Main news(2024/12/24)
"Book Santa" delivers picture books and other items to children in Wajima, Ishikawa
2024-12-24 21:50:00
Just in time for Christmas, Santa Claus is delivering picture books and other gifts to children in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture, which was hit by the Noto Peninsula earthquake. This initiative, called "Book Santa," was run by a Tokyo-based NPO, and people who support the initiative entrust picture books and children's books they have purchased from bookstores to Santa Claus, who delivers them to children from families in financial difficulty or those affected by disasters.
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Kumamoto and other areas to ease visa requirements for foreign engineers amid labor shortage concerns
2024-12-24 21:47:00
The government has decided to relax visa requirements to make it easier to hire foreign engineers in Kumamoto Prefecture and other areas, citing concerns about a labor shortage in light of the expansion of semiconductor factories.
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Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism committee postpones decision on alternative route introduction at Haneda Airport
2024-12-24 21:29:00
On the 24th, a national review committee met for the first time in two years and four months to consider the introduction of alternative routes, which have been under consideration in response to complaints from residents about noise from passenger planes on flight routes around Haneda Airport that pass over the city center. However, a decision was postponed.
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Heavy snowfall in northern and eastern Japan along the Japan Sea coast; watch out for avalanches; snow removal work should be done with at least two people
2024-12-24 19:52:00
Due to the influence of winter atmospheric pressure patterns and strong cold air, heavy snow has fallen mainly in northern and eastern Japan on the Sea of Japan side, with some areas experiencing more than double the average amount of snow. In areas where snowfall is increasing, please be careful of avalanches and make sure to clear snow with at least two people.
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3-month forecast: Cold weather will be a factor especially in January, and snowfall is likely to increase over the New Year period.
2024-12-24 19:24:00
The Japan Meteorological Agency announced its long-term forecast on the 24th, predicting that January next year will be particularly susceptible to cold weather, with temperatures expected to be average or lower nationwide. Over the coming New Year's holiday, winter pressure patterns are likely to strengthen, causing more snow, so the agency is calling for people to check the latest weather information when traveling to areas with heavy snowfall.
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Treatment of teacher salary increase solidified as "gradual increase to 10% without conditions"
2024-12-24 19:07:00
Cabinet negotiations between Finance Minister Kato and other ministers began on the 24th to draw up the government's budget proposal for next fiscal year. Regarding the focus of attention, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Abe and Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology agreed to gradually raise the additional salary for teachers from the current 4% to 10% by fiscal 2030, without attaching conditions such as reducing overtime work.
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"Whistleblower Protection Act" imposes criminal penalties on businesses that fire or discipline whistleblowers
2024-12-24 19:04:00
The Consumer Affairs Agency's expert panel, which is discussing revising the Whistleblower Protection Act, has compiled a draft report that includes a provision that would impose criminal penalties on businesses if they fire or discipline someone who has reported wrongdoing internally for the purpose of retaliating against them.
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"Don Juan of Kishu" ex-wife's acquittal - Prosecutors appeal against ruling
2024-12-24 19:01:00
On the 24th, the prosecution appealed the first-instance verdict of not guilty for the murder of a wealthy Wakayama company president known as "Don Juan of Kishu."
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Revised Childcare Leave Law for Local Government Officials Passed, Allowing Partial Leave to be Taken Flexible
2024-12-24 18:13:00
The revised Childcare Leave Act for Local Government Employees, which allows local government employees to flexibly take short periods of leave known as "partial leave" to make it easier for them to balance work and childcare, was passed and enacted at the House of Councilors plenary session on the 24th.
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Chiba Kashiwa Robbery and Assault Case: Suspicious trio and car caught on convenience store security camera
2024-12-24 18:08:00
On the 22nd, in a case where someone broke into a house in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, a suspicious group of three people and a car were captured on security cameras at a nearby convenience store just before the incident, according to an interview with an investigator. The car had been traveling around the scene around the time of the incident, and police are investigating the possibility that the group of three people may have been involved in the incident.
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"Tokuryu" investigation: National Police Agency Commissioner orders all-out police measures
2024-12-24 18:01:00
A meeting of police chiefs from around the country who are acting as the command center for the investigation into "Tokuryu," an anonymous, mobile crime group that has been committing robberies and specialized frauds in various locations, was held in Tokyo on the 24th. National Police Agency Commissioner General Tsuyuki Yasuhiro said, "We are at a turning point where we must shift the focus of our efforts against organized crime from organized crime groups to Tokuryu," and ordered the police to mobilize all their resources to take measures.
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Healthy life expectancy: Almost unchanged since the previous survey. The difference with the average life expectancy is the shortest.
2024-12-24 17:25:00
The "healthy life expectancy," which indicates the period of time one can live healthily, is estimated to be 75.45 years for women and 72.57 years for men in 2022, almost unchanged from the previous survey. However, the difference with the average life expectancy was the shortest since the survey began for both men and women.
