Japan’s Environment Ministry plans to boost support to secure and train local government employees dealing with bear incidents, following the recent string of bear sightings and bear-inflicted injuries. The ministry will seek 3.7 billion yen in its fiscal 2026 budget request to cover costs for measures to handle wildlife species designated for control, including bears.
A 73-year-old woman, a resident of a facility for the disabled in Kitaakita City, who was attacked by a bear late last month, passed away on the 20th. According to police, the cause of death was injuries to her head and face sustained during the attack and the deceased’s name was Hideko Miura (73). According to Akita Prefecture, this is the first time this year that someone has died in a bear attack in the prefecture.
In light of the recent spate of indoor heatstroke cases due to the record-breaking heatwave, it was learned on the 18th that Tokyo has decided to implement measures to reduce the financial burden on elderly and disabled households who purchase energy-efficient air conditioners. On the same day, four Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly factions each submitted requests to Governor Koike Yuriko as part of their heat countermeasures.
Two people died in Kumamoto Prefecture in heavy rain that hit the Kyushu southwestern region of Japan from Sunday through Tuesday.
Officials of Kirishima City in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima, Japan, where many homes were flooded due to record rain on Friday, have begun inspecting the damage caused by the downpour. In the city, heavy rain emergency warnings were issued temporarily on Friday and many homes suffered flood damage. But details, such as the number of affected houses, are not yet known. A resident in his 70s whose home was flooded above the floor level said, “When I looked outside, the water came up to the height of my chest.”
He added, “I took a day off from work on Friday to dispose of furniture that was submerged in water.” A Kirishima city official says they will conduct a thorough inspection so that affected homes can be quickly restored. The inspections will continue on Sunday.
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry is considering creating a new framework to support elderly people who live alone and have no relatives they can depend on. The framework would cover hospital admission, entry into nursing homes and post-mortem procedures such as funerals. The ministry aims to launch the program in fiscal 2027 with an eye toward revising the Social Welfare Law next year.
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry is considering creating a new framework to support elderly people who live alone and have no relatives they can depend on. The framework would cover hospital admission, entry into nursing homes and post-mortem procedures such as funerals. The ministry aims to launch the program in fiscal 2027 with an eye toward revising the Social Welfare Law next year.
In a survey conducted by the Cabinet Office, half of the respondents said they knew about the ‘Help Mark’. However, this percentage shrank as respondents’ age increased, with only 30% of people age 70 or older recognizing it. These days, defamatory content on social media has become a societal problem. There is no end to cases of people participating in fraud and robbery that target senior citizens, as if they were doing ordinary part-time jobs. It is regrettable if there is a growing lack of consideration for others.
When tsunami warnings were issued across parts of Japan on July 30, tens of thousands of residents were urged to evacuate coastal areas. However for some elderly and disabled people, evacuation proved either extremely difficult or impossible. An 80-year-old woman in Iwaki, caring for her 86-year-old husband who uses a wheelchair, explained her dilemma: “It’s physically impossible for me to push his wheelchair to the local elementary and junior high schools designated as evacuation centers. And there’s no way I’ll go and leave my husband behind.”
When tsunami warnings were issued across parts of Japan on July 30, tens of thousands of residents were urged to evacuate coastal areas. However for some elderly and disabled people, evacuation proved either extremely difficult or impossible. An 80-year-old woman in Iwaki, caring for her 86-year-old husband who uses a wheelchair, explained her dilemma: “It’s physically impossible for me to push his wheelchair to the local elementary and junior high schools designated as evacuation centers. And there’s no way I’ll go and leave my husband behind.”
Barrier Free Japan