Latest news with #Nakajima
Yomiuri Shimbun
07-08-2025
- Science
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Plastic Waste Covers Bottom of Japanese Waters; Items Found Dating Back to Twentieth Century
A huge amount of plastic waste from Japan and elsewhere has been found on the deep seabed around Japan, according to a probe by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). Talks by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to draft a convention to prevent environmental pollution due to plastic waste resumed in Switzerland on Tuesday. The JAMSTEC team that carried out the research stressed the necessity of using fewer plastic products across the globe. The agency conducted the probe from 2019 through spring this year, to ascertain the state of plastic waste pollution on the deep ocean floor. Using the Shinkai 6500, a manned research submarine installed with cameras, researchers probed the ocean floors of the Japan Trench, waters off the Boso Peninsula, Sagami Bay, Suruga Bay, waters off Shikoku and waters off Noto Peninsula. Depths ranged from 800 meters to 7,000 meters. Vast quantities of plastic were found in all these locations. The most polluted areas contained 10,000 to 40,000 plastic items per square kilometer. 'It's deeply shocking that so much plastic waste was confirmed in ocean waters tens of kilometers from the coast,' said Ryota Nakajima, a researcher on the team who specializes in biological oceanography. Of the waste, 70% to 80% was polyethylene bags and plastic shopping bags, and the rest was primarily plastic bottles and food containers. Such waste does not deteriorate quickly in the deep sea due to the lack of light, so some of the waste was identified as products from the Showa era (1926-89). Some product labels showed that the items had drifted on an oceanic current not only from Japan but also from China, South Korea and Southeast Asian countries and regions. The research team also confirmed that a massive amount of microplastics — tiny fragments of plastic products — was dispersed in the seawater. Some plastic products contain chemical substances that are harmful to the human body, and it has been said that people's health may be damaged if they eat fish that have ingested microplastics. The regulation of plastic production has been on the agenda at the INC meeting, which seeks to draft a convention regarding plastic waste, but opinions are divided on the subject. 'The world is connected by the ocean, in which a massive amount of plastic waste is coming and going. To keep the ocean unpolluted, countries and regions must cooperate with each other. It's hopeless otherwise,' Nakajima said. He is paying close attention to the outcome of discussions at the meeting.
Japan Forward
06-08-2025
- General
- Japan Forward
The Forgotten War Dead in Taiwan: Japan Resumes Search After Half a Century
このページを 日本語 で読む Beneath the shimmering waves of the Bashi Channel, a narrow stretch of ocean between Taiwan and the Philippines, lies one of the most overlooked graveyards of World War II. This vital maritime route, linking the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea, was once the site of fierce attacks. In the final stages of the war, dozens of Japanese transport ships, traveling to and from Southeast Asia, were sunk by American submarines and carrier-based aircraft. Countless soldiers and crew members died in the waters. Over 100,000 lives were lost. Many of their bodies were carried by the Kuroshio Current to the Hengchun Peninsula at the southern tip of Taiwan. Local residents cremated the remains and buried them on sites facing the sea. Even today, it is believed that the bones of several hundred individuals remain there. The only official recovery effort by the Japanese government took place in 1975 and brought back 242 sets of remains. In a quiet corner of the peninsula stands Choonji Temple, a memorial built in 1981 by former Japanese soldier Shuji Nakajima, who used his own funds. Nakajima had been aboard a transport ship that was sunk during the war. He survived after drifting for 12 days at sea, during which he witnessed many of his comrades drown. One soldier died holding Nakajima's hand, calling out his wife's name with his last breath. Nakajima's sorrow is captured in The Strait of Lamentation , a nonfiction book by writer Takamasa Kadota. The book features a poem written by Nakajima: All my comrades lie sunk in the Bashi Sea. Why am I the only one still adrift in this life? For decades, the victims of the Bashi Channel received little attention. The lack of formal diplomatic ties between Japan and Taiwan made official recovery efforts politically difficult. Kadota described the men lost there as "the forgotten war dead." Nakajima spent much of his later life calling for memorial services and the return of remains to Japan. He passed away in 2013. The first memorial ceremony at Choonji Temple was not held until two years after his death. The Choonji Temple in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan. On August 3, a memorial service to honor Japanese soldiers who died around the Bashi Channel was held once again at Choonji Temple in Hengchun, Pingtung