Main news(2023/12/19)
Foreign Minister Kamikawa inspects Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, calls for lifting of suspension of Japan's seafood imports
2023-12-19 22:55:00
Foreign Minister Kamikawa visited the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant on the 19th and inspected the equipment that releases treated water into the ocean. He also reiterated his intention to persistently request the lifting of the suspension of imports of Japanese marine products continued by China and other countries.
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President Putin speaks at Defense Ministry meeting, flaunting nuclear forces
2023-12-19 21:59:00
On the 19th, President Putin of Russia gave a speech at a meeting of the Ministry of Defense held in the capital Moscow, stating that ``the combat readiness of strategic nuclear forces must be maintained at the highest level,'' and that He showed off his nuclear capabilities by emphasizing that the deployment of the ``Yars,'' an ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) that can carry 1,000 yen, and the ``Avangard,'' a hypersonic weapon, is progressing.
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Heavy snow expected around the 21st to 22nd, mainly on the Sea of Japan side; first warning level of the season possible
2023-12-19 20:44:00
Due to the strongest cold air of this winter, heavy snow is expected to occur in flat areas from the 21st to the 22nd, mainly on the Sea of Japan side of western and northern Japan. Western Japan may experience warning-level heavy snow for the first time this season, so please pay close attention to the latest weather information.
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Sapporo City announces suspension of bid activities for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics; factors behind bid failure
2023-12-19 20:37:00
On the 19th, the city of Sapporo exchanged opinions with related organizations regarding the Winter Olympics and Paralympics, and officially announced that it would suspend future bid activities, stating that it cannot continue activities without knowing when the bid will be held.
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Houthi ship attack: U.S. Secretary of Defense calls on related countries to cooperate in ensuring safety
2023-12-19 20:18:00
The Yemeni Houthi rebel group, which is in solidarity with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, has repeatedly attacked ships in the Red Sea. A meeting of related countries was held to discuss countermeasures, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin announced that We appealed for cooperation in ensuring road safety.
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Osaka High Court rejects second trial for former director general's personal liability for falsification of Ministry of Finance documents
2023-12-19 20:16:00
Following the first instance, the Osaka High Court ruled that the wife of a Kinki Local Finance Bureau employee who committed suicide after being implicated in the falsification of a Ministry of Finance approval document sought compensation from former Finance Director General Sagawa of the Ministry of Finance. The suit was dismissed without admitting liability.
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Record-breaking snowfall affects local life, with bus services suspended and schools temporarily closed in Rumoi, Hokkaido
2023-12-19 19:54:00
In Rumoi City, Hokkaido, where record-breaking snowfall has fallen, snow removal work from roads has not been able to keep up, and local bus service that runs through the city center has been suspended, and elementary and junior high schools have been temporarily closed, affecting the lives of residents. Masu.
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Overdose Notice to disseminate proper sales of over-the-counter drugs Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare
2023-12-19 19:48:00
Overdosing on over-the-counter drugs has become a serious problem among young people, so the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced on the 19th that the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has issued a directive to pharmacies and drugstores to inform them about the proper sale of drugs that can be abused. We have notified prefectures, etc.
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NHK Social Affairs Reporter: 410 fraudulent claims made for 7.89 million yen; 9 former managers and others were disciplined
2023-12-19 19:24:00
NHK set up a third-party committee to investigate the issue of a reporter from the Social Affairs Department of the NHK News Bureau fraudulently claiming expenses, such as calling a private meal and drinks an interview. It turned out that there were 410 cases, totaling 7.89 million yen. NHK has taken disciplinary action against a total of nine people, including three past social affairs directors and a former news director, including suspensions and pay reductions. We sincerely apologize."
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Three YouTubers and others arrested for extortion at Kyoto's ``haunted spot''
2023-12-19 18:48:00
At a defunct hotel in Kasagi-cho, Kyoto Prefecture, known as a "haunted spot," a man and woman in their 20s entered the building and extorted them of 1.2 million yen in cash, telling them, "This is trespassing. I'm taking a video." Three people, including a YouTuber from Osaka, were arrested. In response to the investigation, two of them have denied the charges.
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Political funds from factions: Chiba industry group executives “mediate through national organizations”
2023-12-19 17:53:00
A male executive of an industry group in the prefecture has supported former Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno, elected in Chiba Prefecture, for many years on the issue of political funding parties held by factions of the Liberal Democratic Party, and has purchased between five and 20 tickets to Abe factions' parties every year. responded to an interview with NHK and clarified its involvement with national organizations.