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Supermarket and department store sales in November exceed same month last year for the first time in two months
2024-12-24 16:12:00
Sales at major supermarkets across the country in November exceeded the same month last year for the first time in two months, due to continued food price increases.
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Audio recording of Shiko Munakata discovered in Aomori, where he talks about his unique ideas on printmaking
2024-12-24 16:00:00
An audio recording of Shiko Munakata, a world-renowned printmaker active during the Showa period, talking about his unique ideas on printmaking and Japanese beauty has been discovered in his hometown of Aomori City.
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Number of patients with fifth disease and mycoplasma pneumonia this season is the highest in the past 10 years
2024-12-24 15:22:00
The number of patients with infectious erythema, also known as fifth disease, and mycoplasma pneumonia are both the highest in the past 10 years for this time of year, and specialized academic societies are calling for thorough infection prevention measures such as wearing masks and washing hands.
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A bus collided with 10 cars in a hospital parking lot in Niigata, Joetsu
2024-12-24 15:18:00
At around noon on the 24th, a route bus collided with about 10 cars parked in the parking lot of a hospital in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture. There were no passengers on the bus, and no one in the cars was injured, but the bus driver was taken to the hospital in an unconscious state, and the police are currently investigating the details of the incident.
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[Live broadcast scheduled] Prime Minister Ishiba's press conference today at the end of the extraordinary Diet session
2024-12-24 15:15:00
Prime Minister Ishiba will hold a press conference at the Prime Minister's Office at 5:20 pm today, the last day of the extraordinary Diet session. The contents of the press conference will be streamed live.
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President Biden signs National Defense Authorization Act, making clear his stance against China
2024-12-24 14:39:00
アメリカのバイデン大統領は、今後の国防政策や関連予算の大枠を定めた「国防権限法案」に署名し、法律が成立しました。アメリカ軍のインド太平洋地域における抑止力の向上や台湾への軍事支援を盛り込み、中国への対抗姿勢を鮮明にした内容となっています。
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Next fiscal year's budget proposal to allocate approximately 330 billion yen to advanced semiconductor sector including Rapidus
2024-12-24 14:32:00
The government has decided to allocate approximately 330 billion yen in next year's budget proposal to support the field of advanced semiconductors. This includes an investment in Lapidus, which aims to domestically produce advanced semiconductors. If the investment is realized, the government will essentially become a shareholder of Lapidus.
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Report finalized on amending Labor Standards Act to ban working for 14 or more consecutive days
2024-12-24 14:27:00
A study group at the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has compiled a draft report stating that the Labor Standards Act should be amended to prohibit companies from making employees work for more than 14 consecutive days.
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Osaka's Kishiwada mayor dissolves city council following vote of no confidence
2024-12-24 14:02:00
Mayor Nagano Kohei of Kishiwada City, Osaka, who was sued over a sexual relationship with a woman and reached a settlement in court, dissolved the city council on the 24th after receiving a vote of no confidence from the city council.
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Explosion at coke plant in Kitakyushu leaves 3 injured; firefighters continue efforts to extinguish blaze
2024-12-24 13:48:00
On the morning of the 24th, an explosion occurred at a factory in Wakamatsu Ward, Kitakyushu City, and firefighters are continuing their firefighting efforts. According to the police, three people have been injured so far.
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Santa Claus leaves Finnish village in his sleigh
2024-12-24 13:46:00
The 24th is Christmas Eve. Santa Claus leaves his hometown in Finland in his sleigh to deliver presents to children all over the world.
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Bill to abolish policy activity expenses and related to political reform passed today by special committee
2024-12-24 13:14:00
The extraordinary Diet session will end on the 24th, and the political reform-related bill, which clearly states the abolition of policy activity expenses, is expected to be passed by a special committee of the House of Councillors afterwards, and then a vote will be held in the House of Councillors plenary session in the afternoon, where it is likely to be passed and enacted.
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Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Shigeru Yamaguchi dies at age 92
2024-12-24 12:10:00
Shigeru Yamaguchi, who served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for five years from 1997, has passed away due to pneumonia. He was 92 years old.
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Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare issues improvement orders to clinic operators over infections caused by regenerative medicine
2024-12-24 12:08:00
In response to a case where a person who received regenerative medicine at a clinic in Tokyo for the purpose of preventing cancer and other diseases ended up contracting an infection and being hospitalized, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare issued an improvement order to the corporation operating the clinic on the 24th, stating that the clinic had provided regenerative medicine in a way that differed from the plan it had submitted to the national government.
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LDP and Komeito to "continue discussions in good faith" with Democratic Party for the People to review 1.03 million yen threshold
2024-12-24 12:08:00
Regarding the review of the "1.03 million yen annual income barrier," the secretaries-general of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito confirmed that they would continue discussions in good faith, as the Democratic Party for the People is calling for a further increase from the ruling party's policy of setting the income tax deduction at 1.23 million yen.
