Osaka: Little Turtle Spotted Living near Belgian Pavilion at Osaka-Kansai Expo, And Finds Permanent Home
According to the pavilion, the turtle was first spotted on May 11. Since then, its popularity was growing among visitors as it swam in the pond or walked along the water's edge. The turtle is about 5 centimeters long and believed to be a young red-eared slider.
Red-eared sliders, or Mississippian turtles, are indigenous to North America and were brought to Japan as exotic pets. They used to be sold by street vendors and became very popular. Today, keeping them as a pet is allowed, but it is prohibited to sell or buy them or release them outdoors because they are harmful to the ecosystem.
According to an expert on this species, the turtle found near the pavilion seems very young, so it is possible that it was hatched on Yumeshima Island, the artificial island where the Expo is taking place.
The pavilion could not release the turtle into the wild under Japanese law, and it would have been difficult for the staff to keep it there. Yet leaving it alone could lead to its death.
When the pavilion called for the turtle to be adopted on its social media, many people offered to take it in. An elementary school boy and his mother from Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, were chosen to take the turtle, and it was handed over on June 26.
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Osaka: Little Turtle Spotted Living near Belgian Pavilion at Osaka-Kansai Expo, And Finds Permanent Home
OSAKA — A little turtle was found living in an artificial pond in front of the Belgian Pavilion at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo in Osaka. According to the pavilion, the turtle was first spotted on May 11. Since then, its popularity was growing among visitors as it swam in the pond or walked along the water's edge. The turtle is about 5 centimeters long and believed to be a young red-eared slider. Red-eared sliders, or Mississippian turtles, are indigenous to North America and were brought to Japan as exotic pets. They used to be sold by street vendors and became very popular. Today, keeping them as a pet is allowed, but it is prohibited to sell or buy them or release them outdoors because they are harmful to the ecosystem. According to an expert on this species, the turtle found near the pavilion seems very young, so it is possible that it was hatched on Yumeshima Island, the artificial island where the Expo is taking place. The pavilion could not release the turtle into the wild under Japanese law, and it would have been difficult for the staff to keep it there. Yet leaving it alone could lead to its death. When the pavilion called for the turtle to be adopted on its social media, many people offered to take it in. An elementary school boy and his mother from Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, were chosen to take the turtle, and it was handed over on June 26.
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The schools divide their days into two parts: Mornings are devoted to core subjects like Japanese, math and science, while afternoons are focused on inquiry-based learning including 'integrated studies time.' Inquiry-based learning is a process aimed at developing the problem-solving skills needed to thrive in an unpredictable future. Integrated studies employ cross-disciplinary, inquiry-based learning and form an integral part of the current national curriculum standards. Since Shibuya's approach was presented as a model in discussions at the Central Council for Education, I visited the ward's Jinnan Elementary School at the end of May. With the school set to be rebuilt next year, the sixth-grade classes chose 'the school of the future' as their shared theme for this year's inquiry-based learning. Students have been envisioning the ideal learning environments, school events and classroom designs for their new school. 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Simultaneously, students spend another 70–90 hours exploring a theme shared across their grade. At Jinnan Elementary, for instance, while sixth graders plan 'the school of the future,' fifth graders focus on disaster prevention and fourth graders on welfare. By working on these common themes, students learn the process of problem-solving: defining a question, gathering information, analyzing it and presenting the results and findings. While many schools focus only on common themes, students in Shibuya explore both common and individual themes, and ample instructional time is provided to this end. Students spend 15–35 hours on 'my inquiry learning.' At Jinnan, each student has a small pouch attached to their desk in which they can deposit notes with questions or topics they are curious about. These help form the questions each student should explore. For example, students who learned how to draw portraits in art class explored online techniques to improve their work. Others, inspired by their history class, researched their favorite era more deeply. According to Principal Nobutada Yamaguchi: 'The questions that students hit upon in class tend to be topics worth exploring. Many students now look forward to the afternoons because they can ask their own questions and learn at their own pace.' The students have acquired a variety of skills. 'I naturally developed thinking skills, communication skills and the ability to express myself,' said sixth-grader Koki Itano. Another sixth grader, Kohei Denda, added: 'Once you find a conclusion, a new question arises. This built up my ability to keep learning and to keep pushing ahead.' Hanako Nakamura, 11, said: 'Digital devices are only there to support people in what they're doing. There are many ways they can help with inquiries, but we shouldn't forget that it's still us doing the investigating.' To provide this enriching learning, the schools partner with outside groups. Shibutan, a support organization founded by former and current PTA leaders, works with the local board of education and connects schools with businesses, universities and organizations. Yusuke Yamada, a 45-year-old company employee and the organization's executive director, noted: 'We've heard from some schools that children who were reluctant to come to school now attend regularly. That may be because they can do what they want to do.' 'We must value children's interests and their curiosity,' said Superintendent Rintaro Ito, sounding hopeful about expanding inquiry-based learning, and not so concerned about core subjects getting less time. 'Teachers are helping students to tackle challenges they have set for themselves, and so we are shifting from traditional 'teaching' to 'learning together' or 'running alongside' students. Some students have even visited central government offices as part of their inquiries.' Following a request by the education minister last December for a review of curriculum standards, the Central Council for Education has begun in-depth deliberations, aiming to introduce a revised curriculum in fiscal 2030 or later. At issue for this revision is the growing number of students who cannot learn on their own because they do not understand the reasons for learning. Some find classes too difficult or too easy. Others are absent from school altogether. Recently, there are students who have academic potential but who struggle with Japanese due to their international background, as well as those who only excel in specific areas. Even students without notable challenges have diverse interests and needs. To embrace this diversity, the education ministry has proposed a two-tier curriculum. In the first tier, all children — regardless of their background — can enjoy and engage in active learning. This includes flexible decisions about what is learned at which grade and for how many hours. Where that isn't sufficient, the second tier allows for special exceptions. In the first tier, schools may introduce new subjects or even use part of class time for teacher training. Expanding inquiry-based learning, as in Shibuya Ward, is also viewed as a viable option. The current curriculum standards already emphasize inquiry-based learning together with 'education open to society' to prepare children for unpredictable times. However, this emphasis has been limited in impact due to obstacles like the COVID-19 pandemic. The council is looking at how to further enhance inquiry-based learning, especially through integrated studies, and how to cultivate skills like effective information use in the age of generative AI. Not only does inquiry-based learning allow for spontaneous problem-solving — it also has great potential to include diverse learners. 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In themed workshops, young teachers listened intently to presentations, and in some cases even made presentations themselves. In many places, young teachers could be seen exchanging information and views about inquiry-based learning. To ensure that all students can enjoy learning and have a happy school life, we must at the very least avoid obstructing their passions. And similarly, enthusiastic young teachers should be supported in shaping this kind of learning through policy and systems. If students acquire a taste for learning, they will be able to take charge of their own lives in uncertain times and ultimately blossom into a wealth of possibilities. Political Pulse appears every Saturday. Makoto Hattori Makoto Hattori is a staff writer at the Yomiuri Research Institute
