Main news(2024/12/16)
Syria Assad regime's presidential palace issues statement attributing it to President Assad
2024-12-16 22:13:00
On the 16th, the presidential office of Syria's Assad regime, which collapsed on December 8th, released a statement on social media claiming to be from President Assad. This is the first time a statement claiming to be from President Assad has been released since the collapse of the regime. The statement, issued on the 16th from Moscow, the capital of Russia, said, "The departure was not planned, nor did it happen in the final hours of the fighting," and added, "I never considered resigning or evacuating, and no one suggested such a thing to me. The only course of action was to continue fighting the terrorist onslaught."
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Sompo Japan Insurance agency employee forged securities and defrauded approximately 80 million yen
2024-12-16 21:45:00
Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. announced that a 78-year-old employee of an insurance agency in Niigata Prefecture is suspected of forging insurance policies and fraudulently receiving approximately 80 million yen.
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The House of Councillors Political Ethics Committee will hold a public hearing on the 18th to examine LDP candidate Eriko Yamatani and four others.
2024-12-16 20:34:00
In regards to the handling of LDP lawmakers who were not included in the income and expenditure report, a meeting of the House of Councillors Political Ethics Committee was held and it was decided to hold a public examination of Eriko Yamatani and four others on the 18th. In addition, Seiichi Eto has expressed a desire to hold a public examination, and adjustments will be made.
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Syria: International community's involvement accelerates as neighboring country Israel strengthens effective control
2024-12-16 19:38:00
The international community's involvement in Syria is accelerating, with the UN's special envoy in charge of Syria visiting the country and meeting with the leaders of the organizations that brought about the downfall of the Assad regime. Meanwhile, neighboring Israel has announced that it has approved a plan to double the Israeli population on the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, likely with the aim of strengthening its effective control.
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Mie Tsu City Council Member Says "Children Have No Rights" at General Meeting
2024-12-16 19:26:00
At a plenary meeting held by the Tsu City Assembly in Mie Prefecture to discuss the nature of children's rights, it was revealed that a 74-year-old assembly member made statements such as "children have no rights." In an interview with NHK, the assembly member said, "It was a statement based on my own beliefs, and my thoughts have not changed."
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Fukushima Lake Inawashiro boat operator kills three, second trial finds man not guilty
2024-12-16 18:57:00
In the trial of a former company executive charged with professional negligence resulting in death and injury for allegedly hitting and injuring three people, including a parent and child, in a boat he was operating offshore at Lake Inawashiro in Fukushima Prefecture four years ago, the Sendai High Court, at the second instance, overturned the first-instance sentence of two years in prison and acquitted the executive, stating that "even if he had been looking ahead and to the left and right, it cannot be said that he would have been able to spot the victims with certainty."
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Electronic voting begins nationwide for the first time in eight years for Osaka Shijonawate mayoral election
2024-12-16 18:47:00
The mayoral election in Shijonawate City, Osaka, which was announced on the 15th, will see the first electronic voting in eight years nationwide. Advance voting began on the 16th, and voters were casting their votes at polling stations using dedicated tablet devices.
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Hyogo Prefectural Gubernatorial Election: Accusations regarding social media use by Governor Saito's campaign team accepted by prosecutors and police
2024-12-16 18:40:00
It has been learned from interviews with related parties that the Kobe District Public Prosecutors Office and the Hyogo Prefectural Police Headquarters have accepted the allegations that Governor Saito, who was re-elected, was suspected of paying a PR company compensation for his election campaign in relation to the use of social media during the Hyogo Prefectural gubernatorial election. It is expected that they will carefully investigate the specific details of the contract and the circumstances under which the compensation was paid.
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Nuclear power generation costs to fall below LNG-fired power generation costs in 2040, according to government estimates
2024-12-16 17:37:00
As part of the formulation of a new Basic Energy Plan, the government on the 16th officially released a trial calculation of the overall costs of generating electricity by energy source as of fiscal year 2040. It states that the cost of nuclear power will be lower than the cost of LNG-fired power, which is currently the main source of electricity.
