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The Mainichi
6 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Osaka's abandoned suitcases and Tamagotchi's return: Our 5 most-read stories from last week
We've listed our five most read stories on The Mainichi news site, from top to bottom, that were published between August 2 and 10. The first story was viewed by 22.0% of our regular readers. (The Mainichi) Japan education ministry OKs plan to exclude foreign PhD students from living expenses aid TOKYO -- The Japanese education ministry's human resources committee on July 30 broadly approved a plan to limit the recipients of living expenses aid for doctoral candidates to Japanese students only, to be implemented as early as the 2027 academic year. Full story. Over 80% of lodging operators in Osaka struggle with abandoned suitcases: survey OSAKA -- Over 80% of accommodation providers in Osaka Prefecture are struggling to deal with suitcases abandoned by their guests, according to a survey by the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau. Full story. 'Peace of mind': Island with 600 residents off Fukuoka city happy to get convenience store FUKUOKA -- A small island in Hakata Bay in southwest Japan has opened a convenience store, becoming the first of 10 inhabited islands in Fukuoka Prefecture to do so. Full story. Japanese toy Tamagotchi nears 100 million sales, makes comeback ahead of 30th anniv. TOKYO -- Bandai Co.'s digital pet Tamagotchi, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2026, is experiencing a new wave of popularity as nearly a 100 million devices have been sold worldwide. Full story. Sapporo couple arrested for allegedly leaving young daughter alone at home in hot weather SAPPORO -- A Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF) officer and his wife, a part-time worker, were arrested here Aug. 7 after allegedly leaving their preschool-age daughter at home alone in June. Full story.
The Mainichi
02-08-2025
- The Mainichi
Over 80% of lodging operators in Osaka struggle with abandoned suitcases: survey
OSAKA -- Over 80% of accommodation providers in Osaka Prefecture are struggling to deal with suitcases abandoned by their guests, according to a survey by the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau. There have been many cases of tourists visiting Osaka Prefecture leaving their suitcases unattended in accommodation facilities or on the streets. The questionnaire survey on the situation was distributed in late June to approximately 720 companies and organizations that are supporting members of the tourism bureau, and the results were announced on July 29. Of the 34 lodging operators who responded to the survey, more than 80%, or 29 businesses, reported that abandoned luggage has become a significant issue. With the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai underway, Osaka Prefecture is welcoming large numbers of tourists from both Japan and abroad. In particular, there has been a notable increase in inbound tourism, with approximately 8.476 million people visiting in the first half of 2025 (January to June), up 20% from the same period last year, setting a new record. However, poor etiquette has also become more noticeable, with multiple cases of suitcases being left behind or discarded. Many overseas tourists reportedly bring suitcases with the intention of replacing them, and dispose the old ones after purchasing new luggage. According to the tourism bureau, several lodging operators noted in the survey that securing space to store abandoned luggage as lost property and covering the cost of disposing such items as waste poses a major challenge. At a press conference on July 29, bureau director Hiroshi Mizohata stated, "We see this as a major problem," and expressed his intention to urgently consider countermeasures. He added, "Strengthening awareness of proper manners and promoting thorough reuse can help reduce the problem, but for issues that cannot be resolved, it may be necessary to establish new rules." Including non-lodging businesses, 87 companies and organizations responded to the survey, with nearly half, or 40, reporting that abandoned suitcases are a problem.
Korea Herald
25-06-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Osaka eSIM launches new data add-ons for long-term foreign visitors to enhance connectivity while staying in Osaka
TOKYO, June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau and KDDI Corporation have announced the addition of new options for "Osaka eSIM" starting June 25, 2025, and will launch new data add-ons for long-term visitors, including 30 GB (30 Days) and 15 GB (15 Days) options. [For foreign visitors] [NEW] 30 GB (30 Days) Price: JPY 2,780 Duration: June 25, 2025 – End date undetermined [NEW] 15 GB (15 Days) Price: JPY 1,670 Duration: June 25, 2025 – End date undetermined Unlimited Data (3 Days) (Note 1) Price: JPY 790 Duration: April 13, 2025 – End date undetermined Unlimited Data (24 Hours) (Note 1) Price: JPY 330 Duration: April 13, 2025 – End date undetermined Unlimited Data (6 Hours) (Note 1) Price: JPY 250 Duration: April 13, 2025 – End date undetermined Unlimited Data (2 Hours) (Note 1) Price: JPY 180 Duration: April 13, 2025 – End date undetermined (Notes) Osaka eSIM is a mobile communication service offered by the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau in collaboration with the KDDI Group. They utilise "povo SDK," which allows the company to incorporate povo's communication services into their own, allowing consumers to use the quality and safety of au's network. Customers purchase plans online and customise them via "toppings" to suit their needs in terms of data usage and length of stay, in as little as three minutes. (note 2) Osaka eSIM is offering a "first-time user special" in which customers can receive "Unlimited Data (24 Hours)" (note 1) to commemorate the start of service. Eligibility: Foreign visitors Special details: Input a promo code after registration to receive "Unlimited Data (24 Hours)" (note 1) Duration: April 13, 2025 – End date undetermined For details on plans for foreign visitors, please visit: ( (note 1) Network speed may be limited during network congestion. (note 2) Time until the user begins using the service as calculated by KDDI. This may differ based on the customer's situation.
