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The Mainichi
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Mainichi
Rice, other daily goods up for grabs as new Japan crane game prizes
KAWAGOE, Saitama -- At a game center in this eastern Japan city near Tokyo, children try to win prizes in a crane game. But here, the winnings are not limited to stuffed animals and candy -- 900-gram packs of white rice are also up for grabs. "I got it!" exclaimed a child as a large bag fell with a thump from the crane game's hook. The loot? A 900-gram pack of Koshihikari prewashed rice. The child's reaction was just like they had won a stuffed animal, all the same. Responding to surging rice prices and increased consumer demand, the amusement center of Mandai Shoten's Kawagoe location in Saitama Prefecture began offering bagged rice as crane game prizes in late May. About six months ago, the location intensified its use of daily essentials as prizes, aiming to attract more families. In addition to bread, melons and strawberries, practical goods have also been available as prizes, with toilet paper once in the lineup. After consulting with a supplier about turning high-priced rice into a prize, the store introduced a crane game stocked with 900-gram bags of rice. The initial batch of 90 bags sold out within days, prompting a reorder due to the game's popularity. Store manager Hiroshi Fukasawa, 43, stated, "Even with soaring prices, there is always a desire to have fun somewhere in our hearts. By making daily necessities into prizes, I hope people will think, 'Maybe I can get these for less than buying them,' and come play casually." Yotaro Sakamoto, 40, who won a bag of rice with his family on the third attempt, commented, "I thought it would be hard to hook the prize, but I was lucky to get it. Lately, rice has been so expensive that there have been times I couldn't buy any. Now I can enjoy Koshihikari rice, if only a little." (Japanese original by Daiki Takikawa, Photo and Video Department)
The Mainichi
30-05-2025
- General
- The Mainichi
News in Easy English: Zainichi Korean women meet in Kawasaki to share stories of life
KAWASAKI -- A group of Zainichi Korean women met in Kawasaki, near Tokyo, on May 21. These women came from Utoro in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, and from the Sakuramoto area in Kawasaki. Many Zainichi Koreans -- ethnic Koreans living in Japan -- in these two areas. Both groups have had difficult experiences because of hate crimes against them. This meeting was the second visit for people from Utoro and Sakuramoto. The first visit was in 2023, when people from Sakuramoto visited Utoro. In the past, people did hate crimes in these two places. In Utoro, in 2021, a 22-year-old man set a building on fire to scare Korean people. In Sakuramoto, some people did things like sending letters threatening Korean people's lives. At this latest meeting, older women from both places came together. They shared stories about their lives. Then they enjoyed singing and dancing. One woman from Sakuramoto, named Seck Ilboon, is 94 years old. She said life was difficult after her husband died, but she kept working until she was 86. Later, she joined a group helping older Koreans to be happier. She sang Korean songs and danced in this group. She also worked hard to stop hate speech in Kawasaki. She said, "Now, at 94 years old, I feel really happy." Another woman named Kim Jinmokja, age 84, from Utoro, said her life was also hard because she needed to care for her sister and could not go to school much. Kim said, "I feel close to Seck even though we just met, because our lives were very similar. Coming here today is special to me." After talking about their lives, the women from both communities sang Korean songs together, danced, and promised to meet again. (Japanese original by Yoshiya Goto, Photo and Video Department) Vocabulary Zainichi Korean: a person from a Korean family who was born in or who lives in Japan. hate crime: an act someone commits against another person because they dislike or hate the person's group. discrimination: unfair or unkind treatment of people because they come from a different group. meeting: when people come together to talk or share an experience. community: a group of people living in the same place or having the same background. hate speech: using words or actions to hurt or scare people from a certain group. traditional: old-style actions or ways of doing things, passed from older to younger people. ordinance: a local law or rule made by a city or town government.