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26-year-old defendant, perpetrator of widespread robbery in Komae and other areas, sentenced to life imprisonment at Tokyo District Court
2024-12-16 17:26:00
The Tachikawa branch of the Tokyo District Court sentenced a 26-year-old defendant to life imprisonment for charges including robbery resulting in death for his involvement in three cases, including one in which a woman died in Komae City, Tokyo in 2023, which were part of a series of widespread robberies committed by a mastermind calling himself "Luffy" and others. The court ruled that "his responsibility for actively and proactively participating in the series of crimes based on a strong desire for money is grave."
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The bill to amend the old Correspondence Expenses Act will be voted on at the House of Representatives plenary session on the 17th, and will be enacted in the current Diet session
2024-12-16 17:10:00
The ruling and opposition parties have agreed to a vote on a proposed amendment to the Appropriations Law, which includes making public the use of the former correspondence expenses and the current "research, study and public relations accommodation expenses" as well as returning any remaining amounts, and the bill is expected to be passed during the current Diet session.
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Women file lawsuit against Tochigi farm for sexual assault by manager of technical intern training facility
2024-12-16 17:00:00
A Cambodian woman who worked as a technical intern has filed a lawsuit seeking compensation, alleging that she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by the manager of a strawberry farm in Tochigi Prefecture where she was doing her internship. However, the manager has indicated that he will not fight the case, saying that he "believed that the other party had consented."
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Their Majesties visit Kobe to attend 30th anniversary memorial ceremony for the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake
2024-12-16 16:47:00
Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress will be visiting Kobe for two days, starting from the day before January 17th, to attend the 30th anniversary memorial ceremony for the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.
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[16th Developments] South Korean prosecutors request President Yoon to appear again
2024-12-16 16:02:00
South Korean news agency Yonhap News reported that the prosecution, which is investigating the "emergency martial law," has once again requested President Yoon Seok-yeol to appear on the 16th. The prosecution had requested President Yoon to appear on the 15th, but he did not comply, making this the second time the request has been made. It is not clear until when the request for his appearance will be made. In addition to the prosecution, a joint investigation headquarters made up of police and other organizations also requested President Yoon to appear on the 16th in the investigation into the "emergency martial law."
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Good luck to exam candidates! Tenmangu Shrine prepares "passing headbands" in Hofu, Yamaguchi
2024-12-16 15:33:00
Preparations were underway at Hofu Tenmangu Shrine in Hofu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, which enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, known as the god of learning, to distribute "passing headbands" to test takers.
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Melania Trump posts photo of meeting with Akie Abe
2024-12-16 15:13:00
On the 15th, US President-elect Trump met with Akie Abe, the wife of former Prime Minister Abe, at his home in southern Florida. With leaders of various countries reportedly hoping to meet with Trump, interest is focused on what kind of conversation took place.
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Three major housing companies and a logistics company to start joint delivery of materials
2024-12-16 15:09:00
In order to improve the efficiency of logistics, three major housing manufacturers and a logistics company have decided to cooperate and start an initiative to jointly deliver housing materials using the same trucks.
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Hitachi's Executive Vice President Tokunaga to be promoted to president in April next year
2024-12-16 15:08:00
Hitachi, a major electronics manufacturer, has decided to promote Vice President Tokunaga Toshiaki, who is in charge of the IT division, to succeed President Kojima Keiji. According to sources, Hitachi held a board meeting on the 16th and decided to promote Vice President Tokunaga to succeed President Kojima, effective April 1st of next year. Tokunaga is 57 years old. He joined the company in 1990, and after working in the information and communications systems division, he served as president of a subsidiary that handles home appliances, and is currently Vice President in charge of the company's main IT division.
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725 people taken into custody in Shinjuku's Kabukicho district, overdose cases on the rise
2024-12-16 13:59:00
The Metropolitan Police Department announced that the number of people under the age of 20 who were taken into custody in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, totaled 725 between January and the end of November this year. Approximately 80% of these were women, and the number of cases of people being taken into custody for overdosing on over-the-counter drugs is on the rise.
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First meeting of LDP, Komeito and Nippon Ishin's expert team on education to begin on 19th
2024-12-16 13:25:00
Policy chiefs from the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito and the Japan Restoration Party met and confirmed that the first meeting of a specialist team focusing on education will begin on the 19th.
