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A western Japan city that has held annual contests to recruit single women “princesses” to serve as tourism ambassadors will drop the gender requirement from this year, in a move organizers say comes out of “consideration for the changing times.”
The tourism board in Kashihara, Nara Prefecture, says it will keep the title “Princess Sarara” but throw the recruitment process open to anyone aged 18 or over who lives, studies or works in the prefecture, excluding high schoolers. It will also drop the single-status requirement.
The Princess Sarara title refers to Uno no Sarara, the name of Empress Jito before her ascension to the throne. The reigning empress created Fujiwara-kyo — Japan’s first planned capital city that served as the center of government from 694 to 710 and whose site is now occupied by Kashihara.
City in Nara Pref says tourism ‘princess’ can be of any gender
Japan Today – Apr 16
A western Japan city that has held annual contests to recruit single women “princesses” to serve as tourism ambassadors will drop the gender requirement from this year, in a move organizers say comes out of “consideration for the changing times.”
Tokyo police arrest video game YouTuber for marijuana possession
soranews24.com – Apr 15
On March 18, 21-year-old Yudai Nishikawa, who posts videos of himself playing video games under the name Neko-kun, was arrested for possession of 0.5 grams (0.02 ounces) of dried cannabis, which police officers found on his person while inside a police station in Tokyo’s Toshima Ward.
Former emperor, empress move out of temporary home in Tokyo
Kyodo – Apr 12
Japan’s former Emperor Akihito and his wife former Empress Michiko moved out of their temporary home in Tokyo on Tuesday, as they prepare to complete the process of swapping residences with the current emperor and his family.
Former Japanese princess Mako Komuro finds new role at New York’s MET
Japan Times – Apr 11
Mako Komuro, the former princess who left Japan after marrying her college sweetheart in October, has been making use of her background in art history through curating work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, which is colloquially referred to as the MET.
Yakuza leader arrested in U.S. for drugs for missiles plot
Nikkei – Apr 08
A yakuza leader and three Thai associates have been arrested in New York for allegedly conspiring to obtain surface-to-air missiles for groups in Myanmar using narcotics as a payment, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday.
Japan arrests four of ‘QAnon’-style group for vaccine protest
Reuters – Apr 07
Four members of a group said to be a Japanese version of QAnon, which has frequently protested against COVID-19 vaccinations, were arrested on Thursday for intruding on a clinic where vaccinations were taking place, media reports said.
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