Latest news with #Ogawa
NHK
10 hours ago
- Politics
- NHK
LDP plans to hold decision-making Joint Plenary Meeting next week
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party is arranging to convene a key decision-making meeting as early as late next week. The move comes as Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, who heads the party, faces pressure to step down to take responsibility for the LDP's losses in the recent Upper House election. On Tuesday, Ishiba and other LDP executives decided to hold the Joint Plenary Meeting of both houses of the Diet. The decision was made amid moves to increase pressure on Ishiba to step down through the Joint Plenary Meeting. During a meeting of party lawmakers on Monday, it was reportedly suggested that the Joint Plenary cannot terminate the position of LDP president. Some within the party say similar arguments will be repeated if the Joint Plenary Meeting is held. The agenda is still to be determined. Ishiba has said he intends to explain himself carefully and sincerely without running away. He is expected to seek understanding to remain in office, citing the need to avoid a political vacuum. But the secretary-general of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Ogawa Junya, says Ishiba's insistence on staying in office is itself creating a major political vacuum. Describing Ishiba as a bad loser, Ogawa said he is seriously concerned that there will be various disruptions, including to policies, which will ultimately affect the public. Regarding a no-confidence motion, Ogawa only said the matter will be decided comprehensively in a timely and appropriate manner.
Yomiuri Shimbun
2 days ago
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Peace Museum in Brazil to Rise from Ashes, Convey Survivor Stories Again
FREI ROGERIO, Brazil — The reconstruction of a peace museum in southern Brazil, established by an association of survivors of the Nagasaki atomic bombing and their descendants, is well underway about a decade after it was destroyed in a fire. The 'Museu da Paz' (Peace Museum) in the city of Frei Rogerio is seen as a poignant testament to the enduring hopes for peace carried by Japanese immigrants who survived the atomic bombing before making new lives in South America. The reconstruction of the facility that chronicles the tragedy of the atomic bombing clearly shows how the deep-seated desire for peace among survivors has taken root in Brazil. The work is a collaborative effort between Japanese-Brazilian immigrants and the local government with a completion target by the end of this year, which coincides with the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The museum was built in 2010 with support from the Brazilian government and an association founded by three atomic bomb survivors and their families living in Frei Rogerio, including the now 96-year-old Wataru Ogawa. Ogawa's brother-in-law Kazumi Ogawa, who passed away in 2012 at 83, constructed a single-story building for the museum on unused land on the pear farm that he ran. He had moved to Brazil after surviving the bombing of Nagasaki and saw the museum as conveying the belief that 'we must never repeat the misfortune caused by war.' The group acquired 80 panels from Nagasaki of photographs of children with burn scars from the atomic bomb and other items for display in the 420-square-meter structure. The area around the museum was dubbed 'Peace Bell Park.' Wataru Ogawa shared his wartime experiences with about 5,000 visitors annually at the museum, with his third son Naoki, 54, serving as his Portuguese interpreter. In the summer of 1945, Ogawa was a student at the naval engineering school in Otake, Hiroshima Prefecture, where he witnessed the devastation caused by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. At war's end, he returned to his hometown of Nagasaki, which had suffered a similar fate. Shortly after, his hair began to fall out in clumps. Elementary and junior high school students would listen intently to Ogawa's emotional account of the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, bringing some to tears. He vividly described the procession of bloated bodies floating down the river, and a childhood friend, reduced to little more than a skeleton, saying with his last breath, 'I can't go on anymore.'Following the fire that destroyed the museum in 2016, the local community quickly banded together to start planning the reconstruction. After a series of meetings with Frei Rogerio municipal officials and other parties, Naoki Ogawa and other second-generation Japanese-Brazilians finalized a project plan in 2020. The plan included financial support from the city and others for rebuilding the museum and constructing an adjoining international exchange facility. Construction was started in April with the goal of completing and reopening the museum by the end of this year. Efforts are currently underway to gather exhibits for display and to prepare materials with cooperation from local universities. 'At a time when there are ongoing wars [around the world], I hope that this will once again become a place where the plea for peace can be spread,' Wataru Ogawa said. Naoki Ogawa's oldest son, now 23, was born on Aug. 9 — the day the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki — and named Hirakazu using the kanji characters for 'peace,' most often read as 'heiwa.' 'It was my destiny to inherit the desire for peace from the atomic bomb survivors,' Hirakazu said. According to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, there were 66 survivors from the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings residing in Brazil as of the end of March.
Yomiuri Shimbun
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Kodo Taiko Group Drummer Makes Homecoming Debut in Iwate Pref.
