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

Main news(2025/01/16)


Kyoto   Hakone

Sumo Yokozuna Terunofuji decides to retire

2025-01-16 22:48:00
It has been learned through interviews with people involved that sumo wrestler, Yokozuna Terunofuji, has decided to retire from active competition.

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Police officer consulted on victim of 300,000 yen fraud from false phone call fails to detect scam

2025-01-16 21:46:00
On the 14th, a woman in her 50s in Tokushima Prefecture received a false phone call saying that she had unpaid fees on a website, and was defrauded of 300,000 yen in cash. The woman visited the police box immediately after receiving the phone call to ask for advice, but the police officer who responded did not see through the scam and she fell victim to the scam.

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Sumo Grand Prix Hatsu Basho "Tsunatori" challenger Toyonoryu loses to Atamifuji and ends on the 5th day

2025-01-16 18:59:00
It's the fifth day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament. Yokozuna Terunofuji has been absent since the 16th. Ozeki Toyonoryu, who was challenging for the title in the absence of a Yokozuna, lost to Atamifuji and was defeated on the fifth day.

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South Korean President Yoon refuses to cooperate with investigation, deadline for requesting arrest warrant postponed

2025-01-16 18:57:00
President Yoon Seok-yeol, who was arrested in South Korea over "emergency martial law," did not respond to questioning on the 16th. Based on the request of his legal team, a court review was conducted to determine whether his detention was appropriate, and the deadline for requesting an arrest warrant was extended.

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Increase in online medical consultations: Cases where prescribed medicines cannot be picked up at pharmacies

2025-01-16 18:43:00
As the influenza epidemic continues and there are concerns about medicine shortages, there are cases where patients are unable to pick up the medicine prescribed by their doctor at the pharmacy.

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Memorial gathering held in Kobe marks 30 years since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake

2025-01-16 18:32:00
Ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake on the 17th, a memorial service for the victims began in the evening of the 16th in a park in Kobe.

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"Itadakijoshi Riri-chan" prison sentence to be finalized; Supreme Court rejects appeal

2025-01-16 18:22:00
On the 16th, the Supreme Court decided to dismiss the appeal of a 26-year-old defendant who was accused of using the name "Itadaki Joshi Riri-chan" on social media to deceive men into falling in love with him and defrauding them of over 150 million yen. The Supreme Court decided to finalize the prison sentence of eight years and six months and a fine of 8 million yen.

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Japan Sport Association holds briefing for sports organizations to reform national sports

2025-01-16 18:03:00
In an effort to reform the National Sports Festival, which has been plagued by issues such as the burden on hosting local governments, the Japan Sport Association, the tournament's organizer, held an information session for sports organizations, and survey results showed that approximately 70% of sports organizations were in favor of aiming to make the tournament easier for top athletes to participate in.

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Komeito and Kokumin to set up third-party body to check political funds as early as February

2025-01-16 18:02:00
In order to establish a third-party organization to check political funds, the Komeito Party and the Democratic Party for the People held a working group meeting to finalize details such as the format of on-site investigations, and confirmed that they will finalize the outline of the bill as early as next month.

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"Musical Hall of Fame" Imperial Theater Announces Details of New Theater

2025-01-16 17:05:00
On the 16th, details of the new Imperial Theater, known as a hall of fame for musicals and set to close at the end of February for reconstruction, were announced.

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Prime Minister Ishiba "Supports expanding domestic consumption of sake and promoting exports"

2025-01-16 16:57:00
Following the registration of Japan's "traditional sake brewing" as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, Prime Minister Ishiba met with the chairpersons of the association of sake brewing companies and expressed his intention to support the expansion of domestic consumption and the promotion of exports.

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Suspect re-arrested in Kitakyushu junior high school student murder case begins "detention for evaluation"

2025-01-16 16:53:00
Regarding the case in which two junior high school students were killed at a fast food restaurant in Kitakyushu, a 43-year-old suspect was re-arrested, and from the 16th, the prosecution has begun "evaluation detention" where experts will conduct psychiatric evaluations on the suspect. It is expected that a decision on whether to indict him will be made based on the results of the evaluations.

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Aeon voluntarily recalls 50,000 retort Chinese rice bowls due to possible resin contamination

2025-01-16 16:30:00
Aeon, a major retailer, has announced that it will voluntarily recall approximately 50,000 retort Chinese rice bowls sold at its group stores due to the possibility that resin may have been found in the food.

