As the spring journey season approaches, with many individuals planning journeys throughout faculty holidays, the tax improve has drawn consideration amongst vacationers contemplating a go to to the traditional capital.

Kyoto launched the lodging tax in 2018, charging visitors primarily based on their lodging charges per individual per night time. From March 1st, the tax brackets had been revised, and in some circumstances the levy has risen as a lot as tenfold to 10,000 yen.

Hotels throughout the town have begun informing visitors of the modifications. On March 1st, posters explaining the revised tax had been displayed at properties in Kyoto to inform prospects of the rise.

At one resort, the place the lodging tax rose by as a lot as 500 yen, administration expressed concern that increased prices may discourage in a single day stays. Akio Mori, supervisor of Hotel Kyoto Eminence Manyo no Yu, stated, “We are very concerned that people might choose to stay in Osaka and then make a day trip to Kyoto, avoiding accommodation within the city.”

The impression is especially important at luxurious properties equivalent to Hoshinoya Kyoto, positioned alongside the waterfront in Arashiyama. Popular with home and worldwide visitors searching for a non-daily expertise, lots of its rooms price greater than 100,000 yen per individual per night time. The lodging tax, beforehand capped at 1,000 yen, now reaches 10,000 yen for such stays.

Ken Akimoto, normal supervisor of Hoshinoya Kyoto, stated, “We hand out this type of information sheet at check-in.”

In circumstances the place visitors pay on-line and the lodging tax is just not mirrored within the whole quantity displayed on the time of reserving, the resort goals to supply cautious explanations on the entrance desk.

Guests supplied blended reactions. One customer stated, “If it used to be 1,000 yen, this feels quite expensive.” Another commented, “It is a burden, but if it is for preserving the ancient capital and improving tourism services, it is understandable.”

Kyoto City plans to make use of the extra income for measures towards overtourism and for safeguarding cultural properties.

Masaki Yamashita, senior researcher at JTB Tourism Research & Consulting, stated, “From the standpoint of international standards, the price does not feel particularly out of place. If there are special experiences that can only be had by staying, I believe visitors will continue to spend sufficient time in Kyoto.”

The metropolis expects the tax improve to generate roughly 7 billion yen in extra income within the subsequent fiscal 12 months. According to officers, the funds will probably be allotted primarily to overtourism countermeasures, together with the operation of categorical sightseeing buses, set up of movable platform gates at stations, preservation and succession of conventional Kyoto townhouses, and subsidies for conventional occasions such because the Gion Festival.

The pattern of elevating charges is just not restricted to Kyoto.

In Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture, admission charges for Himeji Castle had been revised to a twin pricing system from March 1st. For adults aged 18 and over visiting from outdoors the town, the admission charge rose from 1,000 yen to 2,500 yen, whereas Himeji residents proceed to pay 1,000 yen.

Meanwhile, kids below 18 at the moment are admitted freed from cost no matter residence, in contrast with the earlier 300 yen charge, reflecting the town’s emphasis on training.

The extra income in Himeji will probably be used for personnel prices and upkeep of the fortress. Often described as Japan’s best fortress, Himeji Castle contains eight National Treasure buildings and 74 Important Cultural Properties, requiring steady restore work. Renovations are at present underway on the earthen partitions surrounding the fortress grounds.

As vacationer locations grapple with overtourism, the query stays whether or not increased taxes and charges will reach defending each residents’ high quality of life and guests’ satisfaction.

Source: YOMIURI

In Tokyo’s Shibuya district, a dragon wound its means by means of Center Street as a part of “SCG DAYs 2026,” an occasion showcasing conventional performing arts from throughout Japan. Dynamic dances and regional performances drew giant crowds to the bustling purchasing space.

Among the highlights was Shagoma, a conventional folks efficiency from Mie Prefecture, through which individuals sporting fearsome masks trip inside ornamental hobbyhorse frames and sprint about energetically.

From Akita Prefecture, the Namahage Taiko troupe delivered highly effective drum performances. While some youngsters watched in fascination, others have been lowered to tears by the intimidating masks and booming rhythms.

