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Straits Times
7 days ago
- Health
- Straits Times
Fatal manhole accident in Japan: Hydrogen sulphide level reportedly exceeded legal limit
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A sewer manhole four workers died during an inspection had a concentration of hydrogen sulfide at least 15 times the legal level. SAITAMA, Japan - A sewer manhole where four workers died during an inspection had a concentration of hydrogen sulfide at least 15 times the legal level, according to the contractor assigned to the work. The Saitama prefectural police believe that the workers may have inhaled hydrogen sulfide and are working to determine the exact cause of death. An investigation has been opened for suspected professional negligence resulting in death. Police on Aug 3 announced that the deceased were employees of a Saitama City-based civil engineering company hired by Gyoda city government to perform the inspection. According to the police, one of the workers was trying to climb down a ladder to the bottom of the sewer pipe, which had stopped flowing, when he lost consciousness and fell on the morning of Aug 2. The other three workers apparently fell while attempting to rescue him. All four were pulled from the pipe, where wastewater was about 1.8 meters deep, and were later pronounced dead at a hospital. None of the workers had any visible injuries. The Industrial Safety and Health Law requires that in locations where hydrogen sulfide may be generated, ventilation or other measures must keep concentrations at 10 ppm or less. According to the company, a reading of 30 ppm was recorded when work began. After the four men fell, a concentration of 150 ppm or higher was measured. None of the workers were wearing safety harnesses to prevent falls, nor masks to guard against oxygen deficiency. Police are examining whether there were any problems with the company's safety management. THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Straits Times
17-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Smart toilets measuring stool's colour, hardness on sale in Japan, targeting health-conscious users
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Demonstration of a smart toilet measuring the characteristics of a model stool. TOKYO - Toilet maker Toto will begin selling on Aug 1 a toilet equipped with a sensor that measures the colour, hardness and amount of stool. The company says this is the first such product in Japan for general residential use. Two models of Toto's high-end 'Neorest' series toilets will be equipped with the function. The suggested retail price, including tax, starts at 493,900 yen (S$4,280). The company aims to sell 7,300 units per year in the third year of the launch. A light-emitting diode (LED) built into the models sheds light on falling stool, and the sensor receives the reflected light to measure the length, contour and surface shape. The colour is recorded in three levels (ochre, brown and dark brown), the hardness in seven levels (including liquid and semi-solid) and the volume in three levels. Up to six users can check the data on their smartphones. THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HSA launches anti-vaping checks near 5 institutes of higher learning Opinion The workplace needs to step up on mental health to match Singapore's efforts at the national level Business Market versus mission: What will Income Insurance choose? Singapore Singapore Zoo celebrates reptile baby boom, including hatchings of endangered species Life First look at the new Singapore Oceanarium at Resorts World Sentosa Business Singapore key exports surprise with 13% rebound in June amid tariff uncertainty Opinion AI and education: We need to know where this sudden marriage is heading Singapore Coffee Meets Bagel's Singpass check: Why I'll swipe right on that
Straits Times
26-06-2025
- Straits Times
Japanese police arrest 2 school teachers for taking and sharing indecent photos of girls
TOKYO - The Aichi prefectural police on June 24 arrested two schoolteachers in Nagoya and Yokohama on suspicion of taking indecent photos of girls and sharing them on social media. The two suspects are Mr Yuji Moriyama, 42, a teacher at Nagoya municipal Kosaka Elementary School in Tenpaku Ward, Nagoya, and Mr Fumiya Kosemura, 37, also a teacher at Yokohama municipal Hongodai Elementary School in Totsuka Ward, Yokohama. The police arrested them on suspicion of violating a law against photographing sexual postures. According to the police's announcement, Mr Moriyama took photos of a schoolgirl in her underwear in a facility in Aichi Prefecture around September 2024 , and Mr Kosemura did the same in a facility in Kanagawa Prefecture around January 2025 . Then they allegedly shared the indecent photo images with members of an online chat group. The two suspects admitted to the allegations, the police said. Mr Moriyama is the administrator of the social media chat group. The police confirmed that he possessed about 70 photos and videos which depict girls changing clothes and images inside girls' skirts. The Aichi prefectural police were investigating the case on the presumption that the chat group comprises schoolteachers whose hobby is photo and video voyeurism. The criminal acts were detected in March 2025 when another schoolteacher was arrested on suspicion that he put body fluid on a backpack which a girl held at a train station platform in Nagoya. Through investigation of the man, who was arrested on suspicion of property destruction, the Aichi prefectural police discovered the existence of the online