Tokyo International News Agency

On the 24th, Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) launched an on-site investigation into the Doshisha educational corporation (Kyoto) following a fatal boat capsizing during a school trip off Henoko, Okinawa. MEXT determined that a direct inspection of the school’s safety management and the corporation’s administrative operations was necessary after the major accident, which resulted in the death and injury of students from Doshisha International High School. The tragedy occurred during a "peace studies" session. One female student perished, while 14 others sustained various injuries. It has since been revealed that neither the captain nor the crew reported the accident when the boat overturned; instead, students thrown into the sea had to contact the Japan Coast Guard themselves to request rescue. This lack of emergency response has drawn intense public criticism. While MEXT previously attempted to verify facts through Kyoto Prefectur...

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's (MEXT) revision of national museum operating standards, explicitly stating that "disposal" of museum materials will be considered, has caused a significant stir on the SNS platform X (formerly Twitter). Strong criticisms, such as "cultural destruction" and "erasure of history," have emerged, spreading widespread concern over the decision. On March 31, MEXT explicitly stated that the management of museum materials would include consideration of "disposal." However, it added a condition: any consideration of disposal must involve "exploring other means and be carried out carefully only when unavoidable." When this news broke, many posts, accompanied by hashtags like "#47NEWS," flooded social media. On social media, opinions questioning the nation's stance on cultural property protection immediately followed this policy. Comments included: "Museum m...