Main news(2024/12/09)
Hyogo Prefectural Assembly 100-Article Committee to hold comprehensive witness hearing on 25th, requesting governor's attendance
2024-12-09 21:42:00
The Hyogo Prefectural Assembly's 100-article committee, which is investigating the facts surrounding the allegations against Governor Saito of Hyogo Prefecture over power harassment, met and confirmed its intention to hold a witness hearing on the 25th of this month. According to a source close to the assembly, Governor Saito will be asked to attend again.
TOP
Speech by the Chairman of the Nobel Committee and the Japan Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations: "To the consensus of humanity"
2024-12-09 21:33:00
Ahead of the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony, Nobel Committee Chairman Friedness gave an interview to NHK in which he commented on the speech scheduled to be given by Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations representative committee member, Hiromi Tanaka, at the ceremony, saying that "it will represent the consensus of humanity," and expressed the view that it will be an important step toward the abolition of nuclear weapons.
TOP
Japan, US and South Korea hold talks on response to North Korea; Foreign Ministry official says "no problems with cooperation"
2024-12-09 21:05:00
Senior officials from Japan, the United States and South Korea held talks on how to respond to North Korea, reiterating serious concerns about the development of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea and agreeing to continue working together to fully implement relevant UN Security Council resolutions. After the talks, a senior Foreign Ministry official said, "We were able to demonstrate that there are no problems with cooperation among the three countries, even as 'emergency martial law' has been declared and lifted in South Korea."
TOP
JR East reprimands vice president over train maintenance irregularities
2024-12-09 20:55:00
Following past cases of data tampering and other irregularities in the maintenance of railway vehicles, JR East has announced that it has taken reprimanding of its executive vice president, who also serves as head of its railway operations headquarters.
TOP
First hearing of Japanese man working for pharmaceutical company indicted in China to be held in late November
2024-12-09 20:46:00
It has been revealed that the first hearing of a Japanese male employee of a major pharmaceutical company who was arrested by authorities last year for espionage in China and subsequently indicted was held at a Beijing court late last month. No schedule for future hearings has been announced, and his detention is prolonged.
TOP
[Full text] Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony: Thoughts from Japan Confederation of A-bomb Victims Organizations: Tanaka Hiromi
2024-12-09 19:29:00
The representative of the Japan Confederation of A-bomb Victims Organizations, Mr. Hidemi Tanaka (92), will deliver a 20-minute speech at the Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony to be held in Oslo, Norway on the 10th (Japan time). On November 22nd, Mr. Tanaka gave an exclusive interview to NHK in which he talked about the thoughts he will put into his speech. The full text is published below.
TOP
Party support rate "no support" at 35.6%; LDP tends to be lower among younger generations
2024-12-09 19:27:00
These are the approval ratings for each party in December.
TOP
Professional baseball active draft: 13 players, including 3 first-round draft picks, transfers completed [list]
2024-12-09 19:08:00
The "active player draft" in professional baseball, which allows other teams to nominate and transfer active players from each team, was held on the 9th, and 13 transfers were made, including DeNA pitcher Taiga Uechatani to SoftBank, Lotte's Taiga Hirasawa to Seibu, and Hiroshima's Takuya Yazaki to Yakult, all of whom were first-round draft picks. This was the third active player draft, and for the first time a second round was also held.
TOP
Government's Basic Energy Plan finalizes adjustments to aim for 40-50% renewable energy
2024-12-09 19:03:00
As discussions toward the formulation of a new Basic Energy Plan are reaching a climax, it has been learned that the government is making final adjustments toward presenting a scenario in which the proportion of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power in total electricity generation by fiscal 2040 will be around 40 to 50 percent.
TOP
NHK poll: Ishiba Cabinet "approval" and "disapproval" both at 38%
2024-12-09 19:00:00
According to an NHK opinion poll, the number of people who said they "support" the Ishiba Cabinet was 38%, down three points from the November survey, while the number of people who said they "do not support" the Cabinet was also 38%, up one point.
TOP
[Live Schedule] Hidankyo Representatives to Hold Press Conference Before Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony
2024-12-09 18:36:00
The delegation from Japan Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, which arrived in Oslo, the capital of Norway, will attend the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony on the 10th. Representative committee member Tanaka Hiromi will give a speech and appeal to the world for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Representative committee member Tanaka is also expected to attend a press conference to be held later in Oslo, where he is expected to talk about his feelings ahead of the award ceremony. This article will be a live broadcast of the press conference by Tanaka Hiromi of the Japan Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations, which will be held at 9pm tonight Japan time.
TOP
Suspect arrested as "procurement agent" of Cambodia-based specialized fraud group
2024-12-09 17:40:00
In a case in which a group of Japanese people based in Cambodia was busted for repeatedly committing specialized fraud, the suspect believed to have been the procuring agent for the fraud was transferred from the Philippines to Japan on the 9th and arrested by the Saitama Prefectural Police.
TOP
Former junior high school principal sentenced to nine years in prison for sexually assaulting student, Tokyo District Court
2024-12-09 17:12:00
In a trial where a former junior high school principal was charged with sexually assaulting and injuring a female student 14 years ago, the Tokyo District Court sentenced him to nine years in prison, saying that "his acts were extremely heinous, escalating due to an overwhelming hierarchical relationship."
