Nipponica

Aleph, which has most of the roughly 1,650 worshippers of Aum Shinrikyo's three successor groups, continues to worship the teachings of cult leader Chizuo Matsumoto, who went by the name of Shoko Asahara and was executed in 2018, as dogma. Authorities still believe that Aleph may conduct mass murders.

It is kind of amazing that the Aum Shinrikyo successors are still allowed to operate in the post-Abe assassination world when organizations like the Unification Church are being squeezed. Perhaps this is a first step towards that.

The man told the Mainichi, "In the workplace, there was always an unwelcoming atmosphere toward marriage and having children. I was very sad."

We don’t live in a world where the employer owns the employee anymore. Black companies like this should not be allowed to operate like this.

Japan successfully launched Monday its new flagship H3 rocket carrying an Earth observation satellite from a space center on a southwestern island, in a boost to the country's space aspirations following the vehicle's failed debut last year.

Space is back.

Emirates resumed flights of the superjumbo at Kansai International Airport on June 1, with daily round trips between Kansai and Dubai International Airport. Airlines had paused flights of A380s to Kansai as passenger numbers plummeted amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Love the big sky whales.

Japan will start issuing new banknotes on Wednesday, showcasing what it touts is the world's first use of cutting-edge holography that makes the portraits of historic figures look like they are rotating in 3D on the bills, one of their anti-counterfeit measures.

In the first design change in 20 years, the 10,000 yen, 5,000 yen, and 1,000 yen bills will have bigger face value numbers printed on them than the current versions, so all people, regardless of age and nationality, can recognize them easily.

I do not think this is the typical "I don't like change" attitude but the new banknote designs are a huge step back. They look like a bunch of elements randomly completely thrown together and they lack the cohesiveness that the current set have.

The number of mental disorder cases recognized as work-induced in fiscal 2023 hit a record high for the fifth consecutive year at 883, up 173 from the previous year, the government said Friday.

The two biggest Japanese airline operators said the guidelines address customer behaviors such as badgering staff, irrational demands and physical violence, among other typical issues.

Obviously good for the employees of the two airlines and good for the passengers that have the decency to treat these employees like human beings. But, as a troublesome customer can be more than just a nuisance for an employee and be an actual safety hazard for a whole airplane full of passengers, should these guidelines come from the government level and have criminal penalties?

The survey was conducted by The Nippon Foundation in May and asked 1,000 Japanese aged between 17 and 19 about their attitudes on the issue, with 55.7 per cent saying they have little or no interest in the imperial family and 53.4 per cent saying they have no sense of closeness to the emperor or his family.

Not surprising considering the general disinterest in government & elections.

The hackers threatened that they have gained access to "very personal information regarding Japanese citizens" and "everything will go public" on Monday unless Kadokawa Corp., the parent company of niconico operator Dwango Co., pays a ransom.

Kadokawa, a major Japanese publisher, declined to comment on the latest development.

Cyber Security 第一

"It is highly unlikely it will respond in the future," the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said of the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM, that has remained in operation for longer than anticipated, surprisingly surviving three cold lunar nights.

Good night little one.

A string of death threats directed at the two leading candidates in the Tokyo gubernatorial race reflects the “latent anger” of the electorate and Japan could be on the brink of a return to the politically tumultuous 1930s era, analysts warn.

Even allegedly peaceful Japan is not immune from the worldwide dissatisfaction in the political status quo, which should have been obvious in the post-Abe world we inhabit. I think most people don’t realize that the peace that they think is normal in the order of the world is historically a mirage. Our species is a selfish one and is prone to conflict.

The ANA livery is unique in that it’s one of the simplest – yet one of the classiest – in the airline business. This is my opinion of course, but it’s hard to deny that the colors of All Nippon Airways are beautiful (no matter what aircraft type they are painted on).

Consisting of just 4 colors (white, gray, and two different shades of blue), this livery extends the entire width of the fuselage in a striking “directional” wedge. Most importantly, it’s far more creative than the JAL livery.

Following on from the post about JAL’s history a few days ago, here is one about ANA’s livery from the same author. I do love those stripes.

Alberto Felice De Toni, the mayor of Udine in northern Italy, proclaimed a day of mourning on Wednesday in honor of Shimpei Tominaga, saying his loss represents “a serious and painful wound” for the city.

Local media reported that Tominaga, a Japanese businessman who ran a furniture trading firm in Udine, got beaten up while trying to break up a fight last Friday. He fell into a coma and had been put under intensive care at a local hospital but died on Tuesday.

Digital Minister Taro Kono has informed a heavyweight of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party that he intends to run in its presidential race in September, aiming to become Japan's next prime minister, a source close to the matter said Thursday.

It is not really too surprising that Konoちゃん is running as he has obviously wanted the PM chair for a long while. But the biggest roadblock for him (besides himself) is his less than stellar reputation as the minister in charge of digitalization and the various MyNumber fiascos. But, a literal tuna mayo onigiri could beat Kishida at this point so anything is possible.

The yen continued to fall against the U.S. dollar to the upper 160 range on Wednesday, hitting its lowest level in over 37 years in New York despite heightened vigilance about another market intervention by Japan to slow its rapid drop.

The bank accounts of a nation crying out together in pain...

At the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, Le Monde reports that athletes on Japan’s volleyball, track and field, and other teams will be competing in outfits made from a new fabric that can better absorb infrared light. Similar to stealth aircraft that avoid detection by deflecting radar signals away from detectors, the fabric absorbs and prevents infrared light from reaching cameras and infrared sensors.

Very interesting tech and a boon to keep the perverts at bay.

Yet that single snapshot of Kabosu became the iconic "doge," capturing the hearts of millions with her quizzical expression that was then overlaid with an imagined internal monologue in broken English using multicolored comic book-style font.

After spending more than a decade as an unwitting symbol of internet absurdity, Kabosu died last month at the age of 18. But she has left a legacy unlike any other canine.

Pour one out for a good boy.

Japanese police on Wednesday stressed to the public that riders of electric motorized suitcases must have a driver's license after a Chinese woman became the first person to be referred to prosecutors for unlicensed riding.

I have never heard of this kind of luggage but I think I need to invest in a fleet now.

Despite how simplistic you might think that the Japan Airlines livery is, it’s a perfect example of a clean and classy design evolution. Not much has changed since the early 1950s, and that’s what makes it so great.

Some beautiful recreations of JAL aircraft from the past to the present day. Excellent blog for aircraft nerds as well.

Japan has announced plans to construct a network of hi-tech, automated conveyor belts to transport goods more than 500km between Tokyo and Osaka as a solution to a looming cargo logistics crisis.

The proposed network of massive conveyor belts, dubbed the Autoflow-Road, would use tunnels beneath major highways that link Japan’s two largest cities, as well as above-ground tracks in the middle of the roads. it is the brainchild of a panel at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

This is such a cool idea and a great way to get a lot of freight traffic off of roadways. Whether it actually gets built is another matter. 回転貨物。