English test cheating and photo-only weddings: Our 5 most-read stories from last week
Social inequality in China may be behind English test proxy cases in Japan
TOKYO -- A slew of suspected cheating cases have been uncovered in the Test of English for International Communication, known commonly as TOEIC, held in Japan. A Chinese student has been arrested over his alleged involvement, and is suspected to have acted as part of an exam cheating ring. A closer look into these cases reveals circumstances unique to China. Full story.
Edging Toward Japan: Japan's greatest gift to the world may yet be Mister Donut
By Damian Flanagan
Whenever I am in Britain, I generally attempt to steer clear of any conversation about Japan as this will often take the form of someone innocently remarking how very "strange" and "alien" Japanese culture must be and how intense must be the culture shock for a British person, presumably hoping that I will respond with a long list of extravagantly weird things. Full story.
New Japanese citizen in int'l marriage confronts single-surname rule for married couples
FUKUOKA -- A man who acquired Japanese nationality two years ago has reflected on the Japanese system requiring married Japanese couples to share a single surname -- following years in an international marriage in which he and his wife retained separate surnames. Full story.
South Korean-style photo-only weddings gain popularity in Japan
TOKYO -- "Instagrammable" South Korean-style photo-only weddings are gaining popularity in Japan amid the trend of young couples moving away from lavish ceremonies and receptions. Full story.
2 women thanked by Tokyo Fire Dept. for saving life of teen in cardiac arrest on train
Airu Shiozaki, second from left in front row, and Megumi Saiki, third from left in front row, who received the fire commissioner award for saving a teenager who collapsed on a train, are seen in Tokyo's Meguro Ward, June 29, 2025. (Mainichi/Yuka Asahina) Full story.
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Kyodo News
2 hours ago
- Kyodo News
FEATURE: Japan trying AI-assisted storytellers to pass on war-time memories
TOKYO - Hiroshi Nishioka is close to tears describing the aftermath of the Nagasaki atomic bombing he experienced as a 13-year-old, as he recalls encountering injured people begging for water and reaching out for his flask. He appears wracked by guilt that he turned them away. "I pushed away their hands," the 93-year-old says. "I was worried about running out. I always question why I did that," he adds, his voice fraying. Moments later, his recollections suddenly end, and he asks for another question. But Nishioka is not speaking live. His responses, including being overcome by self-reproach, are part of a pre-recorded, artificial intelligence-assisted interactive video intended to preserve his memories for future generations. His "AI testimony" console is one of a growing number of initiatives across Japan using the burgeoning technology to pass on memories in a way that feels close to a real-life conversation with a survivor. "We wanted a way to strongly convey memories of wartime at a time when fewer people can tell those stories themselves," said Naoya Kakinaka, head of the Kanagawa prefectural government department overseeing issues relating to World War II and supporting those who experienced it. It commissioned Nishioka's project in 2022. At its peak, the prefecture neighboring Tokyo had over 130 residents with wartime experience visiting schools to offer a sense of living history. Now, they number around 30. The number of government-recognized atomic bomb survivors, meanwhile, came in below 100,000 for the first time this year, dropping to 99,130 people with an average age of 86.13 years as of the end of March. "Rather than just using video, we felt a system with interactivity would be more desirable. Especially for children, war can be hard to understand. Being able to ask questions and get a response seems effective in creating a strong impression," Kakinaka said. To create the system, Nishioka was filmed in front of a green screen over two days in October, answering about 150 questions. "As much as possible, I wanted to be able to leave my thoughts, my memories and experiences, to the next generation," the real Nishioka said of his selection for the AI project. Standing in front a large screen, listeners use a microphone to ask him questions. The unit's AI analyzes the content of the questions, selecting the most suitable clip from the extensive footage taken of Nishioka's testimony. The device made its debut at an elementary school in March. Kakinaka said the prefectural government is considering further AI consoles on wartime topics more specific to Kanagawa Prefecture, which suffered bombings in the war's closing stages. In Hiroshima, where the first atomic bomb was dropped on Aug. 6, 1945, three days before Nagasaki was hit, the city government has selected five survivors to be filmed for similar consoles -- including one in English -- with plans to show them on the 80th anniversary later this year. The initiative was inspired by the "Dimensions in Testimony" project by the USC Shoah Foundation in the United States, which preserves memories of the survivors of the Holocaust and other atrocities through interactive testimonies in museums and schools. Haruhiko Yasuda, head of communication technology firm SilvaCompass Inc., which is behind multiple consoles in Japan including Nishioka's, says the company is also trying to develop a cloud-accessible version that can be used at schools without needing to dispatch consoles. SilvaCompass previously worked on a holographic project in Nagasaki and another AI console in Yasuda's home city of Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture. There, the network for families of war dead worked with him to create an AI-assisted console featuring Tamako Noda, who is now in her 80s and lost her mother in the bombing of the city on June 18, 1945. Since 2024, the console has been exhibited at the Hamamatsu Reconstruction Memorial Center. Academics see value in bridging the gap between objective and subjective history. "Any initiative to preserve the hibakusha's stories is welcome, but there is nothing more effective than a survivor showing you the feelings around the facts," said Mioko Tokuhisa, a peace studies researcher at Musashi University's Comprehensive Research Organization. "Still, memory is not necessarily reliable, and many survivor recollections overlap with those of others they knew," she said, adding the initiatives offer a "chance to present the convergence between historical record and memory." Despite the moves, no one involved in the projects sees them as a complete replacement for hearing a survivor's testimony firsthand. The Kanagawa prefectural government stressed the projects have a long-term focus, with no plans to replace living storytellers. Nishioka, too, is not ready to hand over the reins to his AI-enhanced counterpart yet. On the Nagasaki bombing's 80th anniversary on Aug. 9, he will become the oldest person to read the pledge for peace at the city's ceremony. His eldest daughter is also considering formally taking over the role of telling her father's story through a government initiative in Nagasaki, in which relatives learn a version of a family member's atomic bomb experiences which has been authorized by their relative. It allows the story's inheritor to then tell the story in public settings, in the same way that Nishioka shares his story today. "Given the state of the world, we feel a need to speak out about the horror of nuclear weapons. If that story is to continue to be told, we want to keep it in the family," Nishioka's wife, Yoshiko, said.