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Norinchukin Bank faces huge losses: Reform plan unveiled to allow employees to work multiple jobs and use external experts
2024-12-16 13:16:00
A reform plan compiled by a national panel of experts for the Norinchukin Bank, which recorded huge losses due to the failure of its foreign bond investments, has been revealed. The proposal includes a review of the current law prohibiting directors from holding multiple jobs, so that outside experts can be added to the board of directors that decides investment policy.
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The House of Councillors Budget Committee debates "disclosure method devised expenditures" and other issues
2024-12-16 12:46:00
There is less than a week until the end of the current Diet session. Regarding political reform, the focus is on how much concrete agreement the ruling and opposition parties can reach regarding the revision of the Political Funds Control Law. We will summarize the activities in the Diet on the 16th.
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Toyama: Father pleads innocent at first hearing for sexually assaulting his own daughter
2024-12-16 12:23:00
In a case that occurred in Toyama Prefecture eight years ago, a 24-year-old woman filed a complaint under her real name alleging that she was sexually assaulted by her own father. The father, who was indicted, held his first hearing at the trial, claiming his innocence, stating that "my daughter was not in a state where she could not resist."
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Tokyo Metropolitan University associate professor and Finance Ministry employee arrested for taking upskirt photos at train station
2024-12-16 12:09:00
A 44-year-old specially appointed associate professor at Tokyo Metropolitan University was arrested for taking secret photos of a woman's skirt with his smartphone on an escalator at a station in Hachioji, Tokyo. He is said to be denying the charges during questioning by the Metropolitan Police Department.
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Stock prices rise slightly
2024-12-16 12:02:00
The Nikkei Stock Average ended morning trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on the 16th, the start of the week, with a slight increase.
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Lake Kasumigaura in Ibaraki: worst smelt catch in history, only 42kg shipped
2024-12-16 11:59:00
In Lake Kasumigaura in Ibaraki Prefecture, known as a major smelt production area, interviews with relevant parties have revealed that the amount of fish shipped by the fishing cooperative this year was only about 40 kilograms as of the 16th, about one-twentieth of last year's amount, and that the worst poor catch is expected to occur in history.
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Kitakyushu junior high school student murder case: Did the suspect approach and stab the two students?
2024-12-16 11:58:00
On the 14th, in a fast food restaurant in Kitakyushu City, two junior high school students were stabbed with a knife by a man, and a female student died. Interviews with investigators have revealed that from security camera footage in the restaurant, the man approached the two students who were at the end of the queue at the cash register and stabbed them. The male student who was with him also suffered potentially fatal injuries, and police are investigating.
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LDP leaves it up to executives to decide whether to withdraw "disclosure method devising expenditures" and enter into revision negotiations
2024-12-16 11:49:00
Regarding the abolition of policy activity expenses, the LDP has decided to leave the decision on how to handle the matter, including whether to withdraw it, to the executive branch and enter into revision negotiations with the opposition parties, in light of the Constitutional Democratic Party's request for a complete withdrawal of the "disclosure method devised expenditures," which would allow some expenditures to be kept secret.
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Taiwan receives first arrival of main battle tanks sold by former Trump administration to strengthen defense capabilities
2024-12-16 10:47:00
As China steps up its military pressure on Taiwan, the Abrams main battle tanks sold by the former Trump administration have arrived in Taiwan for the first time. Taiwan aims to modernize its equipment and strengthen its defense capabilities.
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Mitsubishi UFJ Bank president to hold press conference over ex-employee theft worth hundreds of millions of yen
2024-12-16 10:43:00
It has been learned from related parties that Mitsubishi UFJ Bank President Junichi Hanzawa and other executives will hold a press conference on the afternoon of the 16th regarding the case of a bank employee stealing over 1 billion yen worth of money and valuables from a safe deposit box at a branch. It is known that the employee opened the safe deposit box using a spare key for a customer's key, and at the press conference, they are expected to explain the details of the incident and measures to prevent recurrence.
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Man stabbed and injured at pachinko parlor; suspect arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in Saga
2024-12-16 10:27:00
On the night of the 15th, a man in his 20s was stabbed multiple times in the stomach and other areas at a pachinko parlor in Yoshinogari Town, Saga Prefecture. Police arrested a male suspect who was nearby on the spot on suspicion of attempted murder. He is withholding his name and other details.