Foreign vacationers additionally turned their cameras towards the spectacle. A customer from London stated, “It’s different from my country, and you can really feel Japanese culture. It’s very interesting and will be a great memory.”

Further west in Yanagawa, Fukuoka Prefecture, the place canals crisscross the town, an annual moat-opening ceremony was held to sign the beginning of the spring tourism season.

After operators of the favored riverboat cruises prayed for security in the course of the coming months, Shinto monks boarded boats to purify the waterways identified regionally as horiwari.

March can also be a season of farewells and new beginnings. At a public highschool in Sapporo, a particular commencement ceremony befell.

Among graduates coming into in fits and clothes have been college students wearing elaborate costumes, together with the mascot of the language-learning app Duolingo and the protagonist of the anime sequence Dragon Ball.

After receiving their diplomas, the costumed graduates entertained the viewers with performances and comedic skits, filling the corridor with laughter and applause as the brand new chapter of their lives started.

Source: FNN

It has been discovered via reporting by TV Tokyo that the IOWN Global Forum, led by NTT, will enter right into a complete partnership with the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to advance the standardization of IOWN.

IOWN, which replaces standard electrical indicators with optical indicators, is a next-generation expertise that NTT says can cut back energy consumption to as little as one-hundredth of present ranges. The firm has been growing the expertise as a part of its long-term technique to construct a extra energy-efficient communications infrastructure.

The settlement is scheduled to be signed on the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the world’s largest mobile-related exhibition, which opened in Spain on March 2nd.

If IOWN is standardized as a unified worldwide specification, it might mark a big step towards its widespread world adoption.

Source: テレ東BIZ

By Lexi Solomon
The Herald-Sun, Durham, N.C.

DURHAM, N.C. — A state trooper was killed in a wrong-way crash on the Durham Freeway early Sunday morning by a driver with a minimum of three DWIs.

Master Trooper Steven J. Perry, 30, was driving northbound on the Freeway, often known as N.C. 147, close to Anderson Street when his Dodge Charger was hit head-on by a 2015 Nissan Altima, in line with a news launch. The Altima was touring southbound within the northbound lanes.

Melshawn Moore, 39, of Kinston, was behind the wheel of the Altima, the discharge stated. He was killed. Investigators stated they think he was impaired, although they didn’t specify what substance he’s thought to have consumed.

Court information present Moore had been convicted of driving whereas impaired a minimum of 3 times in North Carolina : * He pleaded responsible Jan. 20, 2010, to driving whereas impaired in August 2009 in Jacksonville and acquired a 12 months of unsupervised probation. * He pleaded responsible Jan. 22, 2013 , to driving whereas impaired in May 2012 in Lenoir County and was given a suspended sentence. Moore then served 5 months within the misdemeanant confinement program after violating the phrases of his probation in May 2017. * He pleaded responsible Sept. 25, 2017, to driving whereas impaired in May 2017 in Lenoir County and was sentenced to 27 days of jail and a 12 months of supervised probation.

Traffic citations in opposition to Moore, starting from reckless driving to hazard to possession of an open container/consuming alcohol in a passenger space, had been dismissed in a minimum of six instances in Lenoir and Pitt counties from 2010 to 2022, court docket information present.

Moore and Perry each died on the scene. Neither automobile had another passengers, in line with the discharge.

State troopers responded about 2:45 a.m., however radio visitors suggests the crash was first reported shortly after 2:30 a.m.

“They’re saying two cars crashed, possible injuries and possibly a state trooper involved,” a dispatcher radioed at 2:39 a.m.

Radio visitors indicated the crash occurred on the northbound facet of the freeway, with particles blocking all lanes. Police closed the street close to Swift Avenue simply earlier than 3 a.m. , and the street had reopened by midday Sunday, in line with the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s web site.

Perry labored in Durham County all through his six years as a trooper and was a member of the 148th Basic Patrol college, the State Highway Patrol stated.

“Please stay safe, take care of one another and keep the family in your prayers,” Col. Freddy Johnson Jr., the patrol’s commander, wrote within the Facebook put up.

The crash remained beneath investigation as of Sunday afternoon.

