File image of Kaishu Sano© X (Twitter)

Tokyo:

Japan’s government has finally eliminated the use of floppy disks in all its systems, two decades since their heyday, reaching a long-awaited milestone in a campaign to modernise the bureaucracy.

By the middle of last month, the Digital Agency had scrapped all 1,034 regulations governing their use, except for one environmental stricture related to vehicle recycling.

“We have won the war on floppy disks on June 28!” Digital Minister Taro Kono, who has been vocal about wiping out fax machines and other analogue technology in government, told Reuters in a statement on Wednesday.

The Digital Agency was set up during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, when a scramble to roll out nationwide testing and vaccination revealed that the government still relied on paper filing and outdated technology.

A charismatic figure with 2.5 million followers on X, Kono formerly headed the defence and foreign ministries as well as the COVID vaccine deployment, taking up his current role in August 2022 after a failed bid to become prime minister.

Japan’s digitisation effort has run into numerous snags, however. A contact-tracing app flopped during the pandemic and adoption of the government’s My Number digital identification card has been slower than it hoped, amid repeated data mishaps.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Japan:

Mount Fuji’s summer climbing season began on Monday with new crowd control measures to combat over-tourism on the Japanese volcano’s most popular trail.

An entry fee of 2,000 yen ($13) plus an optional donation is being charged for those taking on the Yoshida Trail, and numbers are capped at 4,000 per day.

Online reservations have also been introduced this year by authorities concerned about safety and environmental damage on Japan’s highest mountain.

“I really like the idea because if you respect the mountain, you have to limit the people,” hiker Chetna Joshi told AFP at the trail’s Fifth Station — a busy starting point for hikers that is reachable by car.

The 47-year-old from India compared the crowds seen at Fuji in recent years to the “traffic jam” of climbers at the peak of Mount Everest.

Although windy and drizzly weather on Monday prevented hikers from reaching the summit, Joshi said ascending part way was still a “great experience”.

“I love mountains. I think it is not giving me permission this time, that’s OK. I accept it,” she said.

Record tourist crowds are flocking to Japan post-pandemic, with many wanting to see or scale Mount Fuji.

The mountain is covered in snow most of the year but draws more than 220,000 visitors each July-September climbing period.

Many trudge through the night to see the sunrise from the 3,776-metre (12,388-foot) summit.

Some sleep on the trail or start fires for heat, while others attempt to complete the hike without breaks, becoming sick or injured as a result.

 ‘Crazy adventure’ 

The once-peaceful pilgrimage site has three other main routes that will remain free to climb.

But the Yoshida Trail — accessed from Tokyo relatively easily — is the preferred option for most holidaymakers, with around 60 per cent of climbers choosing that route.

Each summer, reports in Japanese media describe tourists climbing Mount Fuji with insufficient mountaineering equipment.

The new measures were introduced “first and foremost to protect lives”, governor Kotaro Nagasaki of Yamanashi prefecture has said.

In a reminder of the dangers, last week four bodies were found near the summit, according to local media reports.

“I personally feel like I’ve over-prepared,” Geoffrey Kula, a climber from the United States, told AFP.

“Having looked at the forecast, being ready to swap out multiple outfits if clothes get wet and things like that. Yeah, it just seems like another crazy adventure.”

Tourist hotspot 

Monthly visitors to Japan exceeded three million for the first time in March, and then again in April and May.

The tourism chief has deemed the country’s ambitious goal of attracting 60 million foreign tourists well within reach, having last year welcomed more than 25 million.

Mount Fuji is about two hours from central Tokyo by train and can be seen for miles around.

The mountain is a symbol of Japan that has been immortalised in countless artworks, including Hokusai’s “Great Wave”.

But as in other tourist hotspots, such as Venice — which recently launched a trial of entry fees for day visitors — the influx has not been universally welcomed.

In May, a town near Mount Fuji mounted a large barrier at a popular viewing spot for the volcano in an attempt to deter photo-taking by an ever-growing number of tourists.

Residents were fed up with streams of mostly foreign visitors littering, trespassing and breaking traffic rules in their hunt for a photo to share on social media.

