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Monday was Coming-of-Age Day in Japan, which marks the passage from the teen years to adulthood with many new adults celebrating at the famous Meiji Shrine in central Tokyo.
Young women wore shimmering kimonos, but their faces were made up behind protective masks as they posed for commemorative photos. The young men mostly wore three-piece suits.
A procession of around 40 pilgrims dressed in traditional costumes passed through the east gate of Meiji Shrine before praying inside. The loose clothing was that of the Ogasawara clan, which was the same as the clothing worn for various rites of passage codified by Shinto rituals.
The Ogasawara clan goes back to the 12th century warrior class of the daimyos (lords) and samurai who popularized the etiquette and codes of conduct still applied by the imperial family under the name of Ogasawara Ryu and who is popularized in Shinto shrines.
The previous year the rite of passage into adulthood was largely canceled due to the pandemic.
Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio has pledged to lower the age of adulthood to 18 this year which will increase those with legal responsibilities by more than 2 million.
Lower age of majority won’t affect ceremonies
NHK – Jan 11
An NHK survey has found that most major municipalities across Japan will stick with the tradition of allowing people around 20 years old to take part in coming-of-age ceremonies even after the national legal age of adulthood is lowered later this year.
Japan to keep strict border rules until February amid omicron spread
Japan Times – Jan 11
Japan plans to maintain its strict border restrictions of barring almost all new entries by foreign nationals until late February in a bid to stave off the omicron variant amid a resurgence in COVID-19 cases in the country, sources familiar with the matter said Monday.
Japanese women find their voice
mondediplo.com – Jan 11
The general election for Japan’s lower house last October was the first since the act on ‘promotion of gender equality in the political field’ three years earlier.
Man arrested after holding “yakiniku” restaurant manager hostage
Kyodo – Jan 10
Police on Sunday arrested a 28-year-old man who held the manager of a “yakiniku” grilled meat restaurant in Tokyo hostage and claimed he had planted a bomb in the establishment, later telling police he wanted to eat grilled meat before being nabbed, investigative sources said.
Japan entry ban puts student exchange programs at risk
Nikkei – Jan 10
Japanese entry restrictions meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus create a barrier for international students, threatening to undermine participation in exchange programs by Japan’s universities, school officials say.
U.S. bases in Japan to come under tighter COVID-19 controls
Japan Times – Jan 10
The United States has agreed to impose stricter COVID-19 measures at U.S. military bases in Japan, a U.S.-Japan joint statement said Sunday, amid concerns that outbreaks at bases have fueled infection in local communities.
Labour shortages in Japan overshadow economic recovery
phnompenhpost.com – Jan 10
Despite a gradual improvement in Japan’s economic conditions, a labour shortage is slowly starting to bite in industries such as restaurants and manufacturing in which many people decided to switch jobs while on furlough amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
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