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Japan Meteorological Agency 3-month forecast “Warm winter trend continues, strong cold air and heavy snow in short term”
2023-12-19 17:49:00
It is predicted that winters will continue to be warm. According to the long-term forecast released by the Japan Meteorological Agency, temperatures are expected to remain higher than normal across the country for the next three months. On the other hand, the Japan Meteorological Agency urges people to check the latest information, as there is a possibility that strong cold air may flow in in the short term and cause heavy snow.
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Electric scooter product safety: 6 models do not meet standards Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
2023-12-19 17:27:00
In response to the widespread use of electric scooters, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism investigated the safety of products sold on the Internet and found that six models did not meet standards, including poor brake performance. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism publishes product names and urges people to refrain from using products that do not meet standards.
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ENEOS Holdings President Takeshi Saito dismissed for inappropriate conduct
2023-12-19 16:38:00
ENEOS Holdings, the largest oil distributor, has announced that its president, Takeshi Saito, has been dismissed from his post after he was found to have engaged in inappropriate behavior at a social gathering, where he hugged a woman while intoxicated. Regarding ENEOS, in August last year, then-chairman Sugimori resigned after being accused of sexually inappropriate behavior toward a woman he was serving at a restaurant in Naha City.
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Toshiba to be delisted tomorrow, final deal to rebuild management
2023-12-19 16:16:00
Toshiba, which will be taken private through an acquisition by an investment fund, will complete its last transaction on the 19th, and will be delisted on the 20th after 74 years. With the aim of rebuilding the company by increasing the degree of management freedom, the challenge is how to improve the efficiency of group management and invest in growth for the future.
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Hotaka Yamakawa holds a press conference upon joining Softbank: “Starting from a negative position”
2023-12-19 16:07:00
Hotaka Yamakawa, who exercised his free agent rights from Seibu in professional baseball and decided to join Softbank, held a press conference in Fukuoka City, apologized for a series of problems surrounding a female acquaintance, and said, ``Starting from a negative position.'' So, I will take it step by step without being greedy,'' he said with determination.
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What gifts do children want for Christmas? Things that need attention
2023-12-19 16:05:00
Christmas is almost here. I'm sure many children are counting down the days and looking forward to receiving their presents. "toy"? "game"? "stuffed toy"? What kind of presents do children want now? ? On the other hand, there is ongoing debate over the safety of toys.
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Boy in critical condition after being hit by truck; driver arrested for inattentive driving Tokyo
2023-12-19 15:47:00
On the afternoon of the 19th, a first-grade elementary school boy was hit by a truck on the street in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward and was taken to the hospital, where he remains unconscious and in critical condition. Because the driver said he was ``looking aside,'' the Metropolitan Police Department arrested him on the spot on suspicion of negligent driving causing injury and is investigating the details of the accident.
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Osaka/Kansai Expo Total national expenditure: 164.7 billion yen Additional costs to be announced in the future
2023-12-19 15:38:00
The government has released an overall picture of the costs for the Osaka/Kansai Expo to be held next year, including related projects. The total amount of national expenses directly involved in preparing for the event will be a maximum of 164.7 billion yen, and it is expected that additional costs will be incurred in the future for public relations and other purposes.
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Stomach pain after eating muffin: Bacteria causing food poisoning not detected, administrative penalty postponed
2023-12-19 14:54:00
Last month, several people who ate muffins from a pastry shop in Meguro, Tokyo that were sold at an event complained of abdominal pain, and the public health center said that after analysis, no bacteria that could cause food poisoning was detected. We have decided not to take any administrative action against the store.
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Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Takemi considering amending the law to prevent abuse of over-the-counter drugs ``overdose''
2023-12-19 14:38:00
Regarding over-consumption and overdose of over-the-counter drugs, which is a serious problem among young people, Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Takemi will consider amending the law to prevent abuse, and will also ask pharmacies to provide cold medicine to young people. When selling items such as items, the company plans to ask customers to confirm their name and age.
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A man who was an acquaintance was arrested for allegedly abandoning a woman's body in a forest in Ashoro, Hokkaido
2023-12-19 14:32:00
Last month, a woman in her 60s who ran a snack bar in Ashoro, Hokkaido, went missing, and police suspected her of abandoning the body after a 58-year-old male acquaintance told her that she had abandoned it in a forest. I was arrested. Police are searching the forest in the town for what is believed to be the site of the abandonment.
