2024-12-25 22:56:00
Prime Minister Ishiba spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over the phone. He explained that Japan has consistently supported Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Russia, and expressed his intention to cooperate with Ukraine to achieve a just and lasting peace.
2024-12-25 22:52:00
A former city councilman from Saga City who was arrested for defrauding an 80-year-old woman he knew, who was incapacitated, has been rearrested on suspicion of quasi-fraud and other offences for withdrawing a total of more than 5.4 million yen from the woman's bank account. He is reportedly remaining silent during questioning.
2024-12-25 22:13:00
At an aquarium in Toba City, Mie Prefecture, a zookeeper dressed as Santa Claus dived into the tank and presented food to the dugongs.
2024-12-25 20:40:00
Regarding the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's efforts to combat the declining birthrate and raise children, Governor Koike revealed in an interview with NHK that she intends to increase financial support for child-rearing households by 50,000 yen next fiscal year.
2024-12-25 19:58:00
During a meeting of relevant ministers held in China, Foreign Minister Iwao revealed his intention to relax visa issuance requirements for Chinese tourists visiting Japan, including the creation of a new 10-year visa for some of the wealthy.
2024-12-25 19:31:00
According to JR West, the Hokuriku Shinkansen stopped at around 6:20 pm while traveling between Itoigawa Station in Niigata Prefecture and Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Station in Toyama Prefecture after hearing an unusual sound, and received information that a person from inside the train had stepped onto the tracks. As a result, the Hokuriku Shinkansen has suspended operations between Toyama Station and Nagano Station, and JR is investigating the matter. There is no timetable for when operations will resume.
2024-12-25 19:22:00
A photo of a body donation taken during an anatomy training session was posted, and it has attracted criticism online. The doctor who posted it wrote on his blog, "Even though I am a doctor, I posted something that lacked ethics as a human being," and deleted the post and apologized.
2024-12-25 19:15:00
A Christmas mass was held in Bethlehem in the Middle East, said to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, and people offered prayers for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in Palestine.
2024-12-25 19:14:00
This year's average temperature across the country is expected to be the highest in 126 years, with the Japan Meteorological Agency describing it as "abnormally high."
2024-12-25 18:14:00
On the 25th, a passenger plane carrying nearly 70 people crashed near an airport in western Kazakhstan in Central Asia and burst into flames. Kazakh authorities are working to rescue survivors and are investigating the details of the incident.
2024-12-25 18:09:00
Last year, 4,641 people with disabilities were abused by family members or staff at welfare facilities for the disabled, the highest number ever.
2024-12-25 18:03:00
In an effort to reduce waste from unsold Christmas cakes, chicken and other food products, efforts are being made to connect stores with consumers through smartphone apps.
2024-12-25 17:36:00
Matsuyama City has become the first city in Japan to operate "Level 4" route buses that are capable of fully autonomous driving under certain conditions.
2024-12-25 17:25:00
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Division indicted a 32-year-old former judge who was seconded to the Financial Services Agency on charges of insider trading and violation of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act without being placed in custody. Separately from this case, a 26-year-old former employee of the Tokyo Stock Exchange was also indicted without being placed in custody for passing on information about a takeover bid to his family.
2024-12-25 17:07:00
The national average retail price of regular gasoline rose by more than 4 yen from last week to 180.6 yen per liter as of the 23rd. This is due to a reduction in the subsidies the government is providing to oil refiners, and it is the first time that the price has exceeded 180 yen since September last year.
2024-12-25 17:06:00
A young man in his 20s who applied for a "black job" and joined a specialized fraud ring was subsequently arrested and indicted. NHK has obtained the ring's communication records, which show that he repeatedly collected cash as ordered by his leader.
2024-12-25 16:56:00
On the 25th, the House of Councillors Political Ethics Committee conducted an investigation into four former Abe faction lawmakers in the Liberal Democratic Party. Two of them revealed that when they received refunds for excess amounts owed to them, their secretaries were instructed by the faction secretariat not to include the refunds in their income and expenditure reports.
2024-12-25 16:25:00
Ahead of the enforcement of a Tokyo ordinance to prevent customer harassment, such as nuisance behavior from customers, known as "customer harassment," the metropolitan government has published guidelines outlining specific examples of customer harassment, such as forcing customers to kneel down.
2024-12-25 16:07:00
Regarding the fact that the decision of whether to approve Nippon Steel's acquisition of U.S. Steel, a major American steel manufacturer, has been left to President Biden, Nippon Steel President Tadashi Imai told reporters on the 25th, "I think it will be approved if they understand the essential value," once again expressing confidence in the realization of the acquisition.