OSHU, Iwate — The pounding of taiko drums reverberated throughout a hall in Oshu, Iwate Prefecture, in mid-June as renowned taiko drum performance art ensemble Kodo performed for its Japan Tour. For Hana Ogawa, her debut with the group was also a homecoming. Having been recognized as a full member about a year ago, 23-year-old Ogawa showed off her elegant drumming technique in the middle of about 15 members at Oshu City Bunka Kaikan Z Hall on June 14. She and the group captivated about 900 audience members, including her family and friends, with their powerful drumbeats. Kodo was founded in 1981 and is based on Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture. The ensemble has performed over 7,500 shows in 54 countries and regions. The group also performed at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo in April. When Ogawa was a third grader in elementary school, she began playing the taiko at a local school after a friend invited her. She first saw Kodo perform live during her second year at Hanamaki Higashi High School. She was deeply moved by the sound of the taiko and the performance as well as the members' demeanor, which made her want to wear their hanten jacket and perform with them. After graduating from high school, Ogawa moved to Sado to live on her own and enrolled at Kodo. During her two-year training period, she devoted six days a week from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. to practicing the taiko, singing, dancing and running about 7 kilometers. She also cultivated her senses through learning tea ceremony and noh, and built up her lower body strength through farm work. In 2022, she became an associate member to accompany Kodo's tours. Students usually practice as an apprentice for a year before being selected as an official Kodo member. However, once one year passed, Ogawa was told that her apprenticeship would be extended. The leader, Yuichiro Funabashi, said that her performance was 'textbook-perfect, but lacked individuality and was unremarkable.' His point puzzled Ogawa, who thought, 'I'm giving it my all, so what else can I do?' While seeking advice from her colleagues, she realized something. Her eagerness to keep up with her seniors had taken the expression away from her face on stage and during practice. By trying to smile instead of aiming to be perfect, she gradually began to enjoy her performances more. After about four years since joining, she was selected as a regular member in January 2024, fulfilling her long-held dream. At the long-awaited homecoming show, she performed six pieces. 'I was nervous, and it felt like the show finished in a moment, although I've done the same performance elsewhere,' she said. Ogawa's friends and acquaintances came after the show to tell her things like, 'You looked great!' That made her happy as she could show them her efforts and progress. Ogawa said she is determined to stand on the world stage while spreading knowledge of taiko in Iwate Prefe
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kashima Antlers bring Sint Truiden defender back to the J League
Sint Truiden have announced that left-back Ryoya Ogawa has left the club to join Kashima Antlers in the J League. The 28-year-old spent a few seasons in Europe but has now returned to Japan where he started his career. Neither side has discolosed whether or not there wsa a transfer fee and how many years the defender has signed with Kashima Antlers. Ogawa, who has been capped five times by the Japanese national team, began his career with FC Tokyo. After 173 appearances and six goals for the side, he spent a season on loan in Portugal with Vitoria de Guimaraes. Ogawa only made 11 appearances for the Portuguese outfit, but remained in Europe at the end of the 2022/2023 season by joining up with Sint Truiden. Initially on loan, Ogawa was brought in permanently last summer as a replacement for Eric Bocat, who had left to join Stoke City. Despite the sides struggles in the league, Ogawa had a good season. The left-sided player played 38 games in total for the club, scoring twice and providing four assists. He now joins a Kashima Antlers side that are top of the J league, while his former club FC Tokyo are down in 18th place. GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson
United News of India
26-05-2025
- Health
- United News of India
Bharat Biotech's oral cholera vaccine Hillchol demonstrates success in Phase III
Hyderabad, May 21 (UNI) Bharat Biotech's Oral Cholera Vaccine Hillchol has demonstrated against both Ogawa and Inaba serotypes, proving non-inferior in healthy Indian adults and children, supporting its potential as an effective OCV. The study findings have been published in the ScienceDirect, Vaccine journal 126998 to assess a double-blind, randomized phase III clinical trial to evaluate safety, immunogenicity, non-inferiority & lot-to-lot consistency of single component oral cholera vaccine Hillchol in comparison to a comparator vaccine in a diverse participant group of 1,800 individuals, from infants to adults, across 10 clinical sites in India, Hyderabad based Vaccine maker said in a release here on Wednesday. In this study, participants were divided into three age groups: adults over 18 years, children aged 5 to under 18 years, and infants aged 1 to under 5 years. They were randomized in a 3:1 ratio to receive either Hillchol or a comparator vaccine. The primary endpoint focused on the proportion of participants achieving >4-fold increase in vibriocidal antibody titres against Ogawa and Inaba serotypes 14 days after two doses. While secondary endpoints included Geometric Mean Titre (GMT) measurements and safety. Key highlights from the findings are that Hillchol demonstrated a greater than 4-fold rise in vibriocidal antibodies against both Ogawa (68.3%) and Inaba (69.5%) serotypes, proving non-inferiority to licensed vaccines. Adverse events were mild and comparable between the two vaccines. The vaccine was well-tolerated and immunogenic across all age groups—including infants (≥1 year), children, and adults. Dr. Krishna Ella, Executive Chairman of Bharat Biotech, said, " T his publication reaffirms our commitment to advancing vaccines built on rigorous research, thorough clinical trials, and reliable clinical data." 'Cholera is a vaccine-preventable disease that has faced a surge in outbreaks along with a huge shortage of vaccines. The new generation Oral Cholera Vaccine Hillchol, featuring a simplified single stable O1 Hikojima strain, inducing robust antibodies against both Ogawa and Inaba serotypes, aims to enhance production efficiency and affordability, particularly in lower- and middle-income countries where waterborne diseases continue to pose serious health threats," Dr Ella added. Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae bacteria. Studies have estimated that 2.86 million cases and 95,000 deaths occur annually. With Hillchol, Bharat Biotech strengthens its commitment to combating global infectious diseases through innovation and clinical excellence. As cholera continues to threaten communities lacking clean water and sanitation, Hillchol provides a streamlined, scalable solution designed to support global health programs and ensure equitable access to life-saving vaccines. Global demand for OCVs is close to 100 million doses a year, and given that only one manufacturer supplies them, there is a global shortage. Bharat Biotech's facilities in Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar have a capacity to produce up to 200 million doses of Hillchol. UNI KNR BM