Similar woes have befallen the country’s ancient capital of Kyoto, where locals have complained of tourists harassing the city’s famed geisha.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

London:

Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako arrive in Britain on Saturday ahead of a three-day state visit hosted by King Charles III.

The royal couple are due to touch down on a flight from Japan and spend Sunday and Monday at private engagements before the official programme begins on Tuesday.

The highlight will be a state banquet at Buckingham Palace, with all eyes on a possible appearance by the heir to the throne Prince William’s wife Catherine, rarely seen in recent months due to cancer treatment.

Naruhito, 64, will also go to Windsor Castle west of London to lay a wreath on the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II, whose state funeral he and the empress, 60, attended in September 2022.

With Britain in the midst of a general election campaign, it was not immediately clear if there would be any meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Visiting heads of state have typically held talks with the premier and opposition leader, or addressed lawmakers in parliament.

But there are no MPs as parliament has been dissolved before the July 4 vote.

The trip will be the emperor’s second official state visit since his accession to the throne in 2019, following a visit to Indonesia last year.

For Charles, 75, it will be the third state visit he has hosted since he ascended to the throne following the death of his mother.

 ‘Fond memories’ 

Like Catherine, he was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year but has made a limited return to public duties, and was seen this week with his wife Queen Camilla at the Royal Ascot horse racing meeting.

Catherine, a future queen who is widely known as Kate, is currently undergoing chemotherapy and has stepped back from public life to aid her recovery.

She made a tentative return to public life last week when she attended a military parade in London to mark Charles’ official birthday.

Elizabeth, whose 70-year reign began in 1952, hosted two Japanese state visits during her time on the throne: Emperor Hirohito in 1971 and his eldest son Emperor Akihito — Naruhito’s father — in 1998.

Speaking in Tokyo ahead of the trip, Naruhito said Britain’s royals treated him “like family” during his time studying in England in the 1980s.

Naruhito recalled that during his two years at Oxford University, he was invited to Balmoral Castle in Scotland for a few days.

“I have very fond memories of the queen driving a car and inviting me to a barbecue… and Prince Philip showing me around by driving a carriage himself,” he told reporters in a rare press conference.

The state visit’s programme will also include a Guard of Honour ceremony, a carriage procession at Buckingham Palace, and visits to museums and the Francis Crick Institute, a biomedical research centre in London.

Before leaving on Friday the Japanese emperor and empress will visit Oxford, where they both studied, for private engagements.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Representational image of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

The New Zealand defence force plane flying New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to Japan broke down on Sunday, forcing the Prime Minister to take a commercial flight, his office confirmed on Monday.

Mr. Luxon is spending four days in Japan, where he is expected to meet with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and spend time promoting New Zealand business.

New Zealand media reported that the Boeing 757 broke down during a refuelling stop in Papua New Guinea, leaving the business delegation and journalists stranded in Port Moresby, while Mr. Luxon flew commercial to Japan.

Ageing aircraft

The New Zealand Defence Force’s two 757s are more than 30 years old and their age has made them increasingly unreliable.

New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins told radio station Newstalk ZB on Monday that the consistent flight issues were “embarrassing” and that the ministry was looking at flying Mr. Luxon and his delegation commercially from now on.

New Zealand’s defence force is struggling with ageing equipment and retaining sufficient personnel. The government has said it would like to spend more on defence but is also trying to reduce spending as the country faces economic headwinds.

A disease caused by a rare “flesh-eating bacteria” that can kill people within 48 hours is spreading in Japan after the country relaxed Covid-era restrictions.

Cases of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) reached 977 this year by June 2, higher than the record 941 cases reported for all of last year, according to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, which has been tracking incidences of the disease since 1999. 

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) typically causes swelling and sore throat in children known as “strep throat,” but some types of the bacteria can lead to symptoms developing rapidly, including limb pain and swelling, fever, low blood pressure, that can be followed by necrosis, breathing problems, organ failure and death. People over 50 are more prone to the disease.

“Most of the deaths happen within 48 hours,” said Ken Kikuchi, a professor in infectious diseases at Tokyo Women’s Medical University. “As soon as a patient notices swelling in the foot in the morning, it can expand to the knee by noon, and they can die within 48 hours.”