County, at Taiwan's southern tip. Around 150 relatives and others attended. Marking 80 years since the end of the war, this year's ceremony included, for the first time, a condolence message delivered on behalf of the Japanese Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, who oversees memorial activities for war dead. Due to the lack of diplomatic relations, official Japanese memorial participation in Taiwan had long been absent. However, since 2015 — the 70th anniversary of the war's end — volunteers from Japan and Taiwan have organized annual services. At this year's ceremony, Kazuyuki Katayama, representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association's Taipei office (Japan's de facto embassy in Taiwan), read a message from Minister Takamaro Fukuoka. The letter expressed condolences and acknowledged that Japan's peace and prosperity today were built on the lives of those who had perished. Takayuki Watanabe, chairman of the event's organizing committee, called the reading a "memorable moment," saying it finally gave voice to the long-standing hopes of bereaved families. Among those in attendance was 80-year-old Hatsue Yoshioka from Isen Town, Kagoshima Prefecture. Her father was aboard the Tamatsumaru , a ship that was sunk in the Bashi Channel. "Father," she said in her eulogy, "I have come here to pray at this place where you risked your life for the country, the people, and the children — and where you fell." Now, in the 80th year since the end of the war, the Japanese government has launched a new initiative to recover remains from Taiwan. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare plans to dispatch staff from the Japan Association for Recovery and Repatriation of War Casualties to Taiwan soon. It is the first such effort in 50 years. As memories of the war fade, there is a risk of losing sight of its human cost. Many who died in service still lie in foreign seas and soil, far from their families. The return of their remains is long overdue, and efforts to bring them home should no longer be delayed. ( Read the related article in Japanese . ) Author: The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
Yomiuri Shimbun
27-07-2025
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Deep-Sea Dining Popular in Numazu; Locals Have Tradition of Serving Strange Fish from Japan's Suruga Bay
NUMAZU, Shizuoka — Visitors to Japan's highest mountain, Mt. Fuji, may not realize just how close they are to the country's deepest body of water. That would be Suruga Bay, off the coast of Shizuoka Prefecture. In the Heda district of Numazu in the prefecture, deep-sea fishing has flourished since the Taisho era (1912-26), supporting the livelihoods of the locals. In recent years, restaurant owners and fishermen have been devising ways to make Heda a tourist spot for deep-sea fish, delighting fans from all over Japan. Deep-fried torobocchi, megisu tempura and stewed goso are just a few of the unfamiliar fish dishes being offered. At Marukichi, a diner near Heda's fishing port, the owner recommends deep-sea fish that have just arrived, even if they are not on the menu.'They may look grotesque with their big eyes, but they can be made into sashimi with a concentrated taste or heated to a fluffy texture. They have a deep and exquisite flavor,' said the owner, Toshiyuki Nakajima, 71. The deepest part of Suruga Bay — 2,500 meters below the surface — is home to a wide variety of deep-sea fish. According to the Heda fisheries cooperative's records, deep-sea fishing began in the area in 1917. However, because deep-sea fish goes bad quickly, the catch has never been distributed outside the area, and these tastes remained little known. Nakajima, who took over the restaurant from his father-in-law in 1995, was impressed by the variety of deep-sea fish he encountered for the first time at Heda. He wanted the public to know about these wonderful sea creatures, so he began searching for the best way to cook each one and working to spread the word. In 2011, a local fishery company opened an aquarium featuring deep-sea fish at Numazu Port, near the center of Numazu, bringing in many visitors from inside and outside of the prefecture. Spurred on by this, Nakajima and his friends launched a project in 2015 to attract visitors to the Heda area using deep-sea fish. They had local fishers give them fish that were not well-known even in the area and would normally have been thrown back, then invited people to observe and take pictures of these specimens for a photo contest. Many fans came to take part, and since then, they have held events allowing visitors to actually touch the fish, as well as lectures by university professors, to teach people about the unique charm of the deep sea. In 2017, the area's deep-sea fish exhibition facility was renovated and an information center opened in preparation to accept tourists year-round. The number of restaurants near Heda's fishing port that serve deep-sea fish is increasing, and although there is no fishing from mid-May to mid-September, these establishments can always fry or stew frozen fish, attracting fans throughout the crabs, which live in waters deeper than 200 meters and can grow to over 3 meters in length, are another specialty of Heda — but not only as food. For many years, the town had a custom of making 'crab masks' by painting the creatures' angular, thorny shells and leaving them on doorsteps to ward off evil spirits. The practice died out for a time due to a lack of creators, but now Itsuo Ishihara, 78, a former fisherman, is working to popularize it again by holding crab mask exhibitions. In the past, the masks were often rather fierce, but nowadays many people enjoy giving them colorful, artistic designs. 