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.
Table of Contents
Former Champion Boxer Collapses After Osaka Loss
Quick thinking medical staff prevented a tragedy in Osaka last weekend after former Champion Ginjiro Shigeoka collapsed in the ring.
Shigeoka was not knocked out during the fight, but took quite a beating as he lost on points to Pedro Taduran of The Philippines.
However, the 25-year-old fighter looked dazed after the fight and lost consciousness whilst still in the ring after the announcement of the points decision.
Thankfully, medical staff were on hand at ringside in Osaka’s Intex Osaka Arena, and acted quickly to stabilize his condition.
He was then stretchered from the ring and transferred to a nearby hospital in Osaka City.
At the time of writing, he remains in intensive care, but is said to be in a stable condition.
The former IBF World Champion suffered only the second defeat of his career on Saturday. However, it was his second consecutive loss to Taduran. The Osaka bout was a rematch of their initial fight last summer. Taduran claimed the World title that night with a 9th round TKO.
Champion Faces Retirement After Surgery
Although he will consider himself fortunate to be alive after this near tragedy, Shigeoka will have to face more hardship once his treatment ends. In order to stabilize his condition after Saturday’s bout, doctors had to perform invasive surgery, to relieve pressure on Shigeoka’s brain.
Japanese Boxing Commission rules mandate that any fighter who has undergone brain surgery must have their boxing license revoked. Unfortunately, this means that Shigeoka will, in all likelihood never fight again.
Shigeoka comes from a proud boxing family. His older brother Yudai is also a previous WBC World Champion.
On behalf of all of us here at Osaka.com, we wish Ginjiro Shigeoka a speedy and complete recovery. We also wish him the very best of luck for whatever may come next in his life after boxing.
Expo Smoking Ban Reversal a Blow to Cleaner Climate Champions
Medical and environmental experts united in their dismay this week as the Osaka World Expo announced changes to its strict no smoking policy.
After previously announcing that the Expo would be an entirely smoke-free zone, in keeping with the City of Osaka’s recent ban on smoking in public places, pressure from Expo staff and visitors who smoke has prompted a rethink.
A spokesperson said: “Many staff who smoke complained about having to walk long distances to leave the Expo area to take a smoke break.”
There will now be two designated smoking areas set up within the Expo itself.
Environmental and health experts were already unhappy with the current set-up. At the moment there are two smoking areas close to but outside of the North Gate. However, this wasn’t enough for smokers on site so changes will be made.
However, health experts pointed out that even the current set-up still posed a risk to non-smoking visitors of breathing in passive smoke.
Bungaku Watanabe, director of the nonprofit pressure group Japan Society for Tobacco Control had this to say:
“It would be best to totally ban smoking at the expo,”
Unfortunately it seems that the event’s lofty ideals of showcasing a better, healthier tomorrow, must now take a back seat because smokers need their fix.
And Finally…
We end this week’s news round up on a more positive note. Last week we discussed the case of the missing Myaku-Myaku mascot. The Osaka Expo’s favorite multi-eyed mutant was kidnapped from the Baltic Pavillion by two mischievous visitors last week.
However, whilst the original Myaku-Myaku doll remains unaccounted for, Osaka residents have stepped up. Dozens of replacement Myaku-Myaku figures have flooded into the Baltic Pavillion this week.
In total around 90 dolls and figures were donated to the Pavillion, a joint venture between Latvia and Lithuania.
Speaking to local media this week, Baltic Pavillion guide Ieva Miciuliene said:
“Children handed us origami Myaku-Myaku, and one person traveled all the way from Okayama just to deliver a Myaku-Myaku plush toy. I was touched by the kindness of the Japanese people,”
After the previous theft made national news, this unexpected flood of kindness has given the Baltic pavilion a whole new lease of life, and Miciuliene couldn’t be happier.
She added, “The area has now become a new photo spot. I am filled with gratitude for the heartfelt support from the Japanese people.”
That’s all for now but be sure to check back again same time next week for another round of this week in Osaka!
