Overview

• Kyoto University special professor Susumu Kitagawa, 74, won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for pioneering porous metal–organic frameworks, telling reporters in Kyoto he was deeply moved and grateful for his research environment.
• A Hokkaido Shimbun Digital exclusive reported a Hokkaido Shinkansen driver temporarily lost consciousness inside the Seikan Tunnel at the end of September, causing a sharp slowdown; authorities are investigating and official findings are pending.
• The Kansai Wide-area Federation’s doctor-helicopter service remains suspended due to a shortage of maintenance engineers at contractor Hirata Gakuen, and Shiga Governor Daisaku Mikazuki asked Defense Minister Gen Nakatani for personnel support.
• The Japan Tourism Agency hosted a briefing where the Higashi Hokkaido DMO presented strategies to attract high-spending inbound travelers to regional areas, highlighting efforts to bolster local economies.
• Hakodate’s nationally designated Kosetsuen garden will host the MOMI-G autumn foliage light-up starting October 17, underscoring ongoing cultural programming to draw visitors.