Today in Japan

On October 6th, 1969, Matsudo City Hall near Tokyo opened a section called Suguyaru-ka, or the "Do-It-Now Section." Its motto is to do right away anything that needs doing and can be done right away. The idea came from the mayor, Kiyoshi Matsumoto, who also founded the drugstore chain that carries his name.

On October 6th, 1954, Japan joined the Colombo Plan, a group set up to support development in Asia and the Pacific. At the time, Japan itself was still receiving aid, but this was its first step as a country that also gives aid. From the next year, Japan started training people from other countries and sending experts abroad. The day was named in 1987.

On October 6th, 2004, the Meijo Line in Nagoya became a full loop when its last section opened. It was the first subway in Japan to run trains all the way around a loop. Tokyo's Yamanote Line calls its two directions "inner" and "outer," but the Meijo Line uses "clockwise" and "counterclockwise," because it's hard to picture inside and outside when you're underground.