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The Mainichi
5 days ago
- The Mainichi
View of 'flowing otter' returns to delight visitors at zoo near Tokyo
ICHIKAWA, Chiba -- The popular "flowing otter" attraction has made a comeback at a local zoo here to the delight of visitors. The scenes of otters playing in slidelike water channels once disappeared at Ichikawa City Zoo in Chiba Prefecture, but can be seen again this year. Visitors let out exclamations of "cute" and "looks refreshing" as they watched an otter splashing and gliding down the channels into its pool. The zoo has installed half-pipe water channels in the Asian small-clawed otter enclosure. The otter appears to float along with the flowing water, reminiscent of the Japanese summer tradition of "nagashi somen" (flowing noodles), so this has been called "nagashi kawauso" (flowing otter) at the zoo. A zookeeper devised this attraction in 2012 to alleviate stress for the otters while also entertaining visitors. Otters have a habit of running around narrow waterways. By creating a gentle slope and T-shaped waterway with steps, the curious otters began to play frequently. However, otters have their preferences. About two years ago, when one otter that enjoyed the waterway passed away, the others showed little interest, ending the "flowing otter" era. In February to March this year, two new otters joined the zoo for breeding purposes. One of them, Tsutsuji, a 5-year-old female borrowed from Nasu Animal Kingdom in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture, took a liking to the waterway and has been playing in it frequently since about a month ago, as the weather became hot. The opportunity to see the "flowing otter" depends on the animal's mood. Zookeeper Shumpei Miyakoshi, 33, noted, "Usually, feeding time is around 1:30 p.m., and she often runs around before and after that, which is a good chance to see the 'flowing otter.'" Asian small-clawed otters, measuring 40 to 60 centimeters in length, inhabit river regions in Southeast Asia and southern China. They feed on crustaceans, frogs and fish, living in family-centered groups. They are listed as "vulnerable" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. They are also included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention, prohibiting their export and import for nonscientific purposes. Ichikawa City Zoo is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed on Mondays. Admission is 440 yen (about $3) for adults, 110 yen for elementary and junior high school students, and free for preschoolers. For inquiries, contact the zoo at 047-338-1960 (in Japanese). (Japanese original by Takashi Ishizuka, Chiba Bureau)
Yomiuri Shimbun
17-07-2025
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Eel Imports Peak at Narita Airport Ahead of Day When Grilled Eel Traditionally Eaten
NARITA, Chiba – Narita Airport is facing the busiest time of year for live eel imports as it gets closer to the Day of the Ox, a day in midsummer when grilled eel is traditionally eaten. This year, the Day of the Ox takes place on July 19 and 31. Of the 8,062 tons of eels imported into Japan last year, Narita Airport handled 6,490 tons, or about 80%, according to Tokyo Customs. In July last year, 1,158 tons of eels were imported nationwide, and 890 tons passed through Narita Airport. Both figures were the highest for 2024. An import company in Narita, Chiba Prefecture, purchased on Wednesday about 2 tons of Japanese eels farmed in China and Taiwan . The president of the company said this year's market price is about the same as last year. The president also said the price, so far, has not been affected by the European Union's June proposal to regulate eel trade under the Washington Convention, which restricts the international trade of protected species. 'Even though it's hot, I want people to stay healthy by eating eels,' the company president said.
Kyodo News
28-06-2025
- Business
- Kyodo News
Kyodo News Digest: June 28, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 4 hours ago - 15:00 | All, Japan, World The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- Japan wrestling with U.S. tariff talks as July deadline looms WASHINGTON - Japanese and U.S. tariff negotiators agreed Friday to continue talks in pursuit of a deal that will be beneficial to both countries, but significant differences apparently remain in areas such as Washington's treatment of its key Asian ally's automotive industry. Japan's government said its top tariff negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick held talks in Washington, with each side reaffirming its position during "fruitful" discussions on trade expansion, nontariff measures and economic security cooperation ---------- EU proposes global eel trade curbs despite Japan's opposition BRUSSELS - The European Union on Friday submitted a proposal to impose export restrictions on all eel species under an international treaty regulating endangered species trade, despite strong opposition from Japan. If adopted at the conference of the parties to the Washington Convention in Uzbekistan later this year, the proposal, set to take effect in June 2027, would require proof of legal capture and an export permit issued by the exporting country for Japanese eel and other species. ---------- All 4 pandas at west Japan zoo depart for China, leaves 2 in country WAKAYAMA, Japan - All four giant pandas on loan to a western Japan zoo left for China on Saturday, ahead of the expiration of their lease agreement. The 24-year-old Rauhin and her offspring -- Yuihin, 8, Saihin, 6, and Fuhin, 4 -- left Adventure World amusement park in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, for the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China's Sichuan Province, according to the zoo operator. ---------- Nobel committee chair to visit Hiroshima, Nagasaki in July TOKYO - Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, will visit the atomic-bombed cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki next month and may meet with atomic bomb survivors, a source close to the matter said Friday. Frydnes will arrive in Hiroshima on July 21 and later head to Nagasaki, likely visiting memorial museums and other sites related to the bombings, according to the source. ---------- Japanese diet may help in fight against depression, study shows TOKYO - The rate of depressive symptoms was lower among working-age people who consume a Japanese-style diet including rice, miso soup and fish, the first study of its kind recently showed. The