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Ministry of the Environment to make PFAS "water quality testing and improvement in cases exceeding standards" mandatory
2024-12-24 12:02:00
Regarding PFAS, an organic fluorine compound some of which are considered hazardous, the Ministry of the Environment has decided to make it mandatory by law to conduct water quality testing and take measures to improve water quality if the levels exceed a certain standard. The standard is currently set at a provisional target of 50 nanograms per liter, and is expected to come into effect in April 2026.
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Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology begins second call for applications for "International Excellence Research University"
2024-12-24 11:49:00
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has announced that it will open the second call for applications from the 24th for the "International University of Excellence" program, a new government initiative aimed at achieving world-class research standards.
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Bear enters house in Kitakata, Fukushima; residents safe but remain vigilant
2024-12-24 11:31:00
On the evening of the 23rd, a resident returning home found a bear inside a house in Kitakata City, Fukushima Prefecture. The resident was able to evacuate safely, but the bear is still inside the house, and police and others are keeping a watchful eye on it.
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Next fiscal year's budget proposal to be finalized through ministerial negotiations with the Ministers of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Economy, Trade and Industry, and Foreign Affairs
2024-12-24 11:15:00
The government's draft budget for next fiscal year is entering the final stages, with final adjustments being made to individual items that have yet to be finalized in cabinet negotiations between Finance Minister Katsuyuki Kato and other ministers.
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Bank of Japan's October meeting: Opinions are growing that the impact of the new U.S. administration should be assessed
2024-12-24 11:10:00
The Bank of Japan has released the minutes of its October Monetary Policy Meeting, held just before the US presidential election. There were multiple opinions that it was necessary to assess how the policies of the new US administration would affect financial markets and prices, and it was revealed that the decision was made to maintain monetary policy.
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US Steel acquisition plan "left to President Biden's decision" - US report
2024-12-24 10:58:00
Multiple media outlets in the United States have reported that the U.S. government committee that has been reviewing Nippon Steel's plan to acquire U.S. Steel, a major American steel manufacturer, from a national security perspective has decided not to make a decision on whether to approve the acquisition, but to leave the decision to the president. President Biden has repeatedly expressed his disapproval of the acquisition plan, so attention is focused on how he will make his decision.
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President-elect Trump says Greenland should belong to the US
2024-12-24 08:07:00
U.S. President-elect Trump has argued that the Danish autonomous territory of Greenland should be owned by the United States for security reasons, and U.S. media has reported that this has led to opposition from the Greenlandic government.
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[Earthquake Alert] Earthquake of magnitude 3 hits Noto region, Ishikawa Prefecture
2024-12-24 07:15:00
An earthquake occurred at around 7:12 a.m. on the 24th. The following areas are currently experiencing seismic intensity levels of 3 or higher: Noto region, Ishikawa Prefecture
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[Earthquake Alert] Earthquake of magnitude 3 hits western Shimane Prefecture
2024-12-24 07:01:00
At around 6:55am on the 24th, an earthquake measuring 3 on the Japanese seismic scale was observed in Shimane Prefecture. There is no need to worry about a tsunami caused by this earthquake. The tremors measuring 3 on the Japanese seismic scale were observed in Hamada City and Masuda City in Shimane Prefecture. In addition, tremors measuring 2 and 1 on the Japanese seismic scale were observed in various parts of Shimane Prefecture, Hiroshima Prefecture, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and Ehime Prefecture. According to observations by the Japan Meteorological Agency, the epicenter was in western Shimane Prefecture, the depth of the epicenter was 10km, and the magnitude, which indicates the scale of the earthquake, is estimated to be 4.0.
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DMM Bitcoin leak: Police identify North Korean hacker group as involved
2024-12-24 07:00:00
In the case of the leak of 48 billion yen worth of bitcoin from DMM Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency exchange, the National Police Agency and others have pointed out that a North Korean hacker group was involved in the leak, and announced that they are believed to have infected the employees of the cryptocurrency management company with a virus through fake job-change messages sent to them, and then stolen their information.
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Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to strengthen authority of local governments to grasp management status of aging apartment buildings
2024-12-24 05:31:00
As the number of dilapidated apartment buildings increases and management becomes an issue, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has decided to step up the involvement of local governments and strengthen the response of management companies.
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Toyota considering building new electric vehicle factory in China
2024-12-24 05:04:00
Toyota Motor Corporation is considering building a new electric vehicle (EV) production factory in Shanghai, China. The plan is to focus on producing EVs for luxury car brands.
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Honda and Nissan in serious talks to merge, focus on strategies to create synergies
2024-12-24 05:00:00
Honda and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. announced on the 23rd that they will enter into full-scale discussions toward a business integration. The focus is on whether they can quickly come up with a strategy to create synergy toward the target of a final agreement in June 2025.
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Did a former TSE employee disclose information he learned in the course of his job in response to a request from his father?
2024-12-24 01:27:00
In a case where a former employee of the Tokyo Stock Exchange was criminally charged by the Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission for allegedly passing on information about a takeover bid to his father, it has been learned from interviews with people involved that the former employee appears to have passed on information he learned in the course of work at his father's request. The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Division, which received the accusation, is apparently continuing the final stages of its investigation from home.
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