after having all their players and staffers tested on Tuesday results for the three players did not come in on the same day Their samples were re-examined on Wednesday before the positive test results were received on Thursday evening 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 Okayama — Forest Festival of the Arts Okayama began in 12 cities towns and villages across northern Okayama Prefecture on Saturday By Seiki Hamabata / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer It is the first time the festival has been held A diverse array of artwork created by 43 artists from 12 countries and regions is on display attracting eager visitors from inside and outside the prefecture The opening ceremony was held at the nationally renowned Shurakuen Garden in Tsuyama in front of about 100 attendees director of the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art performed the ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the start of the event “With the cooperation of the locals and the artists we have created exhibits that bring out the beauty of each location I hope visitors discover something new and fall in love with both the places and themselves,” Hasegawa said in an interview with the press One of the exhibits is Dreams of the Beyond in the Abyss an immersive art experience displayed at Makido Cave It was created by photographer and filmmaker Mika Ninagawa and her creative team Visitors that enter the cave are greeted by a space illuminated in blue A narrow path ahead is bathed in red light leading to a pond adorned with around 1,000 artificial spider lilies the sound of droplets falling adds to the cave’s mysterious atmosphere 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 BEULAH - Kathryn Klipfel and James Gerleman were married Sept 19 at Klipfel Meadows with Buddy Cook officiating The bride is the daughter of Howard and Carol Klipfel of Pueblo The bridegroom is the son of Pat and Bonnie Gerleman of Smoot Matron of honor was Pam Cornella and bridesmaids were Hazel Kent and Beth Racine Best man was Pat Gerleman and groomsmen were Jay Watson and David Way Ring bearer was Tony Cornella and flower girl was Elizabeth Curfman 12 at the DAV Hall with Edward Behling officiating The bride is the daughter of William Wiening of Trinidad and the late Rebecca Wiening The bridegroom is the son of Marie Richardson of Colorado City Maid of honor was Kymm Darby and bridesmaids were Kayla Chavez and Shannon Chavez Best man was Zachary Chavez and groomsmen were Steven Richardson and Steven W Bryan Tsuyama and Mario and Mitchell Garcia ushered Ring bearer was Domanic Mondragon and flower girl was Jaelin Vigil Gwen Baski and Robert Maurello were married Aug 14 at the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo with Craig Johnson officiating The bride is the daughter of Gabi Brummer and Mike Brummer and the late Vernon Baski The bridegroom is the son of Gregory and Theresa Maurello Matron of honor was Christina Genova and bridesmaids were Colleen Russ Best man was Travis Scalese and groomsmen were Ben Zoch Ring bearer was Troy Baski and flower girls were Taylor Baski Amanda Victoria Montes and Rocky James Valdez were married July 25 at Mineral Palace Park with Roman Ortiz officiating The bride is the daughter of Patricia and Jorge Montes of Pueblo The bridegroom is the son of Mike and Deb Valdez and Tessa and John Garcia Maid of honor was Amber Montes and bridesmaids were Vicki Trevino Best man was Angelo Valdez and groomsmen were Greg Ayala Isaiah Valdez and Xavier Valdez and flower girls were the couple's daughter Genise Giarratano and Nathan Finley were married July 4 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart with the Rev Angelo and Denise Giarratano of Pueblo West The bridegroom is the son of Andrew and Cynthia Finley of Gloucester Matron of honor was Jodi Lile-Bilak and bridesmaids were Malina Giarratano Best man was Josh Finley and groomsmen were Joe Abel John Abel and Nick and Joe Darpino ushered Ring bearer was Jacob Giarratano and flower girls were Maddison and Austine Berry - Michelle Libner and Mark Hudson were married June 27 at the LuLu Country Club with Eric Yetter officiating The bride is the daughter of Joan Quintana of Pueblo and the late Kenneth Libner The bridegroom is the son of Patsy Hudson and Stan Hudson Best man was Sean Watson and groomsmen were Mark Libner Ring bearer was Rowan Mackenzie and flower girls were Lindsay Libner and Charlotte Watson DENVER - Janet Hyslop and Philip Turner were married Aug 29 at Denver City Park with Colby Sturtevant officiating The bride is the daughter of Mary and Paul Hyslop of Fort Fairfield The bridegroom is the son of Dorothy and Charles Turner of Pueblo Maid of honor was Monica Swasey and bridesmaids were Lisa Dryden Best man was Dan Loftus and groomsmen were Gene Kohls The Tsuyama Cultural Center in Okayama Prefecture is known for its traditional Japanese exterior design it has been hosting exciting artistic events for decades.