Former Emperor's Funeral to Be Significantly Scaled Back

The Imperial Household Agency is contemplating a substantially reduced funeral service for former Emperor Akihito at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, reflecting his preference to minimize disruption to the public. The 93-year-old former emperor had previously expressed a desire for funeral arrangements to have minimal impact on daily life.

In 2013, the agency began simplifying funeral and related ceremonies in line with this wish. The Sojoden no Gi, an imperial funeral ceremony akin to a formal farewell, is now being considered for Akihito's funeral. This would be significantly smaller than the state funeral held for Emperor Showa in 1989, which drew around 10,000 attendees from Japan and abroad.

The enthronement ceremony at the Imperial Palace in 2019 attracted about 2,000 guests. A funeral of similar scale would represent a substantial decrease from the Showa funeral. Conducting the ceremony within the Imperial Palace facilities would also facilitate security measures and lessen the impact of traffic restrictions and other public inconvenience.

Typhoon No. 24 is forecast to follow a complex path around Okinawa and Amami, bringing persistent warm and moist air to western Japan, potentially causing prolonged heavy rain along the Pacific coast. As of early September 3, Typhoon No. 18 and No. 24 were active, with the latter posing the greater threat due to its unpredictable and looping track.

Japan's Environment Ministry is set to conduct its first survey of animal cafes, where customers interact with animals, including exotic species, amid growing concerns over infection risks, injuries, and the welfare burden on animals. Haneda Airport introduced new boarding facilities at Terminal 1 and moved the checked-baggage deadline for domestic flights to 30 minutes before departure on September 2.

Universal Studios Japan is contemplating its first expansion since 2001, potentially increasing its total area by roughly 10% using former Nippon Steel factory land. Japan's statutory speed limit on certain residential roads will decrease from 60 km/h to 30 km/h from September 1, with police urging drivers to familiarize themselves with the new rules and drive cautiously in neighborhood areas.