Society | Jan 07

Heavy snow strands 2,000 travelers at Hokkaido airport

Jan 07 (Kyodo) - Flight cancellations due to heavy snow in Hokkaido, northern Japan, left around 2,000 travelers stranded overnight at a key airport through Sunday, right at the end of the country's New Year holidays.

Check-in counters at New Chitose Airport near Sapporo were swamped with people looking to book new flights to take them home after 105 flights were cancelled on Saturday.

Near a security checkpoint, sleeping bags and blankets that had been handed out by staff were stacked high. Michio Maeda, a 71-year-old in the construction business, said he had been enjoying vacationing with his family until his return flight to Tokyo's Haneda airport was canceled.


MORE Society NEWS

Japanese company Smile-Up, the former talent agency known as Johnny & Associates, says it has sent a letter of protest to Britain's public broadcaster BBC over its program on sexual abuse by its late founder. (NHK)

Actress Akane Hotta announced on the 26th that she has married a non-celebrity man she had been dating, sharing her joy on Instagram.

Princess Aiko, the eldest daughter of the Emperor and Empress, made her first solo visit to the tombs of the Showa Emperor and Empress Kojun on Thursday, to report her graduation from Gakushuin University and her new employment at the Japanese Red Cross.

POPULAR NEWS

In a significant movement in the foreign exchange markets, the Japanese yen has once again depreciated, crossing the 158 mark against the U.S. dollar. This level marks the weakest the yen has been in approximately 34 years, signaling ongoing economic pressures and potentially major shifts in Japan's financial landscape.

In a remarkable display of bravery and quick thinking, a seven-year-old girl in Kitakyushu successfully rescued her four-year-old sister who had been kidnapped. The incident, which unfolded on April 13th, began when the siblings were approached by a stranger while playing on the street.

Japan's Cabinet Office's Government Public Relations Office recently stirred controversy with a social media post showcasing an overly lavish depiction of school lunches, leading to a public outcry over the authenticity of the meals presented.

Tokyo's Shinagawa district welcomes a new landmark with the grand opening of the Gotanda JP Building on Friday, April 26, featuring a dog-friendly hotel by Hoshino Resort, co-working spaces, and a vibrant culinary scene.

Japanese company Smile-Up, the former talent agency known as Johnny & Associates, says it has sent a letter of protest to Britain's public broadcaster BBC over its program on sexual abuse by its late founder. (NHK)

FOLLOW US