Other countries have experienced recent outbreaks. In late 2022 at least five European nations reported to the World Health Organization an increase in cases of invasive group A streptococcus (iGAS) disease, which includes STSS. The WHO said the rise in cases followed the end of Covid restrictions.

At the current rate of infections, the number of cases in Japan could reach 2,500 this year, with a “terrifying” mortality rate of 30%, Kikuchi said.

Kikuchi urged people to maintain hand hygiene and to treat any open wounds. He said patients may carry GAS in their intestines, which could contaminate hands through faeces. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea’s rocket launch during a news program at a bus terminal in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, May 27, 2024. North Korea on Monday, May 27, 2024, launched a missile into the sea, Japan and South Korea said, hours after North Korea announced plans to put a rocket into orbit apparently carrying its second military reconnaissance satellite.
| Photo Credit: AP

North Korea on Monday launched a missile into the sea, Japan and South Korea said, hours after North Korea announced plans to put a rocket into orbit apparently carrying its second military reconnaissance satellite.

North Korea had earlier notified Japan’s coast guard about its plans to launch “a satellite rocket” during a launch window from Monday through June 3.

Japanese Prime Minister’s Office lifted a missile alert issued for the island of Okinawa following North Korea’s launch, saying that the missile was believed not to be headed for its region.

North Korea sent its first military reconnaissance satellite into orbit in November last year as part of efforts to build a space-based surveillance network to cope with what it calls increasing U.S.-led military threats. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later told a ruling party meeting that the country would launch three additional military spy satellites in 2024.

The U.N. bans North Korea from conducting any satellite launches, viewing them as covers for testing long-range missile technology. North Korea has steadfastly maintained it has the right to launch satellites and test missiles. Kim has said spy satellites will allow his military to better monitor U.S. and South Korean military activities and enhance the threat posed by its nuclear-capable missiles.

North Korea provides Japan with its launch information because Japan’s coast guard coordinates and distributes maritime safety information in East Asia.

Tokyo:

A Japanese town was set Tuesday to mount a large mesh barrier across the road from an Instagram-famous view of Mount Fuji in an attempt to deter badly behaved tourists.

The plan made headlines last month when it was announced by officials fed up with what locals said were unending streams of mostly foreign visitors littering, trespassing and breaking traffic rules.

Since then, poles have been put up in preparation for a screen measuring 2.5 by 20 metres (eight by 65 feet) to block the sight of Japan’s highest mountain emerging from behind a Lawson convenience store.

On Tuesday morning, workers in hard hats were putting the finishing touches to the metal poles in preparation for attaching the barrier at the photo spot in Fujikawaguchiko town, an AFP reporter at the scene said.

Snaps of this visual juxtaposition taken from a narrow stretch of pavement across a busy road from the Lawson, a ubiquitous Japanese chain, have been widely shared online.

But construction of the barrier itself was initially delayed due to problems getting the right materials delivered, giving tourists a few more days to chase the perfect shot.

Local officials and residents have said the town welcomes visitors, but complain that those who cross the street non-stop, ignore red lights, park illegally and smoke outside of designated areas have proved a nuisance.

“It’s regrettable we have to do this, because of some tourists who can’t respect rules,” a town official told AFP in April, saying that traffic signs and warnings from security guards had failed to improve the situation.

The measure is also meant to protect a nearby dental clinic where tourists sometimes park without permission and have even been seen climbing on the roof to take pictures.

– Online bookings –

Record numbers of overseas tourists are coming to Japan, where monthly visitors exceeded three million for the first time in March and then again in April.

But as in other tourist hotspots, such as Venice — which recently launched a trial of entry fees for day visitors — the influx has not been universally welcomed.

In Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto, locals have complained of tourists harassing the city’s famed geisha.

And hikers using the most popular route to climb Mount Fuji this summer will be charged 2,000 yen ($13) each, with entries capped at 4,000 to ease congestion.

A new online booking system for the mountain’s Yoshida trail opened on Monday to guarantee hikers entry through a new gate, although 1,000 places a day will be kept for day-of entries.

Mount Fuji is covered in snow most of the year, but during the July-September hiking season more than 220,000 visitors trudge up its steep, rocky slopes.

