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The Mainichi
2 days ago
- General
- The Mainichi
Retro Japan in Photos: University auditorium in Tokyo boasts beautiful truss structure
The Naruse Memorial Auditorium, reminiscent of a Western church, is seen at Japan Women's University in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward, Feb. 13, 2023. (Mainichi/Akihiro Ogomori)
The Mainichi
7 days ago
- Sport
- The Mainichi
Tokyo student gives up softball due to abusive language from middle school coach
TOKYO -- A student at a public junior high school in Japan's capital gave up playing softball after a coach verbally abused her, and she graduated without receiving an apology, sources close to the matter have informed the Mainichi Shimbun. According to the sources, the external coach sent messages calling the student "stupid," and reprimanded her in front of others, telling her she had "the brain of a 3-year-old." Katsushika Ward's education board acknowledged the coach's remarks constituted abusive language. However, the student graduated without receiving an apology from the coach, the school or the education board, and decided to give up playing the sport. According to the education board and other sources, the instructor, aged in her 40s, has been serving as an external coach at the school since the 2001 academic year, initially as a paid volunteer. Since the 2022 school year, she has been working as a part-time club activity instructor under a fiscal-year appointment system for public workers. The club has another supervising teacher, but the coach is primarily responsible for instructing the team. At least one of her former students has even gone on to become a national representative. The coach used the Line app to communicate with team members and regularly sent messages to the student who joined in April 2022, calling her "stupid" and "bald" (a general insult not necessarily restrict to bald people) for reasons such as "having a small voice." There were reportedly instances where she sent the student messages reprimanding her between around midnight and 1 a.m. In November 2023, when the coach told the student to "go home," the latter replied, "I won't," and the coach yelled at her in front of other members, calling her ungrateful to her parents and saying she had "the brain of a 3-year-old." The supervising teacher was reportedly not present at the time. The student later apologized to the coach for her defiant attitude but was not allowed to participate in club activities for about four months. Though the student's parents consulted with the school and the education board, and she returned to the club in March 2024, her opportunities to participate in matches significantly decreased. She had hoped to continue softball in high school, but enrolled in a high school without a softball team because she was afraid of possibly having to interact with the coach if she continued playing the sport. In an interview with the Mainichi, the student recalled, "No matter how many times I apologized, I was told to 'show sincerity,' so I wrote a letter and delivered it to her home, but I wasn't forgiven and felt confused." The principal acknowledged the coach's abusive language as "mostly true" and stated, "In March 2024, we instructed the coach that her methods were not in line with modern times, and the situation should have improved since then." A representative from the education board explained, "Abusive language is unacceptable, and we have also instructed the coach to change her behavior." The coach continues to instruct at this junior high school. Through the school, she commented, "I became emotional because I wanted to help them achieve what they couldn't do and make good plays. I lacked consideration for the children's feelings and the impact of my words." (Japanese original by Sahomi Nishimoto, Tokyo City News Department) * * * The original Japanese article was written based on information received via "Tsunagaru Mainichi Shimbun," a submission form for journalism on demand. If there are any subjects you'd like us to cover, please contact us via:
The Mainichi
18-06-2025
- General
- The Mainichi
2 Hiroshima A-bomb survivors share experiences with 15 students in London, urge action
LONDON (Mainichi) -- Two survivors of the Hiroshima atomic bombing held a dialogue with a group of 15 university students here on June 15, sharing their experiences from the 1945 blast and urging them to spread their wishes for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Teruko Yahata, 87, and Kunihiko Iida, 82, were both exposed to the U.S. atomic bombing in the city of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945. Amid the ongoing conflict between Israel, which is said to be a nuclear state, and Iran, which has been promoting its nuclear development program, both Yahata and Iida warned that an escalation of the use of force could lead to nuclear warfare and urged the students to share their wishes for nuclear weapons abolition and convey them to their government. Yahata was 8 years old when the atomic bomb was detonated above Hiroshima. She and her eight family members were at their home about 2.5 kilometers from the hypocenter. Yahata was blown about 5 meters away by the blast, and when she regathered, her face was covered with blood. "My happy childhood was completely changed by the atomic bomb. I was so starving that I had to eat frogs and locusts," she revealed to the students. "If a nuclear weapon is used, we will no longer be able to live on Earth," she repeatedly emphasized. "I hope you, young people, will take the imminent crisis as your own problem, and build peace," she said, as if trying to wring out her voice. Iida was 3 years old when he was exposed to the atomic bomb alongside his family. His family members died after the bombing, leaving him orphaned. He has since suffered from various aftereffects. "The world has not understood the realities of the damage wrought by the atomic bombing," Iida pointed out. "Near the hypocenter, in particular, most things were turned into white ash, and not even human remains nor their belongings were left," he explained. "It is most important to pass down the misery of the atomic bombing and continue to seek peace," he stressed. The students in attendance appreciated the importance of "peace without nuclear weapons" and actively asked questions to the hibakusha, or A-bomb survivors, about the power of the atomic bombs and what non-nuclear nations can do to achieve the abolition of nuclear weapons. George Beveridge, 24, said after the dialogue that he could well understand the horrors of nuclear weapons, and that though it may be difficult for Britain alone to abandon nuclear arms, he wanted to tell his government to promote nuclear abolition by encouraging other nuclear powers to do so, too. Yahata and Iida have been continuing to share their stories about their bombing experiences in various parts of Japan and abroad. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the two held a speech in Paris on June 13 and in London on June 16.