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Prime Minister Kishida ``works to restore trust'' Nikai faction ministers plan to continue serving
2023-12-19 14:14:00
Prime Minister Kishida stated that he would work to restore trust with a strong sense of crisis regarding the fact that the offices of the Abe and Nikai factions were searched by prosecutors in connection with a political funding party organized by a faction of the Liberal Democratic Party. Nikai faction ministers, including the Minister of Justice, have expressed the idea of allowing him to continue in office.
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10 years since the murder of the “Gyoza King” president, investigation continues to uncover the whole story
2023-12-19 13:44:00
The 19th marks the 10th anniversary of the murder of the president of a company operating ``Gyoza no Osho'' in Kyoto City. Ahead of the trial of a gang leader charged with murder and other crimes as the perpetrator of the shooting, pre-trial proceedings are scheduled to begin in February next year to narrow down evidence and points of contention, and police believe there is a person who gave the instructions. We are continuing our investigation to find out.
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Stock price temporarily rose by more than 400 yen due to Bank of Japan's decision to maintain large-scale monetary easing measures
2023-12-19 13:06:00
In the Tokyo stock market on the 19th, the Nikkei Stock Average rose by more than 400 yen at one point in the afternoon after the Bank of Japan decided to maintain large-scale monetary easing measures. Although there was speculation in the market that the Bank of Japan would move towards normalizing monetary policy soon, the decision gave investors a sense of security about the immediate economic outlook. , buy orders are spreading. Furthermore, in the Tokyo foreign exchange market on the 19th, in response to the Bank of Japan's decision, there was a strong movement to sell yen and buy dollars, and the yen exchange rate temporarily fell to the low 143 yen range to the dollar.
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Japan Fair Trade Commission conducts on-site inspections of four major non-life insurance companies and their agents on suspicion of violating antitrust laws
2023-12-19 12:04:00
The Fair Trade Commissioner has accused four major non-life insurance companies and their agents of forming a "cartel" in which insurance premiums for businesses were negotiated in advance, and collusion in bidding for insurance contracts with local governments. It has been learned through interviews with related parties that the company was subject to an on-site inspection on the 19th on suspicion of violating the Antimonopoly Act. Regarding the insurance contracts of the four major companies, the Financial Services Agency will soon issue a business improvement order based on the Insurance Business Act, alleging that they have made unfair adjustments.
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Next year's budget draft, ministerial negotiations, final adjustments on individual items
2023-12-19 11:56:00
The government's budget draft for next fiscal year, 2024, is nearing its final stage, and will be followed by ministerial negotiations between Finance Minister Suzuki and each minister. Negotiations will be held over two days until the 20th, and final adjustments will be made on individual budget items.
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North Korea’s “Hwasong-18” launch training and announcement “Intimidation act, don’t sit by”
2023-12-19 11:54:00
North Korea announced on the 18th that it conducted a test launch of a new solid-fuel ICBM, the Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile. General Secretary Kim Jong-un, who was present at the training, said, ``We must never sit idly by and watch the enemy's military threats of any kind,'' further clarifying Japan's stance against Japan, the United States, and South Korea. did.
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[Breaking News] Bank of Japan Monetary Policy Meeting Maintains large-scale monetary easing measures
2023-12-19 11:53:00
At its monetary policy meeting, which ran until the 19th, the Bank of Japan decided to maintain large-scale monetary easing measures. Although there was some speculation in the market that the Bank of Japan would move towards normalizing monetary policy soon, we have determined that it is necessary to persistently continue with the current monetary easing measures.
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More than 70% of Kabukicho Host Club stores have been found to have violated prices, etc. Metropolitan Police Department
2023-12-19 11:25:00
The Metropolitan Police Department has raided host clubs in Kabukicho, Tokyo due to a series of troubles surrounding the repayment of "accounts receivable" in which female guests who used host clubs were charged high fees and hosts paid them in advance. As a result, we found that over 70% of stores had violations in price display, etc.
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An eruption occurred near a town in southwestern Iceland on the 18th.
2023-12-19 11:18:00
On the 18th, an eruption occurred near a town in the southwest of Iceland, a northern European country known as one of the world's most volcanic countries. The area had been experiencing a series of earthquakes for about two months, and the government had put restrictions on entry and heightened vigilance.
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Real-time sharing of North Korean ballistic missile launch information between Japan, US, and South Korea begins
2023-12-19 11:15:00
The Ministry of Defense announced that it began operation on the 19th of a system for sharing information in real time between Japan, the United States, and South Korea in order to quickly and accurately grasp information about North Korea's ballistic missile launches.
