Kobe marks quarter century since Great Hanshin Earthquake killed thousands
Kobe and the surrounding area on Friday morning marked a quarter century since the Great Hanshin Earthquake devastated the region, killing 6,434 people in what was then Japan's worst postwar natural disaster. Survivors, their family members — including many who were born long after the ...
25 years after Kobe quake, SDF respected and volunteerism still strong
As Kobe commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake that took the lives of more than 6,400 people, the city and region are working to remind younger generations of the past devastation — and the importance of disaster-preparedness — even as they ...
'Fun disaster' drills catching on across Japan, 25 years after Kobe quake
Disaster prevention initiatives with entertaining twists are becoming popular as the nation marks a quarter century since the Great Hanshin Earthquake on Friday. The citizen-led "fun disaster" programs seek to pass on the lessons of solidarity and mutual assistance learned from the 1995 quake that ...
The public safety commissions in six prefectures designated them Tuesday as “crime syndicates at war” in an effort to weaken them and stop their escalating battles.
Japan's local governments struggling with debt due to public investment and disasters
Debts incurred from past public investment and reconstruction work after disasters are placing heavy financial burdens on local governments.
Family to seek damages over suicide of Mitsubishi Electric recruit after series of deaths at firm
The bereaved family of a Mitsubishi Electric Corp. recruit who killed himself in August will claim workers' compensation and file a damages lawsuit against the company, as they believe the suicide was the result of verbal abuse from a superior, their lawyers said Wednesday. The ...
'Scattered hotels' offering village-type stays are taking off in rural Japan
A recent trend in the tourism sector that lets visitors stay in re-created traditional villages while experiencing local cuisine and cultural activities is growing in popularity in Japan. The "scattered hotel" business is believed to have originated in Europe, and Maruyama Village — a facility ...
Hyogo to relax wastewater controls amid fears Seto Inland Sea is 'too clean' for fish
Hyogo Prefecture, which is suffering from poor catches of some fish, has decided to allow greater quantities of nitrogen and phosphorus in wastewater discharged into the Seto Inland Sea, after deeming its water too clean for fish to live in, officials said Monday. The prefecture ...
Survivor of Amagasaki train derailment aiming for bull's eye at 2020 Paralympics
Having overcome numerous challenges since suffering life-altering injuries in a deadly train derailment in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, in 2005, Aiko Okazaki doesn't plan to go easy on herself when it comes to her latest test — competing in archery in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. The ...
Man linked to Yamaguchi-gumi shot in Kobe in apparent yakuza feud
A man affiliated with the Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan's largest crime syndicate, was shot Wednesday in Kobe, apparently in connection with a feud among factions of the group in the city and surrounding areas, police said. The man, believed to be around 50 years old, was seriously ...
Two people were injured Tuesday when a college rowing cutter capsized between Tomogashima groups of islands near the city of Wakayama and Awaji Island in Hyogo Prefecture, pitching the 23 people aboard into the ocean. One crew member clung to the hull and was rescued ...
Osaka High Court upholds death penalty for 'black widow' serial killer Chisako Kakehi
The Osaka High Court on Friday upheld the death penalty imposed on a 72-year-old woman dubbed Japan's "black widow" for murdering her husband and two common-law partners with poison to inherit money and escape debt. In handing down the sentence to Chisako Kakehi, presiding Judge ...
