Japan’s Civil Defense department updated its Civil Protection website September 21 with information about “Actions in case of missiles flying to Japan.” The update comes after North Korea’s September 15 launch of a missile that flew over the northern island of Hokkaido, Japan. The missile landed in the Pacific east of Japan.
A popular beach near Yokohama implemented a smoking policy at the start of this year’s swimming season in June. Zushi beach in Kanagawa Prefecture has banned smoking except at designated areas on its 600-meters of sand. Five smoking huts have been installed on the beach. Four standing ashtrays have also been placed in the
The effort to prevent elderly people from becoming victims of fraud continues with the debut of audio alerts during transactions at automatic teller machines in convenience stores. The caution message on the ATM screen and the voice announcement is designed to alert the elderly to the possibilty they are being swindled. The warning screen appears
Earthquake warnings pop up on computer screens in Japan for subscribers to the Urgent Earthquake Bulletin service from NTT telecommunications company. When a quake alert is issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency, the NTT service will automatically open an alert window on a personal computer screen. An alarm sounds, and the warning window displays
A new digital telephone announces earthquake warnings issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency. The system utilizes a standard telephone line and an included Local Area Network wireless terminal. The fixed-line cordless phone from Sanyo automatically receives and loudly announces Urgent Earthquake News Flash alerts. Additionally, the 1.7-inch liquid crystal display backlight on the handset displays
A soft, chewy candy that was linked to choking deaths and pulled from the market in October will be available again in early December in a new formula and with larger warnings on the packaging. Mannan Life Co., stopped production of its Konnyaku Batake brand konnyaku jelly Mini Cup after receiving reports of children and
The October nationwide campaign by the Japan National Police Agency aimed at preventing senior citizens from becoming victims of telephone fraud ended with door-to-door delivery of fraud-warning flyers in one ward of Tokyo. Cops in Setagaya-Ku, Tokyo, handed-out notices to residents at home, and placed the flyers in mailboxes if no one was at home.
Tokyo to face ‘toilet refugee’ crisis in quake: study TOKYO (AFP) — A dreaded major earthquake in Tokyo would set off a crisis of “toilet refugees,” with a restroom shortage for nearly 820,000 people, a government study said. An expert panel of the government’s Central Disaster Prevention Council came to the conclusion this week while
The camera-police-hotline-alarm-equipped Coca-Cola vending machine installed in a park in Toyohashi, on October 10, 2008, has been vandalized. (Crime-Fighting Vending Machine) LJ October 12) Police report the top-mounted security camera wiring had been cut and the camera was dangling over the front of the machine. "Surveillance society" (in Japanese) had been sprayed in black paint
Coke machine guards park A new vending machine has a built-in direct phone line to the police department, an alarm buzzer, a 24-hour video-recording surveillance camera, and a revolving red light on top. "The "Help Vending Machine" was provided by Coca Cola in cooperation with the Aichi prefectural police. The machine is located in Iwata
Baby in Belly Maternity marks are desirable in Japan. The so-called "maternity mark" tags and buttons worn by expectant mothers alert bystanders to their condition. Japan Airlines now offers maternity mark tags to pregnant women flying domestic routes. JAL is the first airline in Japan to offer the baby-in-belly tag. In 2006, East Japan Railway
Stay Behind The Yellow Line Crocs sandals may sometimes get snagged in escalators in Japan and cause toe injuries, but other Crocs troubles have arisen. After several reports of Crocs-related escalator accidents in Japan, in April 2008, the Japan Ministry of Economy, Tade and Industry asked Tokyo-based Crocs Asia Pte Ltd. to change the sandals‘
The fear that people who have a tattoo are associated with yakuza (Japanese mobsters) persists. Tattooed bodies can be bad for business, so onsens, private pools, sento community baths, water parks and places where shirts come off and shorts are worn either ban tattooed people from entry, or require them to stay covered-up. Stars and