2024-12-25 16:06:00
The World Youth Baseball Tournament, which aims to promote international exchange among children through baseball, will be held in Daisen City, Akita Prefecture next year. Tournament organizer Oh Sadaharu visited the Akita Prefectural Government Office and asked Governor Satake for his cooperation with the tournament.
2024-12-25 16:00:00
Pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, who left the professional baseball team Rakuten to join the Giants, held a press conference and expressed his enthusiasm for achieving his 200th win in Japan and the United States, which he is just three wins away from, saying, "I don't want to stop at three wins. I want to contribute to as many victories as possible for the team." His uniform number will be "11," the number worn by former Giants ace Masaki Saito.
2024-12-25 15:35:00
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has decided to increase the special allowance for "living assistance," which is used to cover daily living expenses such as food and utility bills, by an additional 500 yen for two years starting next fiscal year in response to rising prices.
2024-12-25 15:29:00
Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance, a major non-life insurance company, announced that a company it outsourced had been illegally accessed, resulting in the risk that approximately 120,000 pieces of personal information, including names and addresses of policyholders, may have been leaked. The same outsourced company is also said to have leaked the personal information of policyholders at Tokio Marine & Nichido and Sompo Japan.
2024-12-25 14:53:00
NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, has revealed that a spacecraft orbiting the Sun has come closest to the Sun, and observations are underway to unravel the mysteries of the Sun.
2024-12-25 14:50:00
Keidanren Chairman Tokura positioned next year as the year in which wage increases will become established, and reiterated his intention to work hard to achieve a virtuous cycle of growth and distribution.
2024-12-25 14:48:00
In the draft budget for next fiscal year, the government has decided to allocate 8 billion yen, 3 billion yen more than this fiscal year, to OSA, which provides defense equipment and other items to the military forces of like-minded countries, and has begun making adjustments to include the Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea in the budget.
2024-12-25 13:42:00
The president of a chemical machinery manufacturer in Yokohama and two others were arrested by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Public Security Bureau on suspicion of illegal exports, but were later found innocent. The second trial of the civil trial into the wrongful conviction ended on the 25th, and the verdict is scheduled to be handed down in May of next year.
2024-12-25 12:47:00
The Hyogo Prefectural Assembly's Article 100 Committee, which is investigating the accusations against Hyogo Governor Saito of alleged power harassment, held its final witness hearing on the 25th.Regarding the prefecture's response to the former prefectural official who made the accusation, an expert on the public interest whistleblowing system expressed the view that it is necessary to examine the system that was in place at the time for internal reporting.
2024-12-25 12:36:00
Foreign Minister Iwasaki, who is visiting Beijing, China, met with Premier Li Qiang on the morning of the 25th. It is believed that the two sides confirmed the importance of further strengthening communication at all levels in order to build a constructive and stable relationship. This is the first visit by a Japanese foreign minister to China in 1 year and 8 months since April last year.
2024-12-25 12:18:00
Last month, a police officer in his 20s working at a police station in Hokkaido ran a red light while driving a passenger car, fled about 800 meters despite being asked to stop by a patrol car, and was issued a traffic ticket, according to an interview with an investigator. It turns out that three other officers were in the car with them, and the police plan to take disciplinary action against them soon.
2024-12-25 12:10:00
On the 25th, it has been 19 years since the accident in Shonai Town, Yamagata Prefecture, when a limited express train on the JR Uetsu Main Line derailed, killing five people. A memorial service was held near the scene, where executives of JR East Japan and others mourned the loss of their lives.
2024-12-25 11:57:00
In the case of the murder of a couple in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, it was learned from an investigation that a suspicious car was seen driving away near the scene. The car has characteristics similar to that of a 77-year-old suspect who was arrested for trying to evade police questioning, so police are investigating whether there is a connection.
2024-12-25 11:55:00
With just one week left in the year, preparations for the New Year are underway at Naritasan Shinshoji Temple in Chiba Prefecture, with large shimenawa ropes being decorated.
2024-12-25 11:20:00
The Central Council for Education has been consulted on the revision of the curriculum guidelines that determine the educational content of schools. In light of the development of generative AI, the issue of how learning should be, not just about accumulating knowledge, but also about how learning should encourage deeper understanding, is one of the issues to be considered.
2024-12-25 11:02:00
The government is in the final stages of making adjustments to the general account budget for next year, fiscal 2025, with the total amount set to be in the mid-115 trillion yen range. In addition to an increase in social security spending and defense spending, government bond expenses for redemption and interest payments on national bonds will also exceed this fiscal year's total, making it the third consecutive year that the initial budget will exceed 110 trillion yen, surpassing last year's and fiscal 2023 figures to become the largest ever.