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[Breaking News] Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Department raids office of Abe Nikai faction
2023-12-19 10:14:00
Regarding the issue surrounding the political funding party of a faction of the Liberal Democratic Party, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Department has investigated the affairs of the Abe faction ``Seiwa Policy Research Group'' and the Nikai faction ``Shijikai'' in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on suspicion of violating the Political Funds Control Act. They searched the premises and launched a raid. There are suspicions that the Abe faction had recorded party income of approximately 500 million yen and the Nikai faction more than 100 million yen in the political funds balance report over the five years up to last year, and the Special Investigation Department is investigating the perceptions of the faction and its members. It is expected that efforts will be made to clarify the detailed circumstances.
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Pope Francis announces new opinion that same-sex couples can be blessed
2023-12-19 09:04:00
On the 18th, the Catholic Church announced a new opinion that priests can bless same-sex couples in church, while maintaining the doctrine that marriage is between a man and a woman.
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Earthquake in inland China kills 86 people and risks further damage
2023-12-19 08:16:00
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Gansu province in inland China late on the night of the 18th, and local media reported that 86 people were confirmed dead and 96 injured in Gansu province. Deaths have also been confirmed in neighboring Qinghai province, and the damage is likely to spread further. Search operations continue at the scene.
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North Korea “Yesterday’s Hwasong-18” launch training announced by state media
2023-12-19 07:49:00
On the 18th, North Korea conducted a firing training of a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile (Hwasong-18), a solid-fuel type ICBM that can be launched more quickly than conventional liquid-fueled ICBMs, in the presence of Kim Jong-un, the country's leader. It was announced through state media on the morning of the 19th. North Korea conducted test launches of the Hwasong-18 in April and July this year, but this is the first time it has announced the implementation of a training exercise. North Korea launched an ICBM-class ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan from near the capital Pyongyang on the 18th, and the announcement appears to be referring to this missile.
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North Korean missiles launched in April and July, possibly new solid fuel type
2023-12-19 07:17:00
The Ministry of Defense is proceeding with an analysis of the ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile class missile) that North Korea launched on the 18th, including the possibility that it was a new type of solid fuel type missile that North Korea launched in April and July this year. I am.
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Prime Minister Kishida “does not rule out amending the Political Funds Control Act as an option”
2023-12-19 06:15:00
In response to the issue surrounding the political funding party of a faction of the Liberal Democratic Party, Prime Minister Kishida indicated that he would not rule out amending the Political Funds Control Act as an option. Opinions from both the ruling and opposition parties are pointing out the need to revise the regulatory law, and it is expected that debate will become more lively in the run-up to next year's regular session of the Diet.
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[Updated from time to time] US and Israeli defense ministers discuss reducing military operations
2023-12-19 06:01:00
On the 18th, U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Gallant discussed the transition to a scaled-down military operation in the Gaza Strip. Defense Minister Gallant said at a press conference that his policy of annihilating Hamas remains unchanged, but that he is considering gradually winding down operations in some areas of the Gaza Strip.
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EU investigates 'X' for suspected violation of digital services law to counter false information
2023-12-19 05:26:00
The European Union (EU) has announced that it has begun a formal investigation into the former Twitter account X, as it is suspected of violating laws governing countermeasures against false information.
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[Updated from time to time] Russia military invasion of Ukraine (movements on December 19th)
2023-12-19 04:45:00
Russia's military invasion of Ukraine continues. Russian and Ukrainian forces continue to fight in various parts of Ukraine, and many civilians have fled the country. We will keep you updated on the developments surrounding the situation in Ukraine on the 19th (Japan time), including the situation of the battle and the diplomacy of the countries involved. (There is a 7 hour time difference between Japan and Ukraine, and a 6 hour time difference with Moscow, Russia)
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Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare notifies national labor bureaus of “wage increase talks” ahead of next year’s spring labor union
2023-12-19 04:35:00
In preparation for next year's spring labor union, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has notified labor bureaus across the country to discuss wage increases at prefectural meetings attended by representatives of local governments and labor and management. The aim is to spread the momentum for wage increases to local areas and small and medium-sized businesses by holding discussions tailored to local circumstances.
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Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Department raids Abe and Nikai factions today
2023-12-19 01:33:00
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's Special Investigation Department has decided to launch a raid on the 19th on suspicion of violating the Political Funds Control Act on two factions, the Abe faction and the Nikai faction, regarding the issue surrounding political funding parties held by factions of the Liberal Democratic Party. This was revealed through interviews with the people involved. There are suspicions that the Abe faction and the Nikai faction systematically did not include a portion of their party income in their income and expenditure reports, and the Special Investigation Department is expected to investigate the situation.
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