Will Red-Crowned Cranes Be Affected? Officials Inspect 6,600-Panel Solar Project Site

HOKKAIDO, Nov 18 (News On Japan) - Officials inspected a planned mega-solar construction site around the Kushiro Wetland on November 17th as staff from Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Hokkaido government visited the area together with Nippon Ecology President Matsui Masanori to confirm whether the project could affect the breeding and growth of red-crowned cranes.

The site is slated to host approximately 6,600 solar panels, but multiple legal violations have already been uncovered. During discussions held after the inspection, Hokkaido requested that the company submit a soil survey implementation plan by November 20th in response to violations of the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act at the planned construction site.

Source: 北海道ニュースUHB

Himeji Castle Hikes Admission Fee for Non-Residents

The admission fee for the World Heritage-listed Himeji Castle in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, was revised on March 1st for the first time in 11 years, introducing a dual pricing system that significantly raises costs for visitors from outside the city.

Avalanche Strikes Nagano-Niigata Ski Resort, Four Injured

An avalanche struck an advanced-level course at Madarao Kogen Ski Resort, which spans Niigata and Nagano prefectures, on February 28th, leaving four people injured, including two family members.

Australian Girl, 8, Dies After Snowmobile Overturns in Hakuba

An eight-year-old Australian girl died after a snowmobile overturned in Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture, at around 11 a.m. on February 28th, with authorities investigating the cause of the accident.

Major Maglev Excavation Begins

The assembly of a massive shield machine for tunnel construction at the Kanagawa Station site of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen has been completed, with the site opened to the media as excavation prepares to move forward toward Nagoya.

Bear Sightings Spread Across Japan, Experts Call It Abnormal

Although February is typically the height of the hibernation season, bears have already been sighted across Japan, raising concerns of another wave of deadly encounters.

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MORE Sci-Tech NEWS

Next-Generation Motor Achieves Rare-Earth-Free, High-Efficiency Performance

Motors are embedded in countless electronic devices, from home appliances and robots to automobiles, quietly generating the power that underpins modern life, and now a Japanese startup is challenging long-held assumptions by developing a next-generation motor that delivers both high efficiency and high output while eliminating the need for rare earth materials.

Major Maglev Excavation Begins

Tsurui Village to Acquire Planned Mega-Solar Site Near Kushiro Wetland for 80 Million Yen

Tsurui Village in Hokkaido is moving to purchase land designated for a large-scale solar power project near the Kushiro Wetland from an Osaka-based developer, in a bid to protect the surrounding landscape.

'Once-in-30-Years' Drought Grips Japan

Water shortages are worsening across Japan amid what meteorologists describe as 'once-in-30-years' low rainfall, with riverbeds exposed, reservoirs falling to record lows, and dry conditions fueling a renewed surge in influenza infections.

Probe Ship Chikyu Returns After Recovering Rare Earth Mud

A deep-sea exploration vessel that successfully recovered mud containing rare earth elements from a depth of 5,600 meters for the first time in the world has returned to Shimizu Port in Shizuoka City.

Japanese Startup Slashes Methane from Cow Burps

A startup is working to curb global warming by feeding seaweed to cattle in an effort to reduce methane emissions from their burps, with plans to commercialize the technology in the coming years.

Can Japan End Hay Fever by Killing Male Cedar Flowers?

The arrival of pollen season has once again begun to affect large parts of Japan, but new research aimed at preventing cedar pollen from dispersing is raising hopes that the future could bring relief for millions of sufferers, with scientists working on a method to wither only the male flowers of cedar trees and stop pollen at its source.

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Plant Restarted

Tokyo Electric Power announced that it has restarted the reactor at Unit 6 of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture, which had been halted shortly after its initial restart due to equipment problems.

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