2024-12-25 10:26:00
On the 26th of last month, an explosion occurred during a combustion test of Japan's new flagship rocket "Epsilon S" under development at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture. JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) will hold a press conference at 10:30 am today to explain the status of the investigation into the cause. We will report the press conference live.
2024-12-25 10:14:00
The Financial Services Agency has decided to issue an order to AEON Bank to improve its business practices, including requesting a review of its risk management system, citing deficiencies in its anti-money laundering measures, which involve washing funds obtained through crime.
2024-12-25 10:09:00
The Japan Transport Safety Board has released the interim report of its investigation into the aircraft collision that occurred at Haneda Airport in January 2024. It has been revealed that the captain of a Japan Coast Guard aircraft said that he thought he was being told to enter the runway when the air traffic controller instructed him to proceed to the runway and said the word "number one," which means the order of takeoff.
2024-12-25 07:52:00
JR Yokosuka Line has suspended operations on both lines between Kurihama Station in Yokosuka City and Tokyo Station due to a fatal accident that occurred at Higashi-Totsuka Station at around 7:18 a.m. As a result, operations have also been suspended on the Tokaido Line from Tokyo Station to Atami Station and on some sections of the Shonan-Shinjuku Line. According to JR East, operations are expected to resume around 8:20 a.m.
2024-12-25 06:51:00
South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol, who declared "emergency martial law," has been asked by the joint investigation headquarters, including the police, to appear on the 25th, but those around the president have expressed the view that it will be difficult for him to appear on the 25th. South Korean media has reported that if he repeatedly fails to appear, they may request an arrest warrant, and negotiations between the president's side and the investigation agencies continue.
2024-12-25 06:50:00
Interviews with multiple diplomatic sources have revealed that the North Korean side took the initiative in proposing to Russia the dispatch of North Korean soldiers to Russia, which continues its invasion of Ukraine, this summer, and that the proposal was then put into action.
2024-12-25 06:43:00
In Syria, where the dictatorial Assad regime collapsed in December, local media reported that the organization leading the interim government and several armed groups within the country have agreed to disband their respective groups and come under the umbrella of the interim government's Ministry of Defense.
2024-12-25 06:36:00
Having achieved its target ahead of schedule for so-called "food waste," food that is still edible but thrown away, the government has set a new target of reducing "food waste" outside the home, such as unsold products and leftover food from restaurants, by 60% by weight compared to fiscal 2000.
2024-12-25 06:13:00
Foreign Minister Iwasaki will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing today. The two sides will confirm their intention to strengthen communication in order to build constructive and stable Japan-China relations, and will also exchange views on issues such as the resumption of imports of Japanese fishery products.
2024-12-25 05:48:00
A private survey has found that as of October this year, only 24% of people said they would like to go to the Osaka-Kansai Expo, which opens in April next year, a decrease from the previous survey.
2024-12-25 05:29:00
Ten people, including high school students from Miyazaki Prefecture, have been selected as winners for the New Year's poetry gathering to be held at the Imperial Palace.
2024-12-25 05:22:00
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 certain standards. However, as the costs of testing can be a burden, the law also includes measures to reduce the burden, such as allowing small water suppliers to reduce the number of tests if low concentrations are detected.
2024-12-25 05:00:00
The extraordinary Diet session ended with the passage of the supplementary budget and political reform-related legislation, with the ruling party losing a majority and the opposition parties cooperating. The government and ruling parties want to continue negotiations with the opposition parties with an eye on next year's budget deliberations, but each opposition party is strongly pushing for the realization of their policies, and it is expected that the situation will continue to be one in which it will be difficult to reach an agreement.
2024-12-25 04:58:00
Regarding US President-elect Trump's plan to raise tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) has estimated that if the tariffs are actually raised, it could push down global GDP by 0.3%.
2024-12-25 04:47:00
It has been nine years on the 25th since Takahashi Matsuri, a new employee at Dentsu, a major advertising company, committed suicide due to overwork. Her mother, Sachimi, published a memoir, saying, "It has been 10 years since the law to prevent death from overwork was enacted, but people still die from overwork," and calling on the government to seriously listen to the opinions of bereaved families and review the measures. Takahashi Matsuri, a new employee at Dentsu, committed suicide due to overwork on December 25, 2015. To mark the nine-year anniversary of her death, her mother, Sachimi, published a memoir.
