This page is the news announced by NHK, a representative TV station in Japan.

Main news(2023/12/21)


Kyoto   Hakone

Chilean defendant found guilty in second trial of missing Japanese female college student studying abroad in France

2023-12-21 22:52:00
Seven years ago, a Japanese female college student, Manami Kurosaki, went missing while studying abroad in France, and the French court of second instance held a trial in which her former boyfriend, a Chilean defendant, was charged with murder. As in the first trial, he was sentenced to 28 years in prison.

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Yamagata Tobishima Tree falls and gets caught on power lines, causing power outage to the entire island

2023-12-21 21:14:00
On the morning of the 21st, a tree on a slope along a prefectural road fell down due to snow and blocked the road on Tobishima in Sakata City, the only remote island in Yamagata Prefecture. According to the city, the tree is caught on a power line, and if it breaks, there is a risk of a power outage for the entire island, so they are planning to wait for the weather to improve before heading to the island to check on the situation.

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Current health insurance cards will no longer be issued and will be abolished on December 2 next year Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare

2023-12-21 20:56:00
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has decided to end the issuance of the current health insurance card on December 2nd next year.

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Shosuke Idemitsu, founder and honorary chairman of Idemitsu Kosan, dies at age 96

2023-12-21 20:53:00
Shosuke Idemitsu, the founder and honorary chairman of Idemitsu Kosan, a major oil distributor, passed away on the 20th due to old age. He was 96 years old.

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“Funa Santa” makes a surprise appearance at childcare support facility Funabashi, Chiba

2023-12-21 20:31:00
Before Christmas, Funassyi, a local mascot from Funabashi City, Chiba Prefecture, visited a local childcare support facility in the guise of Santa Claus and interacted with children while handing out presents.

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The bond between two people who have recovered from an intractable disease - Kazuki Mishima of DeNA and Takato Fuku of Chunichi

2023-12-21 20:09:00
Professional baseball pitcher Kazuki Mishima of DeNA and pitcher Takato Fuku of Chunichi. Last year, the two developed ligamentum ossification, an incurable disease designated by the government. Coincidentally, the two people developed the disease at a similar time. Believing in his comeback as a pitcher, he supported each other and overcame surgery and rigorous rehabilitation, and returned to the mound this season. With no future in sight, how did the two encourage each other and move forward to reach the mound of resurrection? This time, we spoke for an hour and a half, and he talked about his current thoughts, including the path from the onset of his illness to the mound of recovery, and his future aspirations. (Sports News Department reporter Shunsuke Akune) (Scheduled to be broadcast on “News Watch 9” on December 21st)

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Ukraine reveals plans to manufacture 1 million FPV drones next year

2023-12-21 19:46:00
Ukraine has announced plans to build 1 million unmanned vehicles with a capability called FPV next year. FPV allows you to see images from the sky as if you were piloting the vehicle yourself, and Ukraine hopes to secure its technological superiority over Russia and turn the tide of the war for the better.

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Ohi Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 first in Japan to apply for plans to confirm equipment deterioration under new regulations

2023-12-21 18:58:00
For Units 3 and 4 of the Oi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui Prefecture, which have been in operation for more than 30 years, Kansai Electric Power is the first in the country to develop a plan to check the deterioration status of the equipment in order to comply with the new regulatory system. I applied to the regulatory commission.

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Welfare services for children with disabilities: “Abolish income restrictions” requested by groups concerned

2023-12-21 18:47:00
As the government moves to eliminate income limits for child allowances as a measure to counter the declining birthrate, a group formed by concerned parties has requested the Children and Families Agency and other organizations to remove income limits for welfare services for children with disabilities.

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Sapporo junior high school girl commits suicide after being bullied; report shows the school did not take appropriate action

2023-12-21 18:42:00
It has been learned that a female student, who was in her first year at a Sapporo municipal junior high school at the time, committed suicide after complaining of being bullied by her classmates. The third-party investigation committee determined that bullying had occurred, and that the school's failure to take appropriate action, despite the student's repeated complaints in questionnaires and other means, contributed to the suicide. A report was compiled and published on the 21st.