The Mainichi
22-05-2025
- The Mainichi
'Zainichi' Koreans in Kyoto, Kanagawa prefs. enjoy exchange in face of hate speech, poverty
KAWASAKI -- A group of women from the Utoro district of Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, home to many "Zainichi" ethnic Korean residents, visited this east Japan city on May 21 to facilitate mutual exchange between compatriots in the two regions. Both Utoro and the Sakuramoto district of the city of Kawasaki's Kawasaki Ward, Kanagawa Prefecture, have experienced a spate of hate crimes targeting Zainichi Koreans. On May 21, elderly Korean women from both regions who have lived through hardship, facing discrimination and poverty, interacted with each other beyond their local communities and shared moments of happiness. The mutual visitation program started in 2023, when a group of Zainichi residents from Sakuramoto visited Utoro, and the latest event marked the second of its kind. In Utoro, a 22-year-old man set fire to a building in the Korean settlement in 2021. The arsonist was quoted as saying that the attack "was aimed at terrifying Zainichi Koreans." Meanwhile, Sakuramoto has also been targeted in hate speech rallies. In 2020, the Kawasaki municipal Fureai-Kan hall, a regional multicultural inclusivity promotion facility, received a postcard threatening to kill Zainichi Koreans. During the latest event, women from both Utoro and Sakuramoto recounted their tumultuous lives. A 94-year-old resident of Sakuramoto said that after her husband's death she continued to work until 86 to make a living. She then came across "Toraji no kai," a group of senior Zainichi residents in Sakuramoto. Through the group's activities, she sang and danced to Korean folk songs alongside fellow Zainichi residents of her generation, and petitioned the Kawasaki Municipal Assembly for an ordinance to ban hate speech, which was later introduced. She has also been teaching how to prepare kimchi at a local elementary school. "At 94, I find myself truly happy," she said. An 84-year-old resident of Utoro said she identified with the woman from Sakuramoto. She recounted that she could hardly attend school due to work and looking after her younger sister, and also struggled financially. "I feel close to her even though we've just met, as she has gone through similar circumstances. The encounters today are a treasure," the Utoro resident said with a smile. After sharing their stories, the participants engaged in traditional Korean performing arts and sang Korean folk songs. They danced together and promised to meet again. (Japanese original by Yoshiya Goto, Photo and Video Department)
The Mainichi
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
News in Easy English: Festival in Tokyo brings refugees, immigrants and locals together
TOKYO -- A special festival happened on May 10 at Heisei Tsutsuji Park in Nerima Ward, Tokyo. The festival brought immigrants, refugees, and local people together through food, music, and friendship. This event is called the "Refugee & Migrant Festival." It has been held every year for the past three years. Supporters who help refugees hold this festival. They use the money from the festival to help refugees living in Japan. During the festival, visitors enjoyed snacks and sweets from Myanmar, Kurdish food, and treats from Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. People also bought handmade accessories and crafts from Africa. Families and friends had fun meeting new people. On stage, people performed songs and played musical instruments. Many visitors also learned about refugees who are waiting for Japan to accept them officially. (Japanese original by Daisuke Wada, Photo and Video Department) Vocabulary festival: a special day or event where people celebrate, eat, or listen to music. refugee: a person who leaves their home country because life there is dangerous or difficult. immigrant: a person who comes to a new country to live. supporter: a person who helps others. handmade: made by a person, not by a machine. accessory: small things people wear like jewelry, rings, or necklaces. craft: things made by people's hands, like paintings, clothes, bags, or pottery. officially: agreed or accepted by the country or government.
The Mainichi
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
Refugees, immigrants, supporters connect through food and music at Tokyo festival
TOKYO -- Refugees, immigrants and their supporters connected through cultural exchanges at a recent festival held in a park here. The Refugee & Migrant Festival, organized by an executive committee of supporters for individuals who have come to Japan due to various circumstances such as persecution in their home countries, has been held as a charity event for the past three years. Proceeds are used for activities supporting refugees and related causes. The sixth edition of the festival took place at Heisei Tsutsuji Park in Nerima Ward on May 10. Attendees engaged with people of diverse backgrounds through cultural exchanges involving food and music. Booths offered Myanmar and Kurdish sweets, snacks from Asia and the Middle East, and handicrafts and accessories from African countries. The event was bustling with families and other visitors, while a special stage featured performances of songs and musical instruments. Additionally, many at the event listened intently to supporters discussing the current situation for people on "provisional release," whose refugee applications have not been approved but who are allowed to live outside immigration facilities under certain conditions. (Japanese original by Daisuke Wada, Photo and Video Department)