TOP
NBA's Rui Hachimura contributes to stopping losing streak with 23 points, Otani and his wife are also in attendance
2024-12-09 16:26:00
Rui Hachimura of the NBA Lakers scored a season-high 23 points in the game against the Trail Blazers on the 8th, helping his team end their losing streak.
TOP
South Korean ruling party "discuss roadmap for early resignation" local media
2024-12-09 12:35:00
According to South Korean media, the ruling party will hold an emergency general meeting of lawmakers on the morning of the 9th to discuss a specific roadmap for President Yoon Seok-yeol's early resignation in response to the "emergency martial law" he temporarily declared.
TOP
Tourist bus overturned in Maniwa, Okayama; 11 people transported to hospital; snow also piled up at scene
2024-12-09 12:07:00
According to a report received by the police, a tourist bus overturned on a city road in Hiruzen Kamitokuyama, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, at around 10:00 a.m. on the 9th, and passengers were injured. There were about 40 passengers on the bus, and according to the fire department, 11 passengers have been taken to the hospital so far after the accident. All passengers were conscious when they were transported. The road at the scene was covered in snow at the time, and the police are currently investigating the details of the incident.
TOP
In the case of a woman who attempted suicide on train tracks, LINE messages stating "men are a nuisance"
2024-12-09 12:06:00
In a case where the president and four employees of a Tokyo painting company were arrested for forcing a male co-worker into a railroad crossing and murdering him in a way that made it look like a suicide, it was revealed through an interview with an investigator that the four exchanged LINE messages to the effect that "men are in the way." The Metropolitan Police Department believes that they had been habitually assaulting the man for over three years and is currently investigating the details.
TOP
President-elect Trump speaks about reducing aid to Ukraine, calling for an early end to the war
2024-12-09 11:45:00
After taking office in January next year, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has mentioned the possibility of reducing support for Ukraine, where Russia continues to engage in military aggression, and has reiterated his desire to end the fighting as soon as possible.
TOP
Society warns of "risk of miscarriage and other problems caused by infection among pregnant women" as part of fifth disease outbreak
2024-12-09 11:41:00
In response to the increase in patients with "erythema infectiosum," a condition that causes cold-like symptoms followed by a red rash on the cheeks and other areas, mainly in the Kanto region, the Japan Society of Gynecological and Obstetric Infectious Diseases is calling for infection prevention measures, as infection among pregnant women may lead to miscarriage or abnormalities in the fetus.
TOP
The government submits a new supplementary budget for this fiscal year to the Diet
2024-12-09 11:15:00
The government has submitted to the Diet a draft supplementary budget for this fiscal year, with the general account amounting to approximately 13.9 trillion yen, which will support new economic measures.
TOP
July-September GDP real growth rate revised upward to 1.2% on an annualized basis
2024-12-09 10:35:00
The revised figure for GDP (gross domestic product) for the July-September period of this year was revised upward to an annualized real growth rate of 1.2% from the preliminary figure of 0.9% released in November.
TOP
Syria's Assad regime collapses; president seeks asylum in Russia
2024-12-09 07:16:00
In Syria, where the civil war continues, rebel forces took control of the capital Damascus on the 8th, and President Assad is reported to have fled to Russia, which has been his backing, causing the collapse of his government. The immediate focus will be on whether there will be a peaceful transfer of power from the Assad regime to the rebel forces.
TOP
Delegation from the Japan Confederation of A-bomb Sufferers Organizations arrives in Norway for Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony tomorrow
2024-12-09 07:12:00
A delegation from the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, which will receive the Nobel Peace Prize this year, has arrived in Norway. They will attend the award ceremony on the 10th (Japan time) and appeal to the world for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
TOP
Four arrested for allegedly murdering a man and making it look like a suicide, Metropolitan Police Department
2024-12-09 06:42:00
On the 8th, the Metropolitan Police Department arrested four people, including the president of the painting company where a 56-year-old man worked, on suspicion of murder for allegedly encouraging him to step onto the tracks and then murdering him in a way that made it look like a suicide. It is unusual to apply murder charges to a case where there was no direct action that led to death, and the Metropolitan Police Department believes that the four had habitually assaulted the victim, driving him into a mental state where he had no choice but to follow instructions, and will investigate the details of the incident.
TOP
Government to request thorough prevention of "owahara" during job hunting for new hires in spring 2027
2024-12-09 06:16:00
Regarding the job-hunting process for students entering the workforce in the spring of 2027, the government will draw up rules, requiring job interviews to begin after June of the previous year as usual, and will request that companies take rigorous measures to prevent "owahara," the practice of forcing students to end their job hunting efforts after offering them a job.
TOP
South Korean prosecutors to investigate President Yoon and former defense minister over emergency law
2024-12-09 06:11:00
The special investigation headquarters of the prosecution, which received a complaint from the opposition party regarding the "emergency martial law" temporarily declared by South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol, has revealed that it is investigating President Yoon on suspicion of instigating civil unrest. Furthermore, the prosecution is continuing its investigation by detaining the former defense minister who is said to have recommended the "emergency martial law" and questioning him in detail.
TOP
The Empress's 61st Birthday [Full text of her thoughts]
2024-12-09 00:17:00
The Empress celebrated her 61st birthday on the 9th. She sent a written message on the occasion of her birthday. On the 9th, she will be receiving congratulations from members of the Imperial Family and Prime Minister Ishiba at the Imperial Palace and her residence together with the Emperor.
TOP