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Several workers at a housing demolition site in Sakai, Osaka complain of poor health

2023-12-21 18:09:00
According to the fire department, just after 5 p.m. on the 21st, they received a 119 call saying that ``several workers were complaining of not feeling well'' at a residential demolition site in Kagaoka-cho, Sakai-ku, Sakai-shi, Osaka. The details of his condition are unknown. It appears that the generator was being used with the room closed at the time, so the police and fire department are investigating the details of the situation.

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Disciplinary action taken against 3 employees for taking NHK internal audit materials

2023-12-21 18:08:00
Three employees who belonged to NHK's internal audit office were accused of taking internal audit materials with them, and NHK suspended them for one month.

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A type of streptococcal infection exceeds warning standards for the first time in Tokyo

2023-12-21 17:56:00
The Tokyo metropolitan government announced on the afternoon of the 21st that the number of patients with a type of streptococcal infection that primarily affects children and causes symptoms such as fever and sore throats had exceeded the warning standard for the first time. We are calling for infection control measures such as hand washing.

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Expanding cooperation between “e-Tax” and My Number Card Automatically reflecting withholding tax slips

2023-12-21 17:30:00
In order to increase the convenience of final tax returns, the National Tax Agency has expanded the linkage between "e-Tax", which allows filing online, and My Number Cards, and will now be able to collect salary withholding slip data from this year's income tax returns. Start operating the system that will automatically reflect the changes.

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Daihatsu All four domestic car factories will suspend operations from next week

2023-12-21 17:28:00
Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd., which has stopped shipping all vehicle models due to issues with fraudulent acquisition of national certification, will suspend operations at all four domestic automobile factories starting next week. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism plans to confirm compliance with standards, and the company has not yet determined when it will resume production.

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Recommended sleeping time: 6 hours for adults What are the key points to improve the quality of sleep?

2023-12-21 16:44:00
How many hours of sleep do you all get in a day? The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's review committee has compiled a new ``Sleep Guide'' that shows recommended sleep hours and lifestyle habits for each generation for health. According to a sleep advice specialist, the most important thing is the quality of your sleep in the first three hours of sleep. I was given key points on how to improve quality.

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Saitama Hanno Suspect charged with murder of 3 parents and children after about 10 months in custody

2023-12-21 16:31:00
In December of last year, three people were murdered in Hanno City, Saitama Prefecture, and prosecutors detained the 41-year-old suspect for an unusually long period of time, totaling 10 months, and conducted a psychiatric evaluation. determined that he could be held criminally responsible, and on the 21st, he was indicted on charges including murder.

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China to suspend preferential tariffs on some Taiwanese products, likely to shake up before presidential election

2023-12-21 15:14:00
The Chinese government has announced that it will suspend preferential tariffs on some Taiwanese products starting in January, aiming to put pressure on Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which has shown a stance of opposition to China ahead of Taiwan's presidential election in January. It seems that.

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“Korea Samsung Electronics establishes new semiconductor research and development base in Japan” Prime Minister

2023-12-21 15:01:00
As the government strengthens its support to strengthen the domestic semiconductor supply chain, Prime Minister Kishida announced on the 21st at a meeting of representatives from the public and private sectors that South Korea's Samsung Electronics has announced a new plan to develop cutting-edge semiconductors. We have announced that we will establish a research and development base in Japan.

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National agency to research safety of generated AI to be established in January, Prime Minister

2023-12-21 13:54:00
Regarding generative AI, Prime Minister Kishida said that there are moves in developed countries to establish institutions to conduct research on safety and other issues, and that Japan would like to collaborate with other countries to take a similar role. announced its intention to establish an organization in January.

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Formation of a new party “Association for Realizing Free Education” “aims to unite opposition forces”

2023-12-21 13:33:00
Five members of the Diet, including Seiji Maehara, officially announced the formation of a new party, the Association for Realizing Free Education. Mr. Maehara, who was appointed as the party's representative, emphasized his intention to strengthen cooperation with the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Nippon Ishin no Kai, and aim to unite opposition forces.

