Men dressed as a deity called Namahage visit a residential house in Oga in the northeastern Japan prefecture of Akita on Dec. 31, 2024, during an annual event to bring good fortune. The Japanese folk ritual was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2018. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan marks 1 year since powerful Noto quake, rebuilding remains slow
KANAZAWA, Japan – Japan on Wednesday marked one year since a powerful earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula in central Japan, leaving at least 500 dead, including those who succumbed to health issues afterward, as efforts toward full recovery continue in the hardest-hit areas.
Some 21,000 residents in Ishikawa Prefecture, which faces the Sea of Japan, remain evacuated or in temporary housing as of late December, with infrastructure restoration and the demolition of collapsed homes still incomplete.
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Japan emperor calls for unity in 2025 in face of ongoing challenges
TOKYO – Japanese Emperor Naruhito expressed his hope that people will work together to overcome challenges such as natural disasters and rising living costs in his New Year address released Wednesday.
Voicing concern for those impacted by a massive earthquake on the Noto Peninsula, central Japan, on New Year’s Day of 2024, as well as typhoons and heavy rains in the past year, the emperor also said he was “heartened” to have seen people helping those in need.
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Japan PM Ishiba vows effort with opposition to pass key bills in 2025
TOKYO – Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday pledged in his New Year’s address Wednesday to tackle pressing security, economic and demographic issues through his minority government, working with opposition parties “sincerely and humbly” to ensure better lives for the public.
Ishiba, who took office in October, said a top priority will be protecting national interests amid the “severe and complex” international security environment, citing Russia’s ongoing military aggression against Ukraine and North Korea’s repeated missile launches.
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2 die in residential fire on New Year’s Eve near Tokyo Skytree
TOKYO – Two people died after a fire broke out in a residential area near Tokyo Skytree on Tuesday evening, local authorities said.
An emergency call was received around 5 p.m. reporting a fire at a two-story house in Tokyo’s Sumida Ward. It spread to encompass at least eight buildings, including houses, the local fire department said.
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China ships spotted near Senkakus for record 355 days in 2024: Japan
NAHA, Japan – Chinese coast guard vessels were again spotted near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea on Tuesday, the 355th day in 2024 that such activities were confirmed and marking a fresh annual record high since the Japanese government put the islets under state control in 2012.
Four China Coast Guard ships were found sailing just outside Japan’s territorial waters around the Senkakus, which Beijing claims and calls Diaoyu, according to the Japan Coast Guard. It was the 43rd consecutive day of Chinese vessel presence in the area.
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Japan’s 18-year-olds rise to 1.09 mil., yet still 2nd lowest
TOKYO – The number of 18-year-olds in Japan totaled 1.09 million as of Wednesday, a government estimate showed, up by 30,000 from last year but marking the second-lowest figure on record as the country continues to grapple with a declining birthrate.
Of those who have reached Japan’s legal adult age, 560,000 were men and 530,000 were women, accounting for 0.88 percent of the total population, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said Tuesday.
Video: Men dressed in deity called Namahage visit residential houses during annual event in Akita Prefecture
