In this week’s news roundup we have the latest on Typhoon Shanshan as millions are advised to evacuate. We also report on growing tensions between China and Japan and concerns here over rice shortages. In sport, Takayuki Suzuki wins Japan’s first gold at the Paralympics, Naomi Osaka is eliminated at the second-round stage of the US Open and Shohei Ohtani edges closer to an unprecedented 50-50 season. It’s his dog, though, who steals the show in the Dodgers recent game against the Baltimore Orioles.
More Than 5 Million Told To Evacuate As Typhoon Shanshan Makes Landfall
Typhoon Shanshan made landfall on the island of Kyushu on Thursday morning, bringing strong winds, torrential rain and landslides. As a result, more than 5.2 million people were advised to evacuate nationwide. Three people died in the city of Gamagori, Aichi Prefecture on Tuesday night after heavy rain triggered a landslide that struck their home. On Wednesday night, a 64-year-old captain went missing after his boat capsized at a port in Kagoshima. A floating body was later found nearby. The following day, a man in his 80s passed away after his house in Kamiita, Tokushima Prefecture, collapsed.
Service provider Kyushu Electric Power Transmission and Distribution said that more than 120,000 households were without power on Friday morning. While the typhoon is weakening, transport around the country will be severely disrupted on Friday. JR Kyushu is suspending most of its Shinkansen trains. All Shinkansen trains between Mishima and Nagoya are canceled. Services between Tokyo and Mishima and between Nagoya and Shin-Osaka will be greatly reduced. All bullet trains between Hakata and Hiroshima will be suspended. Between them, Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) have canceled more than 600 flights scheduled for Friday.
Chinese Military Aircraft Enters Japanese Airspace
Between 11:29 and 11:31 on Monday morning, a Chinese military Y-9 intelligence-gathering plane briefly entered Japanese territory near the Danjo Islands off Nagasaki Prefecture. It continued circling the area before heading back to mainland China at approximately 1:15 p.m. Following the intrusion, the Air Self-Defense Force scrambled fighter jets in response. While Japanese authorities issued “notifications and warnings” to the Chinese aircraft, no weapons, including flare guns for warning shots, were used. It’s the first time a Chinese military aircraft has breached Japan’s airspace. Nonmilitary Chinese aircraft violated Japanese airspace in 2012 and 2017.
“The violation of our airspace by Chinese military aircraft is not only a serious violation of our sovereignty but also a threat to our security and is totally unacceptable,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters. He added: “We refrain from giving a definite answer as to the intended purpose of the Chinese aircraft’s action. However, China’s recent military activities near Japan have a tendency to expand and become increasingly active.” On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said his nation had “no intention to intrude into any country’s airspace.”
Weather and Foreign Tourists Blamed for Japan’s Rice Shortage
If you’ve been to a supermarket recently, you may have noticed more empty shelves than usual. Japan is currently experiencing a rice shortage. At around 6.61 million tons, the 2023 harvest was the smallest ever on these shores. The situation has become so severe, several stores, including supermarket chain Ito Yokado, are limiting consumers to one bag per person. So, why is rice in short supply here right now? One of the reasons is said to be the declining population, which has led to the demand for rice falling by approximately 100,000 tons annually.
Last summer’s heat wave is also said to be a factor as it caused a lower rice yield and chalkier grains. The situation has reportedly been compounded by an increase in demand in the food industry due to the sharp increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan this year. However, Kazuhito Yamashita, a former bureaucrat at Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, told The Mainichi that inbound tourism boom isn’t a major factor behind the rice shortage. He believes it’s due to the country’s “acreage reduction policy, which decreases the amount of land devoted to cultivation.”
Shohei Ohtani Edges Closer to Unprecedented 50-50 Season
With the Dodgers and the Rays tied at 3-3, Shohei Ohtani stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning with the bases loaded. Could the Japanese superstar deliver? You bet he could. He launched a 389-foot homer over the wall for a walk-off grand slam. It was a dramatic finale to the game, earning the Dodgers a 7-3 victory. What’s more, it was Ohtani’s 40th homer of the season. His 40th stolen base of the campaign came earlier in the evening, which meant he became only the sixth member of baseball’s exclusive 40-40 club.
The former Angels player achieved the feat in just 126 matches, 21 games quicker than the previous fastest. The question now is, can he become the MLB’s first ever 50-50 player? With just over a month to go, it’s certainly a possibility. On Saturday, Ohtani hit his 41st homer. His 42nd came four days later in the Dodgers 6-4 win against the Orioles. He also stole two bases in the game to take him to 42-42. No player has ever achieved 43-43. Prior to the game, Ohtani and his famous dog, Decoy, shared ceremonial first pitch duties.
Takayuki Suzuki Wins Japan’s First Paralympics Gold
The opening ceremony for the Paris Paralympics took place on Wednesday. Long jumper Daiki Ishiyama and swimmer An Nishida carried the Japanese flag. The country’s aim is to better its record haul of 52 medals won at the 2004 Athens Games. It got off to a positive start on Thursday, with swimmer Takayuki Suzuki winning gold in the 50-meter breaststroke SB3. It’s the third time the 37-year-old has topped the podium at the Paralympics and his 11th medal in total. Suzuki was born without his right leg and missing part of his left leg and right arm.
In other sports news, Naomi Osaka lost 3-6 6-7 to the Czech Republic’s Karolína Muchová in the US Open second round. Earlier in the week she defeated Latvia’s Jeļena Ostapenko 6-3 6-2. It was her first win against a top 10 opponent in more than four years. Ena Shibahara also lost in the second round. She went down 0-6 1-6 to five-time Grand Slam-champion Iga Świątek. In men’s soccer, Daichi Kamada scored his first goal for Crystal Palace. There were also goals for Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Ritsu Doan (Freiburg), Reo Hatate (Celtic) and Yutaro Oda (Hearts).