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Four people including Ichiro, Hideki Iwase, and Masayuki Kakefu inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame [Video]

2025-01-16 16:08:00
The Baseball Hall of Fame, which honors those who have made great contributions to the development of baseball, has added new members such as Ichiro, who achieved many great feats in both the Japanese and American baseball worlds, Iwase Hideki, who pitched an unprecedented 1,000 games for the Chunichi Dragons, and Kakefu Masayuki, who played for the Hanshin Tigers and is affectionately known as "Mr. Tigers." The article includes uncut videos of speeches by Ichiro, Iwase, and Kakefu. (Not available on data broadcasting.)

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Taiwan's TSMC announces last year's financial results: Sales and profits both hit record highs

2025-01-16 16:07:00
Taiwan's TSMC, the world's largest contract manufacturer of semiconductors, announced its financial results for the year last year on the 16th. According to the results, due to the growing demand for cutting-edge semiconductors for AI (artificial intelligence), sales increased 33.9% from 2023 to 2.8943 trillion Taiwanese dollars, or more than 13.76 trillion Japanese yen. In addition, final profit also increased 39.9% to 1.1732 trillion Taiwanese dollars, or approximately 5.58 trillion Japanese yen, with both sales and final profit reaching record highs.

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Last year's sales figures for the four major beer companies: beer sales increased for each company

2025-01-16 15:58:00
The sales results for last year of the four major beer companies have been compiled, and although many companies saw overall sales decline from the previous year due to a drop in sales of third beer following the revision of the liquor tax, each company saw an increase in sales of beer alone, due to the reduction in tax rate.

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Soccer: Yuto Nagatomo aims for fifth consecutive World Cup appearance, "I'll keep going this year too"

2025-01-16 15:32:00
Yuto Nagatomo, 38, a defender for the Japanese national soccer team who is aiming to play in a fifth consecutive World Cup, spoke of his enthusiasm at his team's training camp in Okinawa, saying, "I want to keep the World Cup in mind and give it my all this year."

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Taiwan's President Lai looks forward to further strengthening ties with the US

2025-01-16 15:21:00
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te met with a bipartisan delegation to the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and expressed his hope for further strengthening ties with the United States.

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Prime Minister Ishiba meets with local business leaders to exchange views on regional revitalization

2025-01-16 14:49:00
With a view to revitalizing regional areas, Prime Minister Ishiba met with local business executives who are involved in urban development and other activities, and attendees expressed opinions such as the need for the government to discuss ways to encourage people from rural areas living in urban areas to contribute to their hometowns.

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Shiga's Hikone City and Kagoshima City sign an agreement to overcome the "Sakuradamon Gate Incident" and continue their exchange

2025-01-16 14:33:00
On the 16th, Hikone City in Shiga Prefecture and Kagoshima City signed an exchange and cooperation agreement in an effort to deepen ties and resolve historical grudges over the Sakuradamon Incident, in which Hikone Domain lord Ii Naosuke was assassinated by samurai from the Satsuma Domain and other domains at the end of the Edo period.

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Prime Minister Ishiba: "We will do everything possible to support Aomori Prefecture's snow removal and disposal budget"

2025-01-16 14:31:00
In response to a request from Governor Miyashita of Aomori Prefecture, which is experiencing record snowfall, for financial support to expedite snow removal, Prime Minister Ishiba conveyed his intention to respond as much as possible.

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Volcanologist Kazuya Ota passes away at age 90 "House doctor at Mount Fugen"

2025-01-16 14:26:00
Professor Kazuya Ota, a volcanologist who played a central role in observation activities during the eruption disaster at Mount Unzen and was also known as the "Fugendake family doctor" and professor emeritus at Kyushu University, passed away on the 15th in Shimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture. He was 90 years old.

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Convenience store industry group says it will be difficult to resume operations for about a week after a massive earthquake

2025-01-16 14:21:00
An industry group for convenience stores has compiled the results of a survey which suggests that in the event of a major earthquake such as the Nankai Trough earthquake, it will be difficult for stores to resume operations for around a week after the incident, especially in areas that suffer the most damage.

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Tokyo to subsidize purchase of security equipment to strengthen measures against unlicensed part-time work at private homes

2025-01-16 14:13:00
In response to a series of crimes, including robberies, committed by unlicensed part-time workers, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has decided to subsidize the purchase of security equipment in the new fiscal year in order to encourage stronger security measures in private homes.

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Junior high school teacher pleads innocent at first hearing in case of murder of man in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo

2025-01-16 14:03:00
At the first hearing of a case in which a junior high school teacher in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo, is accused of breaking into a home and killing a man with a knife, the teacher stated, "I am not the culprit," and claimed innocence.

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Tokyo Family Court denies US couple with different surnames their marriage registration in Japan

2025-01-16 14:00:00
A Japanese couple who married in the United States and chose to have different surnames filed a petition to have their marriage registration accepted in Japan while still keeping their different surnames. The Tokyo Family Court rejected the petition, stating that "even Japanese couples who marry according to foreign procedures must register either the husband's or wife's surname as the 'surname the couple will use.'"