After a gunman opened hearth on crews on Canfield Mountain, wounded Coeur d’Alene Engineer David Tysdal helped determine the shooter whereas deputies pulled survivors and victims to security

A splash digital camera video reveals a La Crosse County deputy and a Holmen Police officer break a burning automobile’s window, unlock the door and find the motive force with out hesitation

Officers confronted and killed the gunman inside a minute of the primary 911 name after he focused patrons outdoors a bar close to the University of Texas campus

How Austin law enforcement officials and first responders moved towards gunfire in 57 seconds — and why mindset issues in energetic violence

March 02, 2026 10:09 AM

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© 2026 The Herald-Sun (Durham, N.C.). Visit www.heraldsun.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The annual ILEETA Conference & Expo attracts law-enforcement educators, trainers, and decision-makers from throughout the nation to interact in skilled growth, hands-on workshops, and cutting-edge coaching demonstrations

February 27, 2026 02:10 PM

The system works by attaching an antenna to current ticket gates, enabling Bluetooth communication with smartphones to authenticate passengers as they move by. The trial includes 60 Tokyo Metro staff, who will consider components such because the vary inside which authentication is feasible and general person expertise.

While biometric authentication techniques equivalent to facial recognition have already been put into sensible use for touchless ticket gates, this marks the primary demonstration take a look at in Japan utilizing Bluetooth expertise.

Shoko Nishikawa, chief of the Transport Systems Section at Tokyo Metro’s Railway Headquarters, stated, “Facial information, once leaked, is difficult to recover. With Bluetooth communication, the system can be used with only general information registration. We believe people will be able to use it without psychological resistance.”

Source: テレ東BIZ

By Jack Myer, Alanna Durkin Richer, John Seewer and Kathleen Ronayne
Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas — A gunman sporting garments with an Iranian flag design and the phrases “Property of Allah” killed two individuals and wounded 14 early Sunday at a Texas bar, a regulation enforcement official advised The Associated Press. The FBI is investigating the taking pictures, which erupted a day after the U.S. and Israel launched an assault on Iran, as a possible act of terrorism.

Police in Austin shot and killed the gunman, who used each a pistol and a rifle to hold out the assault, police mentioned.

The taking pictures occurred outdoors Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden simply earlier than 2 a.m. alongside Sixth Street, a nightlife vacation spot full of bars and music golf equipment and just a few miles (kilometers) from the University of Texas at Austin.

Nathan Comeaux, a 22-year-old senior, had spent the night there with associates and mentioned the bar was “full of college students, probably mostly UT kids, shoulder to shoulder, hundreds just enjoying their nights.”

The suspect drove previous the bar a number of occasions earlier than stopping and taking pictures from the window of his SUV at individuals on a patio and in entrance of the bar, based on Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis.

He then parked, acquired out with a rifle and started taking pictures at individuals strolling alongside the road earlier than officers rushed to the intersection and shot him, Davis mentioned. Three of the injured had been in essential situation Sunday morning, she mentioned.

The gunman was recognized as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, the Department of Homeland Security mentioned in a press release.

FBI says assault could also be terrorism

Authorities haven’t offered a transparent motive for the assaults however discovered “indicators” on the gunman and in his car main them to look into the opportunity of terrorism, mentioned Alex Doran, the appearing agent in command of the FBI’s San Antonio workplace.

“It’s still too early to make a determination on that,” Doran mentioned Sunday morning.

Diagne first entered the united statesin 2000 on a B-2 vacationer visa and have become a lawful everlasting resident six years later after marrying a U.S. citizen, based on DHS. He grew to become a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2013, the division mentioned. Diagne was initially from Senegal, based on a number of individuals briefed on the investigation who spoke on the situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved to publicly talk about the investigation.

The White House mentioned President Donald Trump had been briefed on the taking pictures.

Texas officers weigh in

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott warned that the state would reply aggressively to anybody attempting to “use the current conflict in the Middle East to threaten Texas.”

University of Texas at Austin President Jim Davis mentioned on social media that a few of these affected included “members of our Longhorn family.”

“Our prayers are with the victims and all those impacted,” mentioned college President Jim Davis.