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[Weather commentary] Snowfall mainly on the Sea of ​​Japan side; heavy snowfall expected through the 23rd

2023-12-21 12:41:00
Due to midwinter-like cold air and winter-like atmospheric pressure patterns, snow is falling intermittently from western Japan to northern Japan, mainly on the Sea of ​​Japan side. There is a risk that the snow will intensify until around Saturday the 23rd, resulting in warning-level heavy snowfall, so please be careful about the impact on traffic due to snow accumulation and frozen roads. Weather forecaster Kimitoshi Sato explains the future outlook. *Broadcast on the news at 12:00 on December 21st *Video is 1 minute 42 seconds long. It cannot be viewed on data broadcasting.

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South Korean Supreme Court orders Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Nippon Steel to pay compensation in "recruitment" lawsuit

2023-12-21 12:33:00
South Korea's Supreme Court has ruled in two cases in which Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Nippon Steel were each seeking compensation for damages for South Koreans and their families being forced to perform harsh labor during the Pacific War. In both cases, the Japanese companies were ordered to pay compensation. This is the first time the Supreme Court has issued a ruling on this issue since five years ago in 2018, when it handed down a series of judgments ordering Japanese companies to pay compensation.

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Shinkansen maintenance: Plan to spend 227.5 billion yen next year, with 90% going to Hokkaido Shinkansen

2023-12-21 12:13:00
The government has decided to set the total project cost for the three Shinkansen lines in Hokkaido, Hokuriku, and Kyushu next year at 227.5 billion yen, 33.5 billion yen more than this year. Of this amount, 90% will be allocated to the Hokkaido Shinkansen, where construction is currently underway.

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Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office requests voluntary hearing with former Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno and others over political funding issue

2023-12-21 12:00:00
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's special investigation department has requested voluntary interviews with former Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroichi Matsuno and several other senior members of the Abe faction regarding a case involving a political funding party run by a faction of the Liberal Democratic Party, according to new interviews with people involved. got it. There are suspicions that the Abe faction systematically turned some of the party's income into a slush fund, and the Special Investigation Department is investigating the perceptions of the faction's executives and the members of the parliament who received the kickbacks. It appears that confirmation will proceed.

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Government Next fiscal year growth rate forecast: +1.3% in real terms “Domestic consumption and investment are strong”

2023-12-21 11:28:00
The government has predicted that the Japanese economy's growth rate for next fiscal year, 2024, will be around 1.3% in real terms, excluding price fluctuations, as domestic consumption and investment are expected to remain steady. .

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Moped license rules to be reviewed; 125cc motorcycles that meet the conditions now possible

2023-12-21 10:49:00
According to the Road Traffic Act, "moped motorcycles" refer to motorcycles with a total displacement of 50cc or less, and the National Police Agency has added motorcycles of 125cc or less that meet certain conditions to the category, allowing them to be driven with a moped license. We have decided to review the rules. This is a response to the tightening of exhaust gas regulation standards scheduled for the year after next.

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National Police Agency to introduce ``blue tickets'' to crack down on bicycle traffic violations

2023-12-21 10:11:00
The enforcement of bicycle traffic violations will undergo major changes. Due to the continuing number of serious traffic violations by bicycles, the National Police Agency has decided to introduce a system of enforcement using so-called "blue tickets," which impose fines on bicycles.

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Shiretoko sightseeing boat sinks, results of investigation into last year's accident announced, captain's lack of experience pointed out

2023-12-21 10:00:00
Regarding the sinking of a sightseeing boat off the coast of Hokkaido's Shiretoko Peninsula in April last year, the Japan Transport Safety Board announced the results of investigations into two accidents involving the same boat in the previous year. It was pointed out that the captain of the ship lacked experience. The captain's lack of experience was also pointed out in the sinking accident, and the Japan Transport Safety Board says that understanding the characteristics of the sea area and prioritizing safety are important for accident prevention.

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Daihatsu Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism inspects headquarters in Ikeda, Osaka

2023-12-21 09:11:00
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has begun an on-site inspection of Daihatsu's headquarters in Ikeda City, Osaka, in order to confirm the details of the issue in which automobile manufacturer Daihatsu Motor Corporation fraudulently obtained national certification. During the on-site inspection, in addition to confirming documents containing test data, we will also conduct interviews with personnel and executives to confirm the detailed facts surrounding the fraud.