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Cyclone kills hundreds in French Mayotte, east Africa
2024-12-16 08:51:00
A cyclone has hit the French overseas department of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean off the coast of east Africa, and authorities have told local media that hundreds of people are believed to have been killed so far.
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Suspicious drone sightings on the US East Coast raise fears among residents
2024-12-16 08:48:00
Since last month, there have been multiple reports of suspicious drone sightings on the east coast of the United States. Although authorities have emphasized that there is "no indication of other countries' involvement," anxiety is spreading among residents as the truth of the situation remains unclear.
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Roki Sasaki aims to transfer to the major leagues, signing with the team after January 15th next year
2024-12-16 08:04:00
Pitcher Roki Sasaki, who is aiming to transfer to the Major Leagues from professional baseball team Lotte using the posting system, has decided to sign a contract with a Major League team after January 15th next year.
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Man commits suicide due to "stress at two workplaces" - Work-related injury recognized
2024-12-16 06:10:00
It has been revealed that the suicide of a 60-year-old man who was a researcher at Gifu University and also worked for a company that conducts surveying and other activities was caused by his university superiors not responding appropriately to his concerns and by him being forced to bear heavy responsibility alone at the company.The Labor Standards Inspection Office has recognized the suicide as an industrial accident after taking into consideration the comprehensive stress at both workplaces.
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UK Ministry of Defence: "Russian forces advance rapidly towards key points in eastern Ukraine"
2024-12-16 06:08:00
The UK Ministry of Defence has analysed that Russian troops are advancing rapidly towards Pokrovsk, a key area in eastern Ukraine. Russia is believed to be stepping up its offensive to gain as much advantage as possible on the battlefield before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump.
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UN envoy visits Syria to discuss need to lift economic sanctions
2024-12-16 06:00:00
A UN special envoy visited Syria, where the dictatorial Assad regime collapsed and an interim government was established. The envoy expressed the view that in order to rebuild Syria, it is necessary to lift the economic sanctions imposed by the West and other countries on the former regime.
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Nearly half of junior and senior high school teachers and staff "don't want to be involved in club activities on holidays"
2024-12-16 05:12:00
As reform of working conditions for teachers becomes an issue, a survey by the Japan Teachers' Union has found that nearly half of junior high and high school teachers and staff say they "don't want to be involved in club activities on holidays."
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Ukrainian government official: "China is the biggest beneficiary of the war"
2024-12-16 03:55:00
A senior Ukrainian government official, whose country is currently under military invasion by Russia, told NHK that while Western countries continue to shoulder a heavy burden in supporting Ukraine, China has had little involvement in the situation in Ukraine, and that this is the country that "gains the most from this war."
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20% of affected areas "know" about Hokkaido/Sanriku offshore earthquake warning
2024-12-16 03:23:00
In the event of a major earthquake off the Pacific coast of northern Japan, the Hokkaido/Sanriku Offshore Earthquake Warning is issued to warn of subsequent mega-earthquakes. Similar to the Nankai Trough Earthquake Emergency Warning (Massive Earthquake Warning) issued in August this year, it calls for people to check their evacuation routes for one week, but when experts conducted a survey, they found that only 20% of people in the affected areas knew the details of the warning.
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As the Diet session comes to an end, can agreement be reached on amending the Political Funds Control Law?
2024-12-16 03:15:00
With less than a week left until the end of the current Diet session, the focus on political reform is on how much concrete agreement the ruling and opposition parties can reach regarding the revision of the Political Funds Control Law.
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Prosecutors to request appearance again, focus on President Yoon's response - South Korea News Agency
2024-12-16 02:55:00
In an investigation into South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol's "emergency martial law," the prosecution has requested President Yoon to appear in court, but he has not responded. The Yonhap News Agency has reported that the prosecution will request him to appear again on the 16th. President Yoon's response is now the focus of attention.
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Kitakyushu junior high school student killed and injured: Was the attack indiscriminate and without consultation?
2024-12-16 00:00:00
In an incident on the 14th in which two junior high school students were stabbed by a man with a knife at a fast food restaurant in Kitakyushu City, resulting in the death of the female student, it has been learned from an interview with the police that the female student has not contacted the police for any troubles up to now. The male student also said that he did not know the man, so the police are investigating the possibility that the two were attacked indiscriminately.
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