In this week’s news roundup we have the latest on Typhoon Halong, Sanae Takaichi and two new Japanese latest Nobel laureates. We also report on Asahi’s beer shortage and a bear attack at a supermarket in Gunma.
Hachijojima Island See Record Rainfall as Typhoon Halong Passes
Typhoon Halong battered the Izu island chain south of Tokyo on Thursday, dumping record rainfall on parts of the area. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), maximum wind speeds reached 197 kilometers per hour on Hachijojima Island. As a result, several houses and buildings were damaged. Just under 350 millimeters of rain was recorded on the island during a 12-hour period until just before noon on October 9. That’s the largest amount since records began in 2003.
The JMA issued a rare Heavy Rain Emergency Warning for the island, which was later downgraded. Conditions were also bad in the town of Oiso in Kanagawa Prefecture. Three male fishermen were walking along the coast there looking for a fishing spot when they were all suddenly swept away by the waves. Two men in their 50s managed to make it to shore. Sadly, a man in his 60s was found dead nearly two kilometers offshore.
Sanae Takaichi Set To Become Japan’s First Female Prime Minister
On Saturday, Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) elected Sanae Takaichi as its first female leader. She defeated Shinjiro Koizumi, the son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, in a run-off — in which MPs’ votes were given greater weight than those of rank-and-file party members — by 185 votes to 156. In the first round, she secured 183 of 589 votes, ahead of Koizumi and Yoshimasa Hayashi, who garnered 164 and 134 votes respectively.
Takaichi is now expected to be voted in as prime minister on October 15. Her rise to power, though, has sparked concern within the LDP’s coalition partner, Komeito, with members of the party worried about her stance on political funding scandals and historical issues. Tetsuo Saito, leader of Komeito, met with Takaichi last Saturday. “I frankly conveyed our supporters’ deep concerns,” he said. “Without resolving these concerns, there can be no coalition government.”
Nobel Prize 2025 winners Prof. Susumu Kitagawa (left), Prof. Shimon Sakaguchi (right)
Two Japanese Nationals Win Nobel Prizes
Haruki Murakami missed out on the Nobel Prize for Literature again on Thursday, but there was still plenty to celebrate for people in this country as, for the first time in a decade, two Japanese nationals won Nobel Prizes in the same year. Immunologist Shimon Sakaguchi, 74, was awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine on Monday. Two days later, Susumu Kitagawa, also aged 74, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Sakaguchi, a professor at the University of Osaka, shares the prize with US nationals, Mary E. Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell, “for their fundamental discoveries relating to peripheral immune tolerance,” the Nobel Committee announced Monday at a ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden. Kitagawa, who specializes in coordination chemistry, was awarded the prize alongside Richard Robson and Omar M Yaghi. The trio pioneered the creation of molecular constructions called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).
Gunma Supermarket Bear Attack Highlights Nationwide Spike in Encounters
Two people were injured on Tuesday evening following a bear attack at a supermarket in Gunma Prefecture. One shopper was reportedly attacked inside the store, while another was assaulted in the parking lot. According to NHK, the bear was an adult, approximately 1.4 meters long, that rampaged through the fish and sushi sections. At the time, there were said to be more than 30 customers in the store.
Earlier in the day, a farmer was attacked by a bear in Gojome, Akita Prefecture. He called the police at around 8 a.m., stating that the carnivoran mammal had bitten and scratched him in his yard. Approximately one hour after the incident occurred in the farmer’s garden, a bear was sighted in his next-door neighbor’s yard. Later that evening, a local hunter’s association captured two bears nearby.
Japan Could Face Widespread Super Dry Beer Shortages Following Asahi Cyberattack
On Monday, Asahi announced that it had partially resumed operations at its six beer plants after it was forced to close them due to a cyber-attack. It also reopened its food plants and some of its soft drinks factories. However, the company added that the re-opened factories were “not yet fully operational.” In a statement last Friday, the brand said it was “unable to provide a clear timeline for recovery.”
The ransomware incident, which began in early October, crippled the company’s computer systems. Many supermarkets and convenience stores, such as 7-Eleven and Lawson, said they were running out of stock. By Saturday night, some izakaya owners in Tokyo reported that their kegs had run dry, leaving loyal Super Dry fans reaching for alternatives. The attack was reportedly carried out using ransomware that encrypts data and demands payment for its release.
Related Posts
Discover Tokyo, Every Week
Get the city’s best stories, under-the-radar spots and exclusive invites delivered straight to your inbox.
AloJapan.com