A public restroom in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward has caused controversy online as it abolished a women-only area after the ward government rebuilt it in February despite keeping the men’s urinals.

The toilet complex in the Hatagaya 3-chome district of the ward comprises two universal restroom stalls and a men’s area with urinals.

The municipal Hatagaya public toilet complex stands in a corner of a residential area about 600 meters from the Keio New Line Hatagaya Station.

It previously had a men’s area, a women’s restroom and a unisex, multipurpose restroom.

Rebuilt, it now has two universal barrier-free restroom stalls that are equipped with a diaper-changing table and facilities for ostomates, among other features.

The men’s area has remained, however. It has two urinals and lies separated from the universal toilets.

The women’s area, meanwhile, is gone.

According to the Japan Weather Association, which offers weather-related information, pollen levels are predicted to be twice the amount of an average year in the greater Tokyo area.

The Environment Ministry also said that cedar pollen levels this season are expected to be the highest in 10 years.

The amount of pollen dispersed in the spring depends on what the weather was like the previous summer. Summers with higher temperatures, longer hours of sunlight and little rain — conditions present last year — create a conducive environment leading to more pollen in the following spring.

The peak of the hay fever season depends on the area and the type of pollen — cedar or cypress.

The central government decided Friday to drastically ease COVID-19 guidelines on mask-wearing on March 13, including for public transportation and schools, as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida seeks to relax public health measures for economic and social activities.

Under the new guidelines, passengers will only be recommended to wear face masks on trains and buses during rush hour or other occasions when public transport is especially congested, while students will not be requested to use them during school activities.

Narita International Airport is a new international airport planned in Japan in the 1960s due to the overcrowding of Tokyo's Haneda Airport. It was built in Narita City, Chiba Prefecture, and opened in 1978. However, there was opposition from local residents who protested against the use of farmland and fishing grounds. The government deployed police to suppress the protests, leading to a significant social impact known as the "Narita Airport Problem". Currently, Narita Airport serves as a gateway to the Kanto region of Japan for both domestic and international flights, and has become a hub for business and tourism with the development of international exhibition halls, event venues, and hotels in the surrounding area.

What is BMI?

The Big Mac Index is the price of the burger in various countries that are converted to one currency.

It all started in 1986 when The Economist magazine decided to estimate the currencies’ value by country based on the prices of Big Mac at McDonald’s fast-food restaurants.

Thus, The Economist introduced a simple indicator of the fundamental value of currencies globally.

Big Mac is the most well-known product in McDonald’s’ fast-food chain. Besides, the same ingredients are used for Big Mac in any country: meat, bread, cheese, lettuce, onions, etc. Therefore, The Economist experts use Big Mac alone instead of determining the cost of a consumer basket (more complex method) for each country.

Nengajo is New Year’s card in Japan. The custom of sending nengajo traces back to the Meiji period (1868-1912), when postcards were first issued in Japan. Until then, people visited their relatives and acquaintances to greet them at the New Year, but nengajo enabled people to do so by sending cards. With the popularization of personal computers, more and more people make their own nengajo. At shops you can buy ready-made nengajo with text and pictures printed on them or order original ones. Nowadays some people send e-card vie the Internet.

'War' selected as kanji of the year amid international conflicts

Japan chose the kanji “sen” (戦), meaning war, battle or match, on Monday as the symbol for 2022 after a year marked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the assassination of former leader Shinzo Abe.

The public votes in the annual event for the written character they think best represents the past year. Olympic-themed choices dominated 2021.

The mood was darker this year, however, according to the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, which organizes the vote.

“The invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the shooting of former Prime Minister Abe, and the rapid yen depreciation and inflation faced in daily life have caused anxiety for many people,” the group said in a news release.

Japanese TV stations broadcast the announcement live, with Seihan Mori, master of the ancient Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto, writing the character on a large white panel with an ink-soaked calligraphy brush.

“I was surprised, frustrated, angry and sad by the war in Ukraine. I am also angry at myself for not being able to do anything about it,” said one voter who picked the character.

Abe was shot in July by a man who reportedly resented a religious group known as the Unification Church over massive donations his mother made to the sect.

War — also picked to represent sporting battles in baseball and at the FIFA World Cup — was followed in the rankings by “an,” a character meaning both cheap and safe, with the weak yen and inflation adding to feelings of insecurity.

“Raku,” the character for fun and easy, was ranked third, with one voter citing the opening of the Studio Ghibli theme park.

Japan chose “kin” meaning gold as kanji of the year last year in honor of the Tokyo Olympics, which took place after a COVID-19 virus postponement.

The 2020 winner was “mitsu,” meaning dense, crowded and close: three situations people in Japan were urged to avoid to prevent COVID-19 infection.

Saitama first in Japan to enforce no-walk etiquette on escalators

SAITAMA--Authorities in this prefecture just north of Tokyo are moving to enforce escalator etiquette to crack down on falls and injuries, such as those caused by passengers rushing for trains. Users are required to stand still and not walk up or down.

Tokyo encourages residents to wear turtlenecks to save energy

Trying to stay warm while cutting energy bills this winter? Wear a turtleneck, says Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike.

Have you ever been to a Japanese wedding?

If not, you should listen to this episode and learn about what Goshugi is.

Goshugi(ご祝儀) is a gift of money in a special envelope.

The amount given in this envelope differs according to the givers' relationship to the couple, their social status and the style of venue. In the case of friends or company colleagues, the amount given is usually between ¥20,000 and ¥30,000. In the case of close friends or those in a senior position at the bride or bridegroom's company, ¥30,000 to ¥50,000 is common, and in the case of relatives, ¥50,000 to ¥100,000 is not unusual.