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Prosecutors to maintain guilty plea in retrial of murder of junior high school girl 39 years ago in Fukui

2025-01-16 13:52:00
On the 16th, the prosecution announced to the court and the defense team that it intends to maintain its claim of guilt in the retrial of a 59-year-old man who was imprisoned for murder in the case of the murder of a junior high school girl in Fukui City 39 years ago. On the other hand, the prosecution has indicated that it will not submit new evidence, and the defense team stated, "This is a very contradictory response and is not honorable. The claim of guilt should be abandoned."

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Hino Motors settles with U.S. authorities over certification fraud, paying fines of more than 180 billion yen

2025-01-16 12:50:00
Hino Motors announced that it has reached a settlement with U.S. authorities over its emissions certification fraud scandal by paying a fine of approximately 180 billion yen.

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Gaza ceasefire: Biden administration official: "Cooperation from the next administration was important"

2025-01-16 12:33:00
A senior official in the Biden administration in the United States gave an exclusive interview to NHK and revealed that the cooperation of the incoming Trump administration, which will be inaugurated next week, was important in ensuring the parties involved accepted the agreement between Israel and the Islamic organization Hamas, including a six-week ceasefire.

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Lawyers and three others arrested for illegally mediating debts

2025-01-16 12:24:00
The Metropolitan Police Department arrested an 86-year-old lawyer and two others in Tokyo on suspicion of violating the Lawyers Act for illegally receiving referrals from moneylenders for multiple debtors seeking debt consolidation. The lawyers received a total of over 100 million yen in fees from 270 multiple debtors, and paid a portion of that to the moneylenders as "referral fees."

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South Korean President Yoon intends not to cooperate with questioning on the 16th

2025-01-16 12:22:00
On the 16th, one day after his arrest, South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol made it clear that he would not participate in the questioning by the joint investigation headquarters scheduled for the afternoon, and remained firm in his claim that the investigation was unjust.

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Fuji TV President to hold press conference tomorrow regarding reports of "Masahiro Nakai having trouble with a woman"

2025-01-16 12:17:00
Fuji TV announced that its president, Koichi Minato, will hold a press conference on the 17th in response to a weekly magazine report alleging that a Fuji TV employee was involved in a dispute between entertainer Masahiro Nakai and a woman. Fuji TV has been investigating the matter since last year, bringing in an outside lawyer.

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Mitsubishi UFJ Bank gold bar theft case: former employee confesses to "targeting theft outside business hours"

2025-01-16 12:09:00
In a case in which a former Mitsubishi UFJ Bank employee was arrested by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department for stealing gold bars belonging to a customer from a safe deposit box, it has been learned from interviews with investigators that the former employee made a statement during questioning to the effect that "I mainly targeted the times when there were no customers around, and put the stolen items in a basket and took them out of the safe deposit box room."

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Government presents outline of bill to LDP to introduce "active cyber defense"

2025-01-16 11:56:00
With a view to introducing "active cyber defense" to prevent cyber attacks before they occur, the government has presented the Liberal Democratic Party with the outline of a bill that would include provisions for the police and Self-Defense Forces to access the source of an attack and take measures to neutralize it with prior approval from an independent agency.

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Odakyu Odawara Line Shinjuku-Kyoto service suspended on both lines

2025-01-16 11:06:00
Due to a signaling equipment failure, the Odakyu Odawara Line has suspended operations on both lines between Shinjuku Station and Kyodo Station since around 10:40 a.m. Operations are expected to resume around 11:40 a.m.

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Mitsubishi UFJ Bank president to have salary cut in connection with ex-employee safe deposit box theft

2025-01-16 11:01:00
Following the arrest of a former Mitsubishi UFJ Bank employee on suspicion of stealing gold bars from a safe deposit box, the bank has decided to punish President Junichi Hanzawa by reducing his monthly salary by 30% for three months in order to clarify responsibility. The bank also plans to reduce the salaries of Chairman Naoki Hori and several other executives in charge, and will announce this in the afternoon of the 16th.

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Yokozuna Terunofuji to withdraw from the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament starting today, 24th time in a row for three tournaments

2025-01-16 10:17:00
Yokozuna Terunofuji of sumo wrestling will be absent from the first tournament on the 5th day of the tournament on the 16th. This will be the 24th time that Terunofuji has been absent from three tournaments in a row.