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Chiba Ichihara Fire spreads at scrapyard due to ``burning waste plastic''

2023-12-21 08:47:00
In the early hours of the 21st, a fire broke out in a scrap yard in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, where scrap metal and other items were piled up. The fire is still burning and firefighters are working to extinguish it.

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Snow continues to fall mainly on the Sea of ​​Japan side, with risk of warning-level heavy snow into Saturday

2023-12-21 06:49:00
Due to the inflow of midwinter-like cold air, snow continues to fall mainly on the Sea of ​​Japan side of western and eastern Japan. From around the 23rd, the snow will intensify mainly from western Japan to the Sea of ​​Japan side of northern Japan, and there is a risk of warning-level heavy snowfall, so careful attention should be paid to the impact of snow accumulation and frozen roads on traffic.

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[Updated from time to time] Prime Minister Netanyahu: “Hamas will surrender or die”

2023-12-21 06:37:00
On the 20th, in the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli military continues its military operations, at least 10 people were killed in an airstrike on a residential area in the southern city of Rafah, where many displaced people have fled. Prime Minister Netanyahu has stated, ``Hamas fighters must surrender or die,'' and has reiterated his policy of annihilating Hamas, raising concerns about further increases in civilian casualties.

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U.S. official says emergency budget to continue military aid to Ukraine requires early approval

2023-12-21 06:27:00
When the US Congress refused to approve the emergency budget needed to continue military aid to Ukraine by the end of the year, a senior US government official said that the Russian military intended to continue offensive operations and that the US Congress would not approve the emergency budget needed to continue military aid to Ukraine. He emphasized that approval was required.

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Japan-U.S. auto friction: President Bush makes unusual request to Prime Minister Miyazawa in diplomatic document

2023-12-21 05:41:00
Regarding the Japan-U.S. auto friction, in 1992, it was revealed that then-President Bush made an unusual plea to Prime Minister Miyazawa to expand purchases of American-made auto parts, saying, ``I really want your help.'' This was revealed in diplomatic documents. Experts have analyzed that since the presidential election was coming up this year, ``President Bush needed to win concrete numbers from Japan in order to be reelected.''

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Union Minimum wage to exceed 1,600 yen per hour by 2035, exceeding government target

2023-12-21 05:28:00
It has been revealed that a coalition of labor organizations has decided to set a goal of gradually raising the minimum wage that companies must pay their workers to a level exceeding 1,600 yen per hour by 2035. As the momentum for wage increases increases, we hope to set a level that exceeds the government's target and help correct disparities.

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Daihatsu halts shipments due to fraudulent acquisition of certification; impact on business partners cannot be avoided

2023-12-21 05:02:00
Automobile manufacturer Daihatsu Motor Corporation has been forced to suspend shipments of all vehicle models in Japan and overseas due to newly discovered fraud in obtaining national certification. It is expected that the impact on more than 400 business partners and consumers purchasing new cars will be unavoidable.

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Prime Minister Kishida to make party appointments tomorrow Opposition to step up offensive to seek Justice Minister Koizumi's removal

2023-12-21 04:40:00
Prime Minister Kishida intends to rebuild the system by appointing successors to the Liberal Democratic Party's Political Affairs Research Chairman and Diet Countermeasures Committee Chairman, who have both submitted their resignations over the political funding party of a faction of the Liberal Democratic Party. On the other hand, the opposition party plans to step up its offensive, demanding the resignation of Justice Minister Koizumi, who has left the Nikai faction.

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60% of public high schools that publish school regulations have gone too far in school regulations, NHK survey

2023-12-21 01:03:00
One year has passed since the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology announced the school regulations and revised the guidelines to require constant review in response to the problem of excessive school regulations. An NHK survey found that at least 60% of public high schools nationwide publish school regulations on their websites. On the other hand, only 10% to 30% of schools clearly state the reasons for their school rules or have students participate in reviews, and experts point out that ``there is a polarization among schools.''

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