[April 2025] Current Affairs Quiz

Denmark

PostNord, Denmark’s state postal delivery service, has announced plans to cease operations at the end of 2025. The move comes amid declining mail usage and the advance of digitalization. Removal of mailboxes installed around the country is reportedly set to begin as early as June.

There are things we don't have, and things we do.

The Japan Booksellers’ Award is a literary prize chosen by votes from bookstore employees nationwide. Ahead of the announcement of the grand prize winner, “What Doesn’t Exist, Exists.” was selected as the Super Discovery Book in the Discovery category. It’s a book themed around familiar words for things we often hear about but never see—such as “the straw that breaks the camel’s back,” “smacking one’s lips,” and “smooth talk.”

measles

Measles is highly contagious, and outbreaks have been reported in Asia and Europe. It tends to spread especially in areas where measles vaccination rates have declined, and cases have also been reported in Japan.

Oita Hello Kitty Airport

During the Osaka-Kansai Expo, Oita Airport will adopt the nickname “Oita Hello Kitty Airport” through a collaboration with Sanrio. This collaboration came about because Harmonyland, Sanrio’s theme park, is located about a 30-minute drive from Oita Airport.

Ōsaka-shi, Kita-ku, Ofukachō

In the 2025 land price survey, the location announced as having the highest land value outside Tokyo was Ofukacho in Kita Ward, Osaka City. This area, known as Umeda 2nd Stage (Umekita), is located very close to Hankyu Umeda Station. With rows of commercial buildings, it is one of the busiest areas in Osaka City.

Department of Dinosaur Studies

Leveraging Fukui Prefecture’s distinctive strength in dinosaur fossil excavations, the University of Fukui Prefecture established the Faculty of Dinosaur Studies in April 2025 to conduct research and education on dinosaurs. Fukui Prefectural University is the first university in Japan to establish such a faculty.