Many climb through the night to see the sunrise, and some attempt to reach the 3,776-metre (12,388-foot) summit without breaks and become sick or injured as a result.

Regional officials have raised safety and environmental concerns linked to overcrowding on the active volcano, a symbol of Japan and a once-peaceful pilgrimage site.

Residents near other popular photo spots in the region, including the so-called Fuji Dream Bridge, have also reportedly complained about overtourism in recent weeks.

One tour operator which offers day trips from Tokyo to the Mount Fuji area told AFP they are taking visitors to another Lawson store nearby where a similar view can be seen, but there are fewer nearby residents.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Over one lakh packets of sliced bread were recalled in Japan after the manufacturer Pasco Shikishima said that rat remains were found inside some loaves, as per a report in the Independent. The company is now investigating how parts of “a small animal” got inside two packets of sliced bread. Pasco Shikishima further informed that no one has reported falling ill after consuming the sliced white Chojuku bread.

“We would like to apologise deeply for causing trouble to our customers and clients. We will strengthen our quality management system to ensure there won’t be a recurrence,” the company said in a statement.

They added, “We will recall the products below that were produced on the same factory line and halt the line in question in the meantime to determine the cause and implement countermeasures. We express our sincere gratitude for your exceptional choice of our products.”

The firm stated that they were discovered in a batch of white “chojuku” bread, which is a type of hyper-fermented bread with an exceptionally chewy texture, produced by a plant located in the western prefecture of Tokyo. The factory in Tokyo has been suspended and a probe has also been ordered.

Notably, there have been other food scares in Japan in recent years besides this recall. As per a report in CNN, several deaths in March prompted Japanese health officials to request the recall of three nutritional supplements made by large pharmaceutical manufacturer Kobayashi Pharmaceutical. Over a hundred other people were hospitalised.

According to Reuters, food supplier Warabeya Nichiyo said in August last year that two cases of cockroaches were discovered in rice balls it supplied to a 7-Eleven convenience shop in Saitama, north of Tokyo.

Tokyo:

A huge black barrier to block Mount Fuji from view will be installed in a popular photo spot by Japanese authorities exasperated by crowds of badly behaved foreign tourists. 

Construction of the mesh net — 2.5 metres (8 feet) high and the length of a cricket pitch at 20 metres — will begin as early as next week, an official from Fujikawaguchiko town said Friday.

“It’s regrettable we have to do this, because of some tourists who can’t respect rules,” leaving litter behind and ignoring traffic regulations, he told AFP.

It is the latest direct action in Japan against overtourism after residents of Kyoto’s geisha district banned visitors from small private alleys this year.

Record numbers of overseas tourists are travelling to the country, where monthly visitors exceeded three million in March for the first time ever.

Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain, can be photographed from many spots in the resort town of Fujikawaguchiko.

But this viewpoint is particularly popular because the majestic volcano appears behind a Lawson convenience store, which are ubiquitous in Japan.

Due to this visual juxtaposition, “a reputation has spread on social media that this spot is very Japanese, making it a popular photo location,” said the town official who declined to be named.

The mostly non-Japanese tourists are overcrowding a stretch of pavement next to the Lawson shop, he said.

After traffic signs and repeated warnings from security guards fell on deaf ears, the town in Yamanashi region decided on the huge screen as a last resort.

The measure is also meant to protect a nearby dental clinic against the onslaught of tourists.

They sometimes park there without permission and have even been seen climbing on the roof of the clinic to get the perfect shot, the official said.

The town wishes it hadn’t come down to this, he said, adding that the current plan is for the screen to be maintained until the situation improves.

Tourism to Japan has been booming since pandemic-era border restrictions were lifted, and the government has been working hard to boost visitor numbers.

But this has not been universally welcomed — including in Kyoto where locals have complained of snap-happy tourists harassing the city’s immaculately dressed geisha.

And this summer, hikers using the most popular route to climb Mount Fuji will be charged $13 each, with numbers capped to ease congestion.

Other top destinations worldwide are also struggling with visitor numbers, and on Thursday Venice began charging day-trippers for entry to tackle mass tourism.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)