TOKYO, Feb 18 (npr.org) –
The variety of islands in Japan is anticipated to greater than double after 7,000 new islands it did not know existed have been found.
The variety of islands in Japan is anticipated to greater than double after 7,000 new islands it did not know existed have been found.
The nation presently contains 6,852 islands, however that determine dates again to a 1987 examine performed by the Japan Coast Guard. During a December 2021 parliamentary session, a lawmaker argued the info was outdated and the true determine may very well be vastly totally different.
During the 1987 examine, officers listed — by hand — islands with a circumference of a minimum of 100 meters. They used primary expertise that usually misidentified teams of small islands as one island.
They additionally not noted 1000’s of islands, lots of which have been inside lakes or rivers. They did not embrace river sandbanks both, which the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea now acknowledges as islands. Plus, volcanic exercise has led to the creation of extra islands because the examine over 35 years in the past.
…proceed studying
During the 1987 examine, officers listed — by hand — islands with a circumference of a minimum of 100 meters. They used primary expertise that usually misidentified teams of small islands as one island.
They additionally not noted 1000’s of islands, lots of which have been inside lakes or rivers. They did not embrace river sandbanks both, which the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea now acknowledges as islands. Plus, volcanic exercise has led to the creation of extra islands because the examine over 35 years in the past.
…proceed studying
Japan weighs lifting age of consent from 13
Japan Today – Feb 18
A Japanese justice ministry panel on Friday proposed elevating the nation’s age of consent, presently among the many world’s lowest at simply 13, as a part of a serious overhaul of intercourse crime laws.

Kishida vows to spice up child-rearing price range to 4% of GDP
Kyodo – Feb 15
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged Wednesday to spice up Japan’s price range for child-rearing to 4 p.c of the nation’s gross home product to deal with the falling birthrate, however he didn’t elaborate on the right way to safe the prices.

Abe memoir is instantaneous bestseller; writer triples print run
Nikkei – Feb 11
The just-published memoir of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is a treasure trove of diplomatic anecdotes. From a colourful automobile experience with former U.S. President Donald Trump to psychological chess with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the late chief gives distinctive insights into the world of diplomacy.

LDP anticipated to battle with LGBT invoice
The Japan News – Feb 09
The Liberal Democratic Party will doubtless battle to agree on a invoice to encourage understanding of LGBT points, notably relating to how the laws will consult with discrimination.
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