The Mainichi
14-06-2025
- The Mainichi
Inbound tourists abandoning luggage amid Osaka Expo trips causes disposal problems
OSAKA -- Suitcases believed to have been abandoned mainly by foreign travelers are piling up across this city as it hosts Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, putting pressure on local accommodation providers as to how to respond. Hotels and other lodgings are facing unexpectedly large hurdles in getting guests to properly dispose of their oversized garbage, with little progress thus far. A 46-year-old man who operates a private lodging in the city was beyond outraged. "What am I supposed to do?" he complained in exasperation. On April 21, a week after the Expo began, two men from China stayed at his facility for five nights. On the first day, they each brought two suitcases. Possibly due to heavy souvenir shopping during their visit, the number of suitcases increased with each passing day, reaching a total of nine by the end of their stay. Just after the two left with their large haul, the operator looked outside and saw them attempting to abandon three of the suitcases in the nearby bicycle parking area. Lodging operators fed up with time-consuming tasks In the city of Osaka, items over 30 centimeters wide are considered oversized waste, and cannot be discarded as household garbage. The lodging operator rushed over and warned the two guests, "Leaving these here constitutes illegal dumping, which is a crime. Please dispose of them yourselves." The tourists defiantly responded, "Then what are we supposed to do?" After a prolonged back-and-forth, the operator contacted acquaintances for advice, and referred the tourists to a recycling service. The two then carried away their suitcases. The operator expressed his frustration, saying, "If this kind of thing keeps happening, it's going to cause a lot of extra work. But since it comes down to individual's manners, I can't come up with a good solution." According to estimates from the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau, the number of inbound tourists visiting the city reached a record high of approximately 1.547 million in April 2025. The Osaka Prefectural Government predicts about 3.5 million of the 28.2 million expected Expo visitors through October to be from abroad. Partly due to the boost from Expo 2025, tourism demand has rapidly recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. Areas popular with backpackers from abroad, such as Osaka's Nishinari Ward and the Minami entertainment district, have seen a concentration of private lodgings and budget accommodations. This is likely why abandoned suitcases continue to appear frequently on nearby streets. While working on this story, this Mainichi Shimbun reporter saw multiple large suitcases left on the roadside. They were often placed together with household garbage at their collection areas, suggesting that people may not have even known these items qualify as oversized waste. Unwanted suitcases left behind An accommodation industry insider remarked, "Many tourists from overseas intentionally bring old baggage with the plan of replacing it, and discard unnecessary bags after buying new ones in Japan." Similar cases occurred before the coronavirus pandemic, when the "bakugai" (explosive purchasing) phenomenon by Chinese tourists gained attention. Yasuhiro Asada, president of Hotel Toyo in Nishinari Ward, noted, "Compared to those days, we've seen fewer cases recently, but even now we find suitcases abandoned in rooms or corridors about once a month." Since some of the luggage could simply be lost items, Hotel Toyo stores them for three months. If no one claims them, the hotel has to dispose of them. Asada noted, "When (suitcases are) left behind, it is difficult to secure storage space and transport them, not to mention the cost. I urge them to properly consult us first." Around a decade ago, Hotel Toyo began offering guests a suitcase disposal service, charging 500 yen (about $3.50) per item. Once enough suitcases accumulate, hotel staff deliver them to a disposal company. The city of Osaka spends public resources to dispose of suitcases left on the street. In fiscal 2023, this amounted to some 110 million yen (around $765,000). One city official voiced frustration, saying, "It is difficult to determine whether something was lost or illegally dumped, and because of the possibility of hazardous materials, cooperation from the police and other authorities is required. Disposal is extremely time-consuming." Properly discarding suitcases as oversized garbage requires individuals to follow official procedures, but for inbound tourists, some circumstances mean doing this is not realistically possible. Bulky garbage pickup intended for residents According to the Environment Bureau of the Osaka Municipal Government, residents can apply in advance and pay a fee of 200 yen (approx. $1.40) per suitcase to have it collected as oversized waste. Yet, the application requires an Osaka residential address, meaning tourists from elsewhere cannot utilize this service. Regarding the system being designed for residents, a municipal official admitted, "The only way is to find a collection agency on their own, but it is unlikely to get picked up on the same day. We didn't expect people to be disposing of their suitcases during a trip in the first place." At Kansai International Airport, which sees some 19 million foreign visitors a year, a service to collect reusable suitcases started in 2018 for free. A source close to the municipal government noted, "Encouraging the use of private services like this would be the next best thing." In response to both the Expo and the surge in inbound tourism, Japan faces the task of improving tourist etiquette and overtourism measures in bustling cities.