Asahi Shimbun
3 hours ago
- Asahi Shimbun
First dormouse found in town in Wakayama saved from cat
A Japanese dormouse caught for protection at the home of Takashi Matsuba in Nachi-Katsuura, Wakayama Prefecture (Provided by Shusaku Minato) NACHI-KATSUURA, Wakayama Prefecture—A rodent that was rescued from a curious house cat turned out to be the first Japanese dormouse found in this town on the Kii Peninsula. The dormouse, a government-designated natural treasure, was a 12-centimeter-long male pup younger than 1 year old. Thanks to Takashi Matsuba, 60, a local care manager, the dormouse will likely reach his first birthday. On the night of April 20, Matsuba, who lives in Nachi-Katsuura's Kumasegawa district, noticed his pet cat was staring at a round furry object in the hollow where a pillar and beam intersect. Before the cat could pounce, Matsuba gently wrapped the unfamiliar animal in a transparent plastic bag for safety. A closer look revealed the mammal was not an ordinary mouse. Matsuba searched the internet for information and concluded the animal was likely a treasured Japanese dormouse. He asked the Dormouse and Wildlife Institute in Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture, for assistance. The dormouse had a wound on its tail. Matsuba took care of the animal by feeding it with apples and mikan while keeping in close contact with the research institution. He started thinking about when he would release the Japanese dormouse back into the wild. Shusaku Minato, representative director of the Dormouse and Wildlife Institute, also hails from Nachi-Katsuura and visits the southern part of the Kii Peninsula about once a month for his research. Minato studies the tree-to-tree and other routes wild creatures take to get around expressway tunnel construction sites in the cities of Kumano and Owase in Mie Prefecture. He has observed dormice at these locations. Minato was carrying out surveys in Kumano and the Ryujinmura district of Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture, when he learned that Matsuba was planning to free the dormouse. On April 24, Matsuba, accompanied by Minato and prefectural and municipal officials, returned the Japanese dormouse to its natural habitat. Matsuba's discovery of the dormouse highlights the rich natural environment of Nachi-Katsuura and the surrounding Kinan region marked by primeval forests. The species' presence has been also confirmed in the nearby town of Kozagawa, Wakayama Prefecture. A few kilometers from Matsuba's home, a nest of the dormice was found downstream from the Nachi Otaki waterfall on Mount Nachisan in Nachi-Katsuura. 'My impression had always been that the Japanese dormouse is an animal variant that lives in much more northern areas,' Matsuba said. 'I would like the dormouse to grow securely in the forest of Nachi-Katsuura.'
The Mainichi
3 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Japan sees marriage registration rush on first 'triple 7' day in 30 years
TOKYO -- Japan saw a flurry of marriage registrations on July 7, which marked the first time in 30 years that the Japanese era, month and day all aligned with the number seven, with 2025 being the seventh year of Japan's current Reiwa era. People seeking to take advantage of the auspicious day to register their nuptials hit municipal offices across the country. At the Ota Ward office in Tokyo on the morning of July 7, the approximately 80-seat waiting area was filled with people including couples submitting marriage records. According to the ward's family registry and resident division, about 15 couples typically submit marriage certificates per day. However, just before the office opened at 8:30 a.m., around 30 couples were already lined up to take a number for processing. On the previous "triple seven" day in the Heisei era -- July 7, 1995 -- 230 couples submitted marriage registrations in Ota Ward. Anticipating a similar surge, the ward office increased the number of reception counters to more than double the usual figure, as Koichi Yoshizawa, head of the division, expected that more than 200 couples would submit documents. In addition, the ward gave commemorative gifts such as notebooks and ballpoint pens to the first 100 people who submitted their marriage registration forms. A gold folding screen was set up in the first-floor lobby for commemorative photos, and those who wished could have their photos made into pin-back buttons as gifts. Kayo Takekawa, 28, a company worker from the ward who apparently lined up for an hour before the office opened, happily told the Mainichi Shimbun, "We had been planning to submit our marriage registration on this 'lucky seven' day for a year." Her husband, Shogo, 32, cheerfully said, "I want to build a family full of smiles." Meanwhile, in anticipation of the rush, Tokyo's Nerima Ward prioritized marriage registration processing on July 7 and postponed issuing acceptance certificates, which are usually available the same day, until July 10 or later. (Japanese original by Ei Okada, Digital News Group)