Japan Institute for Health Security assessed the benefits of a traditional "Japanese-style diet" comprising of soy products, cooked vegetables, mushrooms, fish, seaweed, and green tea, along with a modified version that added fruit, fresh vegetables and dairy products. ---------- New giant slide in southwest Japan closed after 4 people break bones KITAKYUSHU, Japan - A newly opened giant slide in southwestern Japan has been closed after four people sustained broken bones while using it, the local government said Friday. The 30-meter slide at the top of Mt. Sarakura in Kitakyushu, a popular nightscape spot, opened to the public on April 25, but a tourist from Taiwan in her 30s broke her shin on May 28 while using it. ---------- Century-old former Russian Consulate in Hokkaido reborn as hotel HAKODATE, Japan - The former Russian Consulate in Hakodate, Hokkaido, built in 1908 by the Russian Empire and featured in the popular manga "Golden Kamuy," will reopen as a luxury hotel in July after remaining vacant for nearly 30 years. The redbrick building, perched on a hill with sweeping views of Hakodate Port, has been reborn as Hotel Biaclyn Hakodate, a six-suite wellness retreat featuring a blend of Western architecture and Japanese design. ---------- Football: Nadeshiko Japan beaten 3-1 by Spain in friendly LEGANES, Spain - Japan took the lead but went down 3-1 away to a dominant Spain in a women's football international friendly on Friday, their third straight defeat in a month. Nadeshiko Japan won the SheBelieves Cup with three straight victories in February as their Danish manager Nils Nielsen, the first foreigner to lead the side, got his tenure off to a strong start. But a draw with Colombia at home in April and two losses to Brazil since late May have stalled momentum. Video: Tokio's Masahiro Matsuoka apologizes for the pop group's split
Kyodo News
28-06-2025
- Business
- Kyodo News
EU proposes global eel trade curbs despite Japan's opposition
KYODO NEWS - 11 hours ago - 22:37 | All, World The European Union on Friday submitted a proposal to impose export restrictions on all eel species under an international treaty regulating endangered species trade, despite strong opposition from Japan. If adopted at the conference of the parties to the Washington Convention in Uzbekistan later this year, the proposal, set to take effect in June 2027, would require proof of legal capture and an export permit issued by the exporting country for Japanese eel and other species. "We have sufficient numbers of Japanese eels, and there is no risk of extinction," Japan's farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi said at a press conference earlier Friday in Tokyo, adding that the move by the EU was "extremely regrettable." To be approved, the proposal must be accepted by at least two-thirds of the voting parties at the conference, which will be held from late November to early December. While proposals typically take effect about three months after approval, the EU is seeking to delay implementation by 18 months. Japan plans to work with China, on which it relies heavily for eel imports, and South Korea to oppose the proposal, sources close to the matter said Thursday. The three countries and Taiwan held informal talks in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, on June 19-20 to coordinate their response. While the EU argues that Japanese eel populations have declined sharply, Japan contends that numbers have been recovering since the 1990s and that advances in aquaculture have reduced the need for glass eels -- juvenile eels used to stock farms. It is also warning that regulation could drive up prices for glass eels, increasing the risk of poaching and smuggling. Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, species listed in Appendix I are prohibited from international trade for commercial purposes in principle, while those in Appendix II are deemed as species that could become endangered if trade is not strictly regulated. The EU is seeking to list all 19 eel species and subspecies in Appendix II, including the Japanese eel, American eel and Southeast Asia's Anguilla bicolor. The regulations would apply not only to live glass eels but also to processed products, such as "kabayaki," a type of grilled eel. The European eel has already been subject to such restrictions following an EU proposal to list the endangered species under Appendix II of the convention approved in 2007.
Kyodo News
27-06-2025
- Business
- Kyodo News
EU proposes global eel trade curbs despite Japan's opposition
KYODO NEWS - 1 hour ago - 20:30 | All, World The European Union on Friday submitted a proposal to impose export restrictions on all eel species under an international treaty regulating endangered species trade, despite strong opposition from Japan. If adopted at the conference of the parties to the Washington Convention in Uzbekistan later this year, the proposal would require proof of legal capture and an export permit issued by the exporting country for Japanese eel and other species. Japan plans to work with China, on which it relies heavily for eel imports, and South Korea to oppose the proposal, sources close to the matter said Thursday. The three countries and Taiwan held informal talks in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, on June 19-20 to coordinate their response. "We believe there is no risk of extinction due to international trade," a Japanese farm ministry official said. While the EU argues that Japanese eel populations have declined sharply, Japan contends that numbers have been recovering since the 1990s and that advances in aquaculture have reduced the need for glass eels -- juvenile eels used to stock farms. It is also warning that regulation could drive up prices for glass eels, increasing the risk of poaching and smuggling. Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, species listed in Appendix I are prohibited from international trade for commercial purposes in principle, while those in Appendix II are deemed as species that could become endangered if trade is not strictly regulated. The EU is seeking to list all 19 eel species and subspecies in Appendix II, including the Japanese eel, American eel and Southeast Asia's Anguilla bicolor. The regulations would apply not only to live glass eels but also to processed products, such as "kabayaki," a type of grilled eel. The European eel has already been subject to such restrictions following an EU proposal to list the endangered species under Appendix II of the convention approved in 2007.