The leisure district has a heavy police presence on weekends, and officers had been in a position to confront the gunman inside a minute of the primary name for assist, Davis mentioned.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson praised the quick response by police and rescuers.

“They definitely saved lives,” he mentioned.

The scene the next night was quiet within the sometimes bustling leisure district amid downtown Austin’s hills and classic houses, together with that of the governor, whose residence is simply blocks away.

Police had taped off a number of sq. blocks round Sixth Street, whereas native police and federal brokers, together with ATF brokers had been on the website, based on Austin police serving as sentries.

Unmarked regulation enforcement autos had been coming and going, as had been firetrucks. Bystanders and news reporters and digicam crews stood on the corners outdoors the yellow tape, attempting to catch a glimpse of the exercise.

There have been not less than two different high-profile shootings in Austin’s Sixth Street leisure district inside the previous 5 years, together with one in the summertime of 2021 that left 14 individuals wounded.

After a gunman opened hearth on crews on Canfield Mountain, wounded Coeur d’Alene Engineer David Tysdal helped establish the shooter whereas deputies pulled survivors and victims to security

A splash digicam video exhibits a La Crosse County deputy and a Holmen Police officer break a burning car’s window, unlock the door and find the driving force with out hesitation

Master Trooper Steven J. Perry, 30, was struck head-on by an impaired driver whereas driving on the Durham Freeway

How Austin cops and first responders moved towards gunfire in 57 seconds — and why mindset issues in energetic violence

March 02, 2026 10:09 AM

 · 

The newest growth consists of six extra two-camera ARSENAL in-car methods, reinforcing synchronized front-facing roadway recording and infrared rear-seat monitoring capabilities throughout the county’s patrol models

February 25, 2026 01:39 PM

The newly accomplished Imperial Hotel Kyoto stands in central Gion, incorporating elements of the outside partitions and ornamental options of Yasaka Kaikan, a nationally registered tangible cultural property lengthy considered an area landmark.

A reporter on the scene famous, “The glass from Yasaka Kaikan has been preserved in the entrance ceiling, allowing visitors to feel the atmosphere of the original building.”

Yasaka Kaikan, broadly acquainted to residents and guests alike, has been fastidiously built-in into the lodge’s design, with parts of its façade and ornamentation reused to keep up a connection to the realm’s architectural heritage.

The lodge provides 55 visitor rooms, together with the Heritage Junior Suite, which supplies shut views of the Gion Kobu Kaburenjo theater situated on the identical grounds.

Guests may also get pleasure from sweeping views over the Gion district from the lodge’s bar, the place cocktails that includes matcha and different Kyoto-inspired substances are served, highlighting town’s distinctive character in each design and hospitality.

Imperial Hotel Kyoto is scheduled to formally open on March fifth.

Source: KTV NEWS

Footage captured in Hakuba confirmed a person opening the door of a small automotive that had flipped onto its facet. The driver had been trapped inside following the crash.

The first particular person to reach on the scene, even earlier than police and firefighters, was Kazumaki, a former member of an area emergency response unit.

Kazumaki, former emergency responder: “I checked to see whether any flammable liquids were leaking and called out to the driver.”

Video from the time exhibits him talking reassuringly to the girl, saying, “Just wait a moment, ma’am. Are you hurt? Are you hurt?”

After alerting the hearth division and asking one other bystander to document the scenario, Kazumaki started the rescue operation.

As Kazumaki opened the automotive door, international vacationers who occurred to be close by stepped in to carry and stabilize it.

The trapped driver was a lady in her 80s. While staying in touch with emergency providers and monitoring her situation, Kazumaki instructed her, “I’m sorry, but let’s step out of the car now,” earlier than fastidiously guiding her by the open door.

Once she was seated on the automobile’s physique, international vacationers ready on the street helped assist her and safely obtained her from the automotive.

According to the hearth division, the girl was later transported to hospital. She was aware and capable of converse.

Kazumaki mentioned that along with being relieved that the rescue was profitable, he was notably moved by the spirit of cooperation proven on the scene.

Kazumaki, former emergency responder: “People of many different nationalities gathered together and helped get the grandmother out of the car. There is a real spirit of mutual support among foreigners here in Hakuba.”

Source: FNN