Have you ever heard of a mental disorder called schizophrenia? It drew wide attention when the behavioral genetics technology development team at Japanese national research institution RIKEN found in March 2017 that a symptom similar to schizophrenia suffered by adult mice was healed by genetic trea …
The issue of “comfort women”, a euphemism for the Korean women forced into Japanese military brothels before and during World War II, holds the key to improvement of the relationship between Japan and South Korea along with the territorial dispute over Takeshima islets which Koreans call Dokto. Draw …
Due mainly to a rapidly increasing number of foreign tourists, municipal bus services in the ancient capital city of Kyoto remain seriously crowded, drawing citizens’ complaint over the inconvenience. The main reason for the congestion is the cheapness of a 500-yen one-day pass for the bus services …
A sorrowful incident happened recently at a university in Tokyo. A student committed suicide after his sexual orientation had been revealed by his friends. It was indeed a tragedy that had resulted from a lack of understanding of sexual minorities. Hakumon Herald interviewed Natose Suzuki, a third g …
Sushi, one of traditional Japanese cuisines, is now increasingly popular across the world. One estimate says there are approximately 50,000 sushi restaurants outside Japan, many of them in North America and the rest of Asia. However, the proverb says, “Coats change with countries”. As the “Californi …
Chuo’s women table tennis club won the pennant at the spring Kanto Students Table Tennis League competition last May for the first time in six years. Rei Yamamoto, a 22-year-old fourth grader of the Faculty of Literature, played a key role in Chuo’s 25th career victory. Hakumon Herald interviewed Ya …
At present, an important bill is under deliberation in the Diet (parliament). It seeks to add a new crime of conspiracy such as terrorism to the Law for Punishment of Organized Crimes, Control of Crime Proceeds and Other Matters, the so-called Organized Crime Punishment Law. The Japanese government …
More Japanese high-school students study abroad these days. According to a survey carried out in 2015 by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, high-school students who studied abroad for a period of over three months in 2014 numbered 4,197, or 300 more than the year bef …
Have you ever heard of a mental disorder called schizophrenia? It drew wide attention when the behavioral genetics technology development team at Japanese national research institution RIKEN found in March 2017 that a symptom similar to schizophrenia suffered by adult mice was healed by genetic trea …
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) announced the result of its “Survey on English-Language Education Practice” for fiscal 2016 on April 7, 2017. It is the fourth in an annual series of the survey, which has been carried out since fiscal 2013 to cover the publi …
A two-minute walk from the closest monorail station to Chuo University brings you to a restaurant. “Terranch” was opened two years ago mainly for students by Yuki Matstumoto when he was a first grader of Chuo’s Faculty of Commerce. Hakumon Herald interviewed the owner of the restaurant about how he …
The issue of “comfort women”, a euphemism for the Korean women forced into Japanese military brothels before and during World War II, holds the key to improvement of the relationship between Japan and South Korea along with the territorial dispute over Takeshima islets which Koreans call Dokto. Draw …
Fire ants, a poisonous species native of South America, have been discovered one after another across Japan, mainly in coastal areas, since late in May, causing grave concern among local residents. Once bitten by the insect, humans suffer a severe burning sensation and may die in extreme cases. Whil …
Health risks caused by passive smoking or inhaling of tobacco fumes from others pose serious concern in Japan as in many other countries. Kota Katanoda, chief of the Division of Cancer Statistics Integration of the Center for Cancer Control and Information Services (CIS) at the National Cancer Cente …
Kakino tane, a rice cracker, was recently certified by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) as a snack to be consumed by Japanese astronauts during their stay at the International Space Station (ISS). Originating from Niigata Prefecture, it is one of the most popular rice crackers in Japan. …
A girl rabbit Stella Lou was born at Tokyo DisneySea in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, in March this year as a new friend to Disney character Duffy. Only six months later in September, she came fourth after Duffy, outstripping once-popular Hello Kitty and Snoopy, according to the “Ranking of Soft Toys” …
More Japanese go abroad each year not to do sightseeing but to work and live there. The statistics released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs put the number of Japanese workers abroad at approximately 1.3 million. Among foreign cities, Shanghai, China, ranks fourth in terms of the number of Japanes …
Traditional Ainu and Ryukyu dances and music were featured at the “JAPAN DAY” event which took place under the theme of “multiethnic nation Japan” at Chuo University’s Tama campus on May 26. Both Japanese and international students looked satisfied with the rare opportunity to come into contact with …
“Chuo Vision 2025”, the university’s midterm development plan unveiled in 2015, proposes relocating part of its liberal arts faculties in the Tama campus to central Tokyo. As an initial step, the Faculty of Law is to be moved to the Korakuen campus in Bunkyo Ward, where the Faculty of Science and En …
Mr. Haruyoshi Kokaji, a graduate of Chuo University, serves as secretary general of “Gayoen Togei Kurabu”, a members-only club of ceramic artists based in Hinohara Village in western Tokyo. The village is endowed with natural beauty like Mt. Osawa and Mito Falls. Kokaji, aged 79, is a member of “Hak …
A sorrowful incident happened recently at a university in Tokyo. A student committed suicide after his sexual orientation had been revealed by his friends. It was indeed a tragedy that had resulted from a lack of understanding of sexual minorities. Hakumon Herald interviewed Natose Suzuki, a third g …
Naoto Fujibayashi, a fourth grader of the Faculty of Law of Chuo University, took part in Harvard Project for Asian and International Relationship (HPAIR) held at Harvard University in February 2017. HPAIR is one of the world’s largest student-led international conferences, which takes place twice a …
“Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2017”, a gathering related to sexual minorities or LGBT, was held at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo’s Shibuya in May. The annual event since 2012 drew a record 108,000 participants during its two-day session, also with a record 500 taking part in a parade that followed. Tokyo streets took …
It is six months since Masahiko Omura took office as Chief Executive Director of Chuo University. Commemorating its 130th anniversary in 2015, the university released Chuo Vision 2025, a 10-year development plan in which it unveiled a policy to relocate part of its liberal arts faculties to Tokyo’s …
“Sushizanmai” is a sushi chain which runs 50 shops nationwide, mainly in the Kanto region. Hakumon Herald interviewed Kiyoshi Kimura, president and CEO of Kiyomura Co., to ask what he thinks is the appeal of sushi and how he views Japanese traditional culture. Kimura, the founder of the …
Sushi ranked top in the list of favorite Japanese foods released in 2007 by the NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute. Sushi is now a global word indicating it is also quite popular outside Japan. What supports its bursting popularity is the sushi robot. Suzumo Machinery Co., a relatively smal …
Sushi, one of traditional Japanese cuisines, is now increasingly popular across the world. One estimate says there are approximately 50,000 sushi restaurants outside Japan, many of them in North America and the rest of Asia. However, the proverb says, “Coats change with countries”. As the “Californi …
