High school students in Fukuoka locate multiple endangered species, receive gov't award
FUKUOKA -- High school students in this west Japan city have been spotting endangered species through the extracurricular activities of a club dedicated to biology research, leading to national recognition.
The "aquatic life study group," with members from Fukuoka Daiichi High School and Daiichi University of Pharmacy High School, both in the city of Fukuoka's Minami Ward, has not only found examples of rare species, but through social media has raised awareness about protecting endangered wildlife and the spread of domestic invasive species.
Established in 2019, the study group has cared for rare creatures in a science lab of Daiichi University of Pharmacy High School while conducting ongoing ecological investigations. In 2023, members discovered a specimen of the endangered black-spotted pond frog, a species listed in Fukuoka Prefecture's Red Data Book, in the prefectural town of Sasaguri. In 2024 they found a water beetle, Hydaticus bowringi, in the prefecture's city of Ukiha for the first time in 20 years.
Currently, the two sister schools together have 20 student members, who are caring for around 45 specimens across 15 species. On occasion, they venture out in search of creatures alongside their adviser, 59-year-old Yoshimi Ota. The school displays rare animals including a blue mutated Japanese tree frog, found in Sasaguri in 2024, among other notable finds.
The group has also received a Yaeyama yellow-margined box turtle from a donor in Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture. While the species is a government-designated natural monument, there is concern it was artificially introduced to Miyakojima from its native habitat in the Ishigaki and Iriomote islands, also in Okinawa Prefecture. In Miyakojima, this turtle is now considered a domestic invasive species that could threaten the local ecosystem, and the student group has used social media and other means to bring attention to the issue.
The students' efforts were recognized May 11 in Tokyo at the "National Conference on Wildlife Protection," organized by bodies including the Japanese Society for Preservation of Birds, where their group received the education minister's award.
One third-year student at Daiichi University of Pharmacy High School who attended the award ceremony said, "I originally joined the study group because I've always loved animals and wildlife. I never imagined our work would lead to receiving an award." Mayu Tanaka, a third-year student at Fukuoka Daiichi High School, added, "It feels like lifeforms I used to see whe inn I was younger are gradually disappearing. I want to help preserve as many species as possible."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Mainichi
2 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Retro Japan: Ex-Kyushu Imperial Univ. building boasts 1930 cutting-edge design
FUKUOKA -- The stately main building at the former Kyushu Imperial University's Faculty of Engineering here boasts a cutting-edge design from the time of construction in 1930. Approaching the building, one is first struck by its imposing presence. Upon closer inspection, the eaves molding covered with scratch-pattern tiles add a distinct variation to its exterior. The rounded corners, combined with art deco-style semi-cylindrical towers, lend a soft impression. The Faculty of Engineering's main building in Fukuoka's Higashi Ward was constructed in 1930. Its structural design was overseen by Ken Kurata (1881-1940), the university's architecture division head, while the aesthetic design was crafted by engineer Setsuzo Obara (1897-1953). The building was among the first to adopt reinforced concrete technology, which became mainstream after the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. It boasts high seismic strength for its time and further enhanced fire resistance with scratch-pattern tiles. It has become an architectural symbol not only within present-day Kyushu University but also for Fukuoka. The eaves of the entrance porch feature circular stained glass, allowing red and green light to filter through. The transom at the entrance is adorned with stained glass depicting plant motifs. A wall of the fourth-floor conference room is adorned with a large oil painting, and the stylish furniture and carpet remain as they were at the time of construction. In 2023, it was designated as a registered tangible cultural property of Japan. (Japanese original by Minoru Kanazawa, Kyushu Photo and Video Department) * * * The Japanese version of this article was originally published on May 18, 2025. * * * This series explores Japan's architectural wonders and secrets of yesteryear. Read more Retro Japan articles here.
