Latest news with #KobeBureau
The Mainichi
08-07-2025
- Science
- The Mainichi
News in Easy English: Old castle found in Hyogo mountains by using AI maps
KOBE -- A small, old castle was found in the mountains of Hyogo Prefecture in March. Researchers found the castle using artificial intelligence (AI). The castle was probably built about 700 years ago in the 14th century, during Japan's Nanbokucho period (1336-1392). It's on top of a mountain, about one hour by foot from the nearest road. Because of the shape of the mountain around it, researchers believe the castle was used as a lookout to watch over the area. Researchers found the castle by using new 3D maps from Hyogo Prefecture. The maps show the ground's shape very clearly. AI studied the maps first to look for old Japanese tombs called "kofun." When scientists checked the places found by AI, they discovered some new sites, including this castle site. Lead researcher Yuichi Takata said, "There may be even more old castles around this area. We hope this will help us understand history better." Using AI and 3D maps, people are starting to find more ancient places in Japan's mountains. Usually, it is difficult to find such places just by walking and looking around. But clear map data can help people find these sites much faster. Researchers say, "This new way of finding old places is very useful, both for studying history and for checking before building new roads and towns." (Japanese original by Akira Inoh, Kobe Bureau) Vocabulary castle: a big, strong building where people lived and fought a long time ago researcher: a person who studies something carefully map data: information showing details of roads or land on a map site: a place where something important was built or happened long ago lookout: a high place where people watch for danger or people coming near ancient: very old; from a long time ago tomb: a place in the ground made for dead people three-dimensional (3D): showing something clearly with height, width and deepness (not flat) period: an amount of time in history prefecture: an area in Japan with its own local government
The Mainichi
28-04-2025
- The Mainichi
Superintendent at Japan's Hyogo police hid handcuff loss for 12 years
KOBE -- A superintendent at Hyogo Prefectural Police concealed that he had lost a pair of handcuffs for 12 years, and revealed the fact just before retirement recently, the Mainichi Shimbun has learned through a freedom-of-information request. The superintendent in his 60s, who was scheduled to retire in March, confessed to the loss before returning items that had been issued to him and left the force after receiving an admonishment from the police affairs department chief. In the investigation, he reportedly explained, "I didn't come clean because I wanted to advance in my career." According to a source close to the investigation, the former superintendent lost a pair of handcuffs and its key around July 2012 while serving as a chief inspector in the security division at a police station in the prefecture's Toban area. He searched for the items but could not find them, and did not report the loss to his superiors. The prefectural police conduct regular inspections of possessions, but at the time of the loss, the former superintendent was responsible for checking his subordinates' items and concealed his own loss. The handcuffs remain missing, and the circumstances of the loss are unclear, but there is apparently no evidence of misuse. He reported the loss March 26. The prefectural police's inspector's office carried out an investigation over two days and issued an admonishment March 28. On March 27, the police issued a notice requiring all employees to undergo a visual inspection of their possessions. (Japanese original by Yuta Shibayama, Kobe Bureau)
