Each week here at Osaka.com we bring you a selection of some of the top stories about Osaka making the local and national news here in Japan. Sometimes it’s serious, sometimes it’s funny, but it’s always direct to you, from Osaka.
Osaka was battered by heavy winds and rain this week as Typhoon Jiangmi made its presence felt across the region.
Typhoon Jiangmi Strikes Osaka Region
Trains were disrupted, with non-essential travel off the agenda, as torrential rains lashed the entire Kansai region.
Osaka was spared the worst of the damage, however the same could not be said of neighboring prefectures.
In Wakayama Prefecture, homes were evacuated as the Koza River burst its banks.
Thankfully, the level 5 flood warning was rescinded just a few hours after it’s initial sounding around 9am Wednesday.
Over in Hyogo Prefecture, the storm damaged parts of the roof of national treasure, and UNESCO World Heritage Site Himeji Castle.
A total of 23 people were injured across Central Japan, in addition to the 17 injuries reported in Okinawa on the previous day.
No one was seriously hurt. However, the storm is a timely wake up call for both residents and emergency services. More typhoons are almost inevitable as the warm summer draws closer.
One resident of Miyakojima Ward, who spoke to Osaka.com, had this to say about this week’s events.
“It was scary, especially with the river being so close by.
“Thankfully though, the storm seemed to pass over fairly quickly, so I think we got off luckily this time.”
Kansai Airport Upgrade Gives Osaka Tourism Boost
As summer approaches, Kansai International Airport unveiled a major overhaul to the public, ahead of what promises to be another busy holiday season.
6 new international departure gates, in addition to 16,000 square meters of additional floorspace in the international departures area, makes this the largest single upgrade to the airport since it first opened, way back in 1994.
Around a dozen new restaurants, added as part of this new upgrade, brings the total number of eateries on-site to 17. More are expected in the months ahead.
The upgrade had been on the table for a number of years. However, the 2020 pandemic, and the more recent decline in tourists visiting from China had prompted a delay.
However, airport officials could barely conceal their delight as they unveiled the newly revamped departure area at a ceremony last weekend.
The upgrade will, stakeholders hope, increase footfall at Kansai International. With the number of international flights from Osaka International Airport (known locally as Itami Airport) on the increase, competition has been fierce.
It is hoped these new upgrades and the increased capacity for both planes and passengers that they bring will allow Kansai International to once again reassert its dominant position as the region’s number one air travel hub.
Kansai Airport will hope to reverse the recent trend, which has seen the airport lose money for the last 3 consecutive years. A combination of factors are, of course, in play here. However experts continue to cite post pandemic concerns around travelling abroad as well as the ongoing feud with China as significant contributors.
And Finally
It’s now only a little over a week until Japan kick off their 2026 FIFA World Cup Campaign against The Netherlands in Dallas. The match is set for a 5:00 am kick off, local time. On June 15th.
With this year’s tournament taking place across 3 countries and multiple time zones numerous employers anticipate a wave of leave requests from fans eager not to miss a second of the action.
Japan are guaranteed at least 3 games as part of the initial group stage. Of course, fans of the Samurai Blues will hope they can go significantly deeper into the tournament.
However, as it stands they have a 5am, 1pm and 8am match scheduled across the first two weeks of the tournament.
Unlike countries with a deeper-rooted historic footballing culture, such as England, Japanese employers are not known for being especially accommodating when it comes to letting fans see games at work.
One Osaka fan we spoke to, who asked to remain anonymous (for obvious reasons), was forthright about their plans. “I’m afraid the office will just have to do without me on those days. As soon as the draw was confirmed I got my leave requests in!”
For the sake of his colleagues, one hopes they have the manpower to cover a few “unapproved absences* if Japan do go all the way in the USA.
That’s all for now, but be sure to check back again same time next week for another round of This Week in Osaka!