chat group and had been investigating it. About 10 in chat group On June 25 , it was found that nearly 10 people have participated in the group sharing the indecent photos and videos, according to investigation sources. The Aichi prefectural police analysed the contents posted in the group chat and judged that all the members could be schoolteachers. The police were checking how the group was formed. According to the sources, analyses by the prefectural police of confiscated smartphones found that members of the group told one another their impressions of the photos and videos which they posted. One response said, 'This is so good,' and another said, 'I can't help staring at them.' The postings were made under fictitious names, and other details, such as names of the schools, were not disclosed. But there were postings such as 'Closing ceremony is held today' and 'It's tomorrow in my school.' THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Tokio J-pop boy band member removed from TV show over past conduct
Taichi Kokubun was removed from The Tetsuwan Dash, a variety programme aired by Nippon Television Network and fronted by the members of Tokio. PHOTO: THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK TOKYO - A member of Japanese all-male pop group Tokio has been removed from a popular TV programme due to past conduct that breached compliance rules on multiple occasions, a TV network said on June 20 . Taichi Kokubun, 50, was removed from 'The Tetsuwan Dash,' a variety programme aired by Nippon Television Network and fronted by the members of Tokio. The decision to remove Kokubun was approved at an extraordinary board meeting, based on findings from a third-party probe headed by lawyers. Kokubun has accepted the decision, the network said. In remarks to reporters, the network's president Hiroyuki Fukuda declined to elaborate further on the cases, citing a need to 'protect privacy.' He said it was not a criminal matter. According to Mr Fukuda, the probe was established after the misconduct came to light in late May. 'The Tetsuwan Dash' will continue broadcasting, the network said. Kokubun debuted with the then five-member Tokio in 1994 and has an extensive career in television and radio. After the Fukushima nuclear crisis in 2011, he helped promote local farming produce by appearing in commercials. His removal from the Nippon Television programme comes amid increased scrutiny of Japan's entertainment industry following recent revelations such as a sexual misconduct scandal that emerged at Fuji Television Network Inc. involving popular former TV host Masahiro Nakai. KYODO NEWS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Japan to create digital archive of manga, anime and games
Anime and manga fans have increasingly sought to visit the real-world settings of their favorite stories. PHOTO: PEXELS TOKYO - The government is set to launch a new 'digital archive strategy' aimed at preserving and promoting Japan's trove of such cultural assets as manga, anime and video games, which are immensely popular among young people worldwide. The initiative seeks to digitise these cultural treasures and add them to a database, thereby boosting Japan's soft power and attracting people from all over. The government also aims to promote the online distribution of local arts and cultural properties, with the goal of fostering regional revitalisation. The strategy is the first of its kind to be formulated by the government. It outlines a framework and policy for initiatives over a five-year period, from fiscal 2026 to 2030. Work on the strategy began when an expert panel was established in March last year. Two key areas are prioritised. Namely, 'media arts,' which include manga, anime and video games and which have added to Japan's soft power thanks to their global acclaim; and 'regional resources,' which encompasses cultural properties and works of art with a high tourism potential. Within the media arts domain, the strategy outlines the establishment of a national media arts center, which will be tasked with collecting and preserving original manga drawings and animation cells and creating a comprehensive database for these items. In recent years, anime and manga fans have increasingly sought to visit the real-world settings of their favorite stories. The government wants to boost tourism in regions that have these connections by encouraging fans from around the world to visit. To improve the digital preservation and distribution of regional resources, the government will collaborate more closely with local municipalities using Japan Search. This portal allows users to search the materials held by libraries, museums and other institutions nationwide all at once. The strategy emphasises that local communities should lead the decision-making process for preserving local cultural and artistic works, with municipalities playing a central role in expanding and utilising digital archives. This initiative is expected to have a spillover effect, encouraging domestic and international enthusiasts to, after seeing the digitised version of a digital cultural asset, pay a visit to wherever the asset is located. Furthermore, the government aims to document cultural properties as a safeguard against large-scale disasters, ensuring their preservation for future generations. The strategy mirrors efforts by the European Union, which has been developing platforms for cultural assets for some time. 'We want to have a system on par with Europe's in the next 10 years,' said a Japanese government official. THE JAPAN NEWS/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