The Mainichi
16-06-2025
- General
- The Mainichi
In Photos: Japan's remaining WWII aircraft bunkers blend in with modern landscape
Image 1 of 12 The Joi No. 1 entaigo bunker, which once stored military aircraft to protect them from enemy air raids, is seen in Usa, Oita Prefecture, on May 18, 2025. A Zero fighter engine and propeller recovered from the waters off Kunisaki are currently displayed at the center of the facility. (Mainichi/Kaho Kitayama)
The Mainichi
16-06-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
Nearly 1/2 of nat'l universities in Japan blame job rules for weaker research capabilities
The rule allowing fixed-term academic employees to switch to indefinite employment after 10 years is a serious factor in Japan's declining research capabilities, nearly half of national universities told a recent Mainichi Shimbun survey. Universities reported that this rule -- originally intended to promote job stability -- often instead results in employment terminations just before a worker reaches 10 years under contract, leaving many academics unable to build stable, sustained research careers. Coupled with declining government funding for university operational expenses, these institutions have struggled to move away from fixed-term employment, highlighting structural problems within academia and challenging Japan's strength in research. Introduced by an amendment to the Labor Contracts Act implemented in 2013, the rule allowed regular workers who had been employed for five years on fixed-term contracts to obtain the right to convert to permanent positions. But a special exemption extended this period to 10 years for researchers whose ongoing projects often span longer timeframes. According to the education ministry, as of April 2023, some 101,602 researchers at universities and research institutions qualified for the rule's 10-year exception. At least 15,838 researchers had become eligible to switch from fixed-term employment to permanent contracts after surpassing the 10-year period, but only 982 had actually exercised their rights. It is suspected that some declined to do so after being presented with changes in employment conditions, including worse terms. Between January and February this year, the Mainichi conducted a questionnaire targeting 86 national universities (including the former Tokyo Institute of Technology and Tokyo Medical and Dental University, which have integrated into the Institute of Science Tokyo) on the potential effects of the revised Labor Contracts Act on Japan's research capabilities. Responses were received from 74 universities (86%), with 12 institutions -- including major ones like the University of Tokyo, Hokkaido University and the University of Osaka -- opting not to answer. When asked if the revised contractual rules contributed to a decline in research strength, five universities responded they had a "significant impact," and 31 answered "some impact," totaling about half (49%) of respondents. The former Tokyo Institute of Technology, which reported a "significant impact," noted, "It has become an obstacle in researchers' career paths, raising concerns about a decline in research performance in Japan as a whole." Wakayama University, which responded "some impact," explained, "In addition to creating difficulties in developing researchers, it could lead to problems such as decreased motivation and narrowing of research areas." Meanwhile, 38 universities said there was "no impact." The backdrop driving these employment terminations is a decline in national universities' operational subsidies, which fund personnel costs. Since national universities became independent administrative entities in 2004, their operational subsidies have been gradually reduced, with total cuts amounting to over 160 billion yen (approximately $1.1 billion) across two decades. This budget squeeze has pushed universities to significantly boost fixed-term contract employment. Indeed, 21 universities (around 30%) responding to the Mainichi's survey explicitly identified "the decrease in government operational subsidies due to incorporation of national universities" as one reason making the switch to permanent staff positions difficult. The number of frequently cited scientific papers -- a major indicator of international research strength -- shows Japan's sharp decline, falling from fourth to 13th place globally over the past 20 years. Professor Masashi Yanagisawa of the University of Tsukuba, a globally renowned neuroscientist specializing in sleep studies, warned, "Currently, outstanding younger researchers with strong track records and essential technical staff who support research infrastructure on-site are facing critical situations and employment insecurity due to the effects of the Labor Contracts Act. Rather than granting autonomy, national universities have experienced intensified government oversight since incorporation, and with decreased operational funding, universities now lack resources to provide permanent positions. Their hands are largely tied. If Japan wishes to continue producing Nobel laureates, we must urgently correct these structural problems."
