NEWSWORTHY
Life of a panda breeder in Japan is no walk in the park
Despite the workload and responsibility, being a giant panda breeder at a zoo is something 37-year-old Kimiyo Shintani takes great pride in. Shintani's day centers around six giant pandas, including a 4-month-old female cub, kept at the Adventure World amusement park in the small resort ...
Japanese whaling towns welcome IWC withdrawal but concerns remain over protests
Japanese whaling towns Wednesday welcomed the government's decision to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission, but some local residents voiced concern that it may lead to an escalation in protests. "It is a major decision that will protect domestic fishermen who live on whaling," said ...
Japan's plan to leave International Whaling Commission draws mixed reactions at home and overseas
The government's decision Thursday to leave the International Whaling Commission to resume commercial whaling has drawn mixed reactions at home and criticism abroad. In the town of Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, which is said to be the place where Japan's whaling culture began, Mayor Kazutaka Sangen ...
'Saihin' wins out in Wakayama zoo's competition to name giant panda cub
A female giant panda born at a zoo in Wakayama Prefecture has been named Saihin, the zoo announced Monday. The Adventure World amusement park selected the name for the 4-month-old, 75-centimeter-long cub weighing over 6 kg from about 120,000 suggestions solicited from the public. The zoo ...
A local hamburger in Wakayama Prefecture is catching the eye of tourists for its surprisingly good taste and visual impact — mouth-watering wagyu spare ribs sandwiched with a mikan (mandarin orange or tangerine) between the buns. The locally sourced Kumanogyu and mikan burger was created ...
Casino advocate Wakayama Gov. Yoshinobu Nisaka beats only challenger to secure fourth term
Wakayama Gov. Yoshinobu Nisaka, who is aiming to host a casino resort as a way to revitalize the economy of the prefecture, secured a fourth consecutive term Sunday according to exit polls, beating a challenger backed by the Japanese Communist Party. The 68-year-old governor won ...
Is Yumeshima safe as a casino site? Some question Osaka's pitch after flooding at Kansai airport
Less than two months ago, Typhoon Jebi ripped through western Japan and slammed a tanker into the only bridge leading to Kansai International Airport, forcing it to shut down. Although the airport, built on an artificial island, quickly recovered and repairs to bridge are progressing, ...
Female panda born at Wakayama's Adventure World zoo in western Japan
A female giant panda was born at a zoo in the town of Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, the facility's operator said Wednesday. The mother panda, Rauhin, 17, gave birth Tuesday morning at the Adventure World zoo, the first new cub born there in about two years. ...
Wakayama's governor all-in on casino resort bet
After the Diet finally approves legislation setting the rules on integrated casino resort complexes, the race to win one of the first three casinos will quickly heat up. And nowhere is the competition becoming more intense than in Kansai. Osaka is a heavy favorite to ...
Open Susami: Small Wakayama town's 'poorest aquarium in Japan' crab-walks to recovery
A small town attraction in southern Wakayama Prefecture has seen its financial fortunes turned around by crustacean enthusiasts eager to keep the self-proclaimed "poorest aquarium in Japan" afloat — and the local community is reaping the benefits. The Aquarium of Crab and Shrimp located in ...
Monk sues temple at Mount Koya World Heritage site over heavy workload
A monk working at the World Heritage site of Mount Koya in Wakayama Prefecture has filed a lawsuit against the organization that operates the temple for damages and unpaid wages, claiming he developed depression and was forced to take a leave of absence because ...
Osaka man held in alleged drowning of wife for insurance money
An Osaka man was arrested on suspicion of drowning his wife last summer while snorkeling in Wakayama Prefecture and disguising it as an accident so he could collect the insurance payout, police said Friday. Takashi Noda, a 29-year-old driver, allegedly drowned his restaurant manager wife, ...