'You can make dynamic and powerful paintings on these large shells. I would be happy if someone interested in them were to take over after me,' Ishihara said. Deep sea remains popular Sharks that live for centuries; giant isopods that can go years without eating; and the adorable-looking flapjack octopus — deep-sea creatures have been highly popular in recent years. In 2012, Japanese researchers were the first in the world to successfully photograph a giant squid swimming in the deep sea off the Ogasawara Islands, surprising the world, and in 2013, a special exhibition entitled 'The Deep' was held at the National Museum of Nature and Science, attracting about 600,000 visitors over three months. The illustrated book 'Shinkai Seibutsu' (Deep sea life), published by Shogakukan Inc. in 2021, also went into reprint almost immediately after its release, selling 290,000 copies. 'The mysterious and unique photographs captured the hearts of children. The unknown world of the deep sea thrills people,' said a Shogakukan employee who worked on planning and editing the book.
27-06-2025
Woman Convicted of Hammer Attack at Hosei Univ.
News from Japan Jun 27, 2025 18:59 (JST) Tokyo, June 27 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo Disctrict Court sentenced Friday a South Korean woman to three years in prison with a four-year suspension for attacking Hosei University students with a hammer. According to the ruling by presiding Judge Keita Nakajima, the woman, Yoo Juhyun, 23, hit eight other students aged 19 to 22 in the head and arms with a hammer at the university's Tama campus in the Tokyo city of Machida on Jan. 10, causing them injuries that would take one to two weeks for recovery. Nakajima said Yoo may have been bullied as she claimed during the trial but that the judge failed to confirm her allegation that attacked students had said bad things about her. "The outcomes (of the attack) cannot be downplayed," the judge stated, suggesting that the mental damage for the students was big, after being suddenly assaulted during a class. Nakajima determined the prison term in line with prosecutors' request but suspended the sentence on the grounds that the defendant was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder in a psychiatric evaluation conducted during investigations and that she has already reached a settlement with the victims. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Express Tribune
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- Express Tribune
Toyota Hydrogen car revealed: The GR LH2 racing concept unveiled right before 24 Hours of Le Mans
Toyota has unveiled a new hydrogen-powered racing prototype, the GR LH2 Racing Concept, at the Circuit de la Sarthe, just days before the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This marks a significant step in the automaker's push to explore hydrogen combustion engine technology in motorsport. The GR LH2 Racing Concept is based on the chassis of Toyota's GR010 Hybrid Hypercar, which is currently raced in the World Endurance Championship (WEC). Toyota's latest prototype is part of the brand's ongoing efforts to develop hydrogen racing technologies, expanding the potential applications of hydrogen combustion engines. Kazuki Nakajima, vice chairman of Toyota's WEC team and a three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, stated that the company's primary aim is to 'expand the possibilities of hydrogen combustion engine technology.' Nakajima emphasised that Toyota is not only focused on testing the combustion engine but also on learning more about the infrastructure and fueling system required to support hydrogen-powered racing. Details regarding the hydrogen system and powertrain were not fully disclosed, though Toyota confirmed that both were developed at the company's Higashi-Fuji Technical Centre in Japan. The chassis itself was built at Toyota's Gazoo Racing facility in Cologne, Germany. While Toyota did not confirm when the hydrogen-powered prototype will officially race, Nakajima suggested that the debut is not far off. This unveiling is part of a broader strategy to develop hydrogen-powered vehicles in motorsport. Although plans to introduce hydrogen-powered cars to the World Endurance Championship by 2024 have been delayed, the FIA's recent approval of new liquid hydrogen storage rules may bring these plans closer to fruition, with an anticipated target year of 2028. As the hydrogen racing technology continues to evolve, Toyota's GR LH2 Racing Concept could represent a key milestone in the automotive industry's shift toward sustainable fuel alternatives.
