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Japanese railway companies are turning to artificial intelligence to help tackle potential problems for their shinkansen bullet trains caused by snow accumulation. West Japan Railway Co. is developing an AI system to gauge the amount of snow that collects on Hokuriku Shinkansen trains that travel ...

English-language media outlets are stepping up their presence in Hokkaido's renowned ski resort of Niseko, benefiting from growing global interest from skiers and snowboarders lured by the region's fine powder snow. In an attempt to reach out to the influx of foreign visitors, local publishers ...

Japan's ski resorts are suffering through one of the worst snow seasons on record, disappointing locals and foreign tourists, and jeopardizing the country's budding reputation as an international ski destination. In Hokkaido to the north, where resorts like Niseko are known for reliable, fresh powder, ...

The average temperature in Japan in 2019 hit the highest level since records began in 1898 and was nearly a degree warmer than in a typical year, according to the Meteorological Agency. The temperature exceeded the normal-year level by 0.92 degree Celsius, the agency said ...

While measuring sea temperatures and predicting changes is key to long-term weather forecasts, a group of researchers have come up with an unusual way to improve the accuracy of prediction — attaching monitoring devices to sea turtles. The researchers released five sea turtles in Indonesia, ...

Concerns are growing for tourism in Sapporo due to a serious shortage of snow in Hokkaido this year. Some ski resorts have yet to open, while organizers of the annual Sapporo Snow Festival are struggling to gather enough snow. "I've never experienced a shortage of snow ...

Deadly Typhoon Hagibis caused riverbanks to burst across Japan in October, and also led to sewer flooding around Sendai Station, known as the gateway to the Tohoku region, leaving roads and underground passages in the heart of the city underwater. But for local business operators, ...

The cost of damage to the nation's agriculture, forestry and fishing industries by powerful typhoons Faxai and Hagibis had reached ¥253.37 billion as of Tuesday morning, the agriculture ministry said. Faxai, which struck in September as the 15th named storm of the year, and Hagibis, ...

The waste disposal capacities of municipalities hit by Typhoon Hagibis in mid-October are nearing their limits, causing a fresh problem in the afflicted areas in the aftermath of the storm. The amount of waste from the typhoon, including bedding and furniture, has been large, and ...

The infrastructure ministry will revise the government’s basic policy on river maintenance as early as this fiscal year after discussions at the Council for Social Infrastructure, officials say.