SHIMAJIRO TODAY STANDARD ISSUE
20 August 2025
CULTURE: Shimajiro scores SECOND PLACE in debut performance at Urthvision Songfestival
CHIBIMETAL were Shimajiro’s debut Urthvision performance, scoring a staggering 109 points.
PERHAPS not the result we were all hoping for, but certainly not a disappointment in the slightest, SHIMAJIRO scored SECOND PLACE at its debut to the Urthvision Songfestival with an almighty 109 points.
The country’s selected act this year, CHIBIMETAL, made a staggering debut on the global stage, and have most definitely become national favourites. They are already being coined to be the nation’s act at the next edition of Urthvision.
The top spot this edition was taken by Vakrestrender, who took the lead in the final vote made by Thalor, who gave the elven act 10 points, surpassing Shimajiro at the very last minute by five points. Congratulations Vakrestrender!
Princess Asuka, among other senior members of the royal family, extended their profound congratulations to CHBIMETAL for their momentous debut at the festival. We hope that this will be the beautiful beginning of many earth-shattering Shimanese acts at Urthvision in editions to come!
Community “safeguard force” forced to close after government order
A community-led “safeguard force” based in Seikan has been forced to cease operations after recieving a court order from central government.
The civilian-led group, entitled the “Shimajiro Safeguarding & Community Order Patrol”, had been operating in major cities (primarily Seikan) since December 2024 with the main purpose of stepping in to “prevent crime” where local constabularies were supposedly “absent”. The force had government approval and were also whitelisted as an approved safeguarding force, with appropriate training procedures and standards.
However, mounting pressure from the public and a petition that garnered around 140,000 signatures has forced the group to cease operations after central government obtained a court order to shut the group down, after a three month-long trial procedure. The pressure and petition came after complaints about the force’s conduct, particularly towards citizens, was reportedly “unacceptable”, with members of the force “absing power they didn’t have”. A particular incident that took place in February 2025 caught the attention of police officials after a member of the force supposedly assaulted a woman walking her dog on the Seikan beachfront.
Takumi Saitō, the group’s lead director, spoke to Shimajiro Today this afternoon regarding the forced closure:
“Of course we’re upset. I’m disgraced not only at the central government, but also the courts for not taking our own side of the story into consideration. We only wanted to make the streets safer while the government-led police service struggled to keep up with demand. The government ought to take a good look at themselves when they wonder why crime rate is so high in certain areas.”
The group’s existence made practically little to no contribution in lowering Seikan’s crime rate in the last nine months.
What is going on with our climate? Shiranobe Mountains face first August snowfall in nearly 20 years
SNOWFALL has been recorded in the Shiranobe Mountains for the first time since 2005, a meteorologist report has found.
Although snowfall can be common in the highest areas of the Shiranobe Mountains, this is only particularly during the deeper winter periods; particularly moreso in January. However, eyewitnesses and a meteorologist report have found snowfall has occurred at Mount Kurokamikura, one of the mountain range’s highest peaks, at 4,765 meters tall.
Rikuya Morimoto, head of the Shimanese Meteorologist’s Community (SMC), said this:
“To have snowfall in the Shiranobes at this time of year is odd and particularly anomalous,” he said in an interview this morning, “Mount Kurokamikura is a high peak, but not high enough to experience any kind of snowfall until October at the earliest. We will continue to monitor the Shiranobes for any other anomalous meteorological behaviour for the coming months. Heading into autumn, it can be an incredibly odd time for weather patterns, so we like to keep on top of things.”
The snowfall recording even caught the attention of Climate & Environment Minister Haruto Fujikawa, who had this to say in a statement made on social media:
“Shocking! It’s the tiniest snowfall, but it’s snowfall nonetheless, in an area where it shouldn’t really be happening. I will be holding key meetings with the Imperial Chancellor, my team, and the SMC over the next few weeks to see what the government can do to better tackle the ever-changing climate around Shimajiro.”