Kyodo News
a day ago
- Kyodo News
Japan ispace fails in bid for 1st Moon landing by Asian private firm
KYODO NEWS - 16 hours ago - 15:39 | All, Japan Japanese startup ispace Inc. failed in its attempt to become the first private firm in Asia to touch down on the Moon when its lunar lander apparently crashed on Friday, dealing a blow as it seeks to catch up with U.S. rivals following an unsuccessful inaugural mission in 2023. With touchdown planned for 4:17 a.m. on Friday, Japan time, the lander, Resilience, began descending from an altitude of around 100 kilometers but was unable to decelerate to the required speed, ispace said. "Based on the circumstances, it is currently assumed that the lander likely performed a hard landing on the lunar surface," the company said, adding communication had been lost. The Tokyo-based company's CEO Takeshi Hakamada apologized to supporters at a press conference, saying the outcome was "disappointing." The company will strive to identify the cause of the failure and make another attempt in 2027 with a new lander. "We would like to catch up as quickly as possible" with U.S. companies that have already achieved the feat, he said. The company's first attempt to reach the Moon's northern hemisphere in April 2023 with a different spacecraft was unsuccessful, with the lander likely having crashed on the lunar surface. Irregularities in the altitude measurement system at that time led the lander to eventually run out of fuel during descent, resulting in a free fall to the Moon's surface. U.S. company Intuitive Machines Inc. subsequently became the first private firm in the world to successfully land a spacecraft on the lunar surface in February 2024. Resilience, transporting a rover and equipment to carry out experiments, lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 15, sharing a SpaceX rocket launch with U.S. firm Firefly Aerospace Inc.'s lunar lander. Firefly's Blue Ghost, which took a different route from the ispace lander to reach the surface, touched down on the Moon on March 2. After entering lunar orbit in May, the Japanese lander -- 2.3 meters high and 2.6 meters wide -- started descending shortly after 3 a.m., with a planned deceleration from 580 km to 2 km per hour by the firing of its engine toward the lunar surface. However, data transmission stopped at an altitude of 192 meters while the lander was moving at a faster speed than expected, possibly due to the malfunction of an altitude measurement sensor. "As of 8 a.m. on June 6, 2025, mission controllers had determined that it is unlikely that communication with the lander will be restored," ispace said in a press release. "It has been decided to conclude the mission." Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed hope that the latest attempt by ispace will lead to "a further leap." "My expectation for ispace will not waver," he said on the social media platform X. Related coverage: Astronaut Onishi blasts off on mission as 3rd Japanese to lead ISS Japan firm's rover ends mission on Moon, gives up surface exploration ispace to attempt June Moon landing, would be 1st by Japan firm
Asahi Shimbun
2 days ago
- Asahi Shimbun
Tohoku University seeks 500 researchers mainly from U.S.
Tohoku University President Teiji Tominaga announced on June 6 that the university will invest 30 billion yen ($209 million) over the next five years to recruit about 500 top researchers in Japan and from abroad. The university aims to attract U.S. researchers affected by President Donald Trump's administration making significant cuts in research spending. Professors at acclaimed universities in the United States earn several times more than professors at Japanese universities, making a large amount of money necessary for recruiting them. Tohoku University in Sendai is the first institution to receive government funding through the Universities for International Research Excellence project. It intends to take advantage of the substantial financial resources. The Universities for International Research Excellence project is a system where the government designates universities to support by providing them with money with the aim of enhancing the country's research capabilities. Designated universities can receive money from the investment profits of a 10 trillion yen government fund for a maximum of 25 years. Currently, Tohoku University is the only designated university for the project. It will receive a total of 15.4 billion yen in fiscal 2025. According to Tohoku University's plan, it will not set a salary cap for researchers. It also aims to strengthen ties with U.S. universities, including plans to establish research labs for quantum technology and semiconductors, conduct joint research and use these labs as a base for recruiting researchers. The university intends to recruit 100 researchers in fiscal 2025, including early-career researchers, by investing 2.2 billion yen. In May, senior officials of the university visited the United States and held information sessions there. This resulted in offering positions to 36 researchers based overseas that included professionals in the United States as well as 25 researchers based in Japan. 'Researchers' social status is higher and they earn better pay overseas than in Japan,' Tominaga said at a news conference on June 6. 'Japanese national universities have historically paid little attention to working conditions for researchers. However, to gain sufficient capabilities to compete globally, we intend to shift our focus to investing in researchers.' Other Japanese universities, such as the University of Osaka and Ritsumeikan University, have also announced plans to accept researchers from U.S. universities affected by the Trump administration's actions. (The article was written by Takahiro Takenouchi and Fumio Masutani.)