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US Federal Reserve's latest economic report: Concerns raised over policy changes by President-elect Trump

2025-01-16 09:24:00
The Federal Reserve Board of the United States released its latest economic report, stating that economic activity has expanded slightly or moderately. However, there are also concerns that policy changes proposed by President-elect Trump, such as raising tariffs, could have a negative impact on the economy, and this suggests that caution is growing.

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Kawasaki: Two apartment buildings burned down in fire, two people in cardiac arrest, four men and women burned

2025-01-16 09:15:00
On the 16th, a fire broke out in an apartment in Kawasaki City, spreading to a neighboring apartment, and so far three people have been taken to the hospital with burns. Police and firefighters are investigating whether anyone was unable to escape.

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[Earthquake Alert] Chiba Prefecture hits magnitude 3, no risk of tsunami

2025-01-16 09:14:00
An earthquake occurred at around 9:07am on the 16th. There is no need to worry about a tsunami caused by this earthquake. The epicenter was off the southeast coast of Chiba Prefecture, the depth of the epicenter was 50km, and the magnitude of the earthquake was estimated to be 4.5. The seismic intensity of each city and town is as follows. ▼Seismic intensity 3: Tateyama City, Chiba Prefecture.

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December Corporate Price Index increased 3.8% year-on-year

2025-01-16 09:05:00
The Corporate Price Index, which shows the prices of goods traded between companies, rose 3.8% last month compared to the same month last year. The growth rate remained flat from the previous month's 3.8%.

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UN Secretary-General outlines major issues for the year, including conflict and climate change

2025-01-16 08:32:00
UN Secretary-General Guterres said in a speech that four evils have emerged from Pandora's box - conflict, inequality, climate change and out-of-control technology - and expressed his determination to tackle these as the main challenges of the year.

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Rubio, nominated for Secretary of State of the next US administration, strongly criticizes China at confirmation hearing

2025-01-16 08:25:00
At a congressional hearing to consider cabinet appointments for the incoming Trump administration, Senator Rubio, who has been nominated for Secretary of State, once again strongly criticized China and emphasized his stance of adopting a tough policy.

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High school senior Shotaro Morii signs minor league contract with the Athletics

2025-01-16 07:57:00
Shotaro Morii, a third-year student at Tokyo's Toho High School who had been aiming to go directly to America after graduating from high school and try out for the major leagues, has signed a minor league contract with the Athletics, the team announced on the 15th.

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Government separates NATO delegation; newly appointed Ambassador Izawa takes up post

2025-01-16 07:31:00
In order to strengthen cooperation with NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), the Japanese government has made the NATO delegation, which was previously under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Embassy in Belgium, independent. The newly appointed Ambassador, Izawa, submitted his letters of credentials to NATO Secretary-General Rutte on the 15th and officially took up his post.

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Suspect in the murder of a female student in Kitakyushu does not deny involvement in the incident

2025-01-16 07:03:00
In connection with the incident in which two junior high school students were killed at a fast food restaurant in Kitakyushu City, a 43-year-old suspect who was re-arrested on suspicion of murdering a female junior high school student has denied the charges during police questioning, but has been found to have made statements to his lawyer indicating that he does not deny his involvement in the incident.

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Qatar announces "Ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza Strip"

2025-01-16 06:57:00
On the 15th, the Qatari government announced that Israel and the Islamic organization Hamas, who are fighting in the Gaza Strip, have agreed to a six-week ceasefire starting from the 19th of this month, and that Hamas will release 33 hostages. More than 46,000 people have been killed in the fighting that has lasted for more than a year and three months in the Gaza Strip, and the focus is on whether the ceasefire will be respected and lead to an improvement in the humanitarian situation.

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Government cuts gasoline subsidy; price expected to rise to around 185 yen in January

2025-01-16 06:47:00
In order to keep gasoline prices down, the government will reduce subsidies to oil refiners from the 16th. As a result, the retail price of regular gasoline will rise by about 5 yen per liter, and is expected to reach around 185 yen by the end of January.

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Highlights of the 5th day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament: Toyonoryu challenges Atami Fuji for the title

2025-01-16 06:20:00
The fifth day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament. Toyonoryu, the ozeki with four consecutive wins, will face Atamifuji, the maegashira 2.

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Traditional Little New Year event "Rice planting in the snow" prays for a good rice harvest in Kitaakita, Akita

2025-01-16 06:10:00
The traditional Little New Year event of "snow rice planting" was held in Kitaakita City, Akita Prefecture, where rice straw used to represent rice seedlings is planted in the snow to pray for a good rice harvest this year.

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30 years since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake: Over 60% of survivors say "memories and lessons have faded"

2025-01-16 05:17:00
On the 17th, it will be 30 years since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, in which 6,434 people died. When NHK conducted a survey of people living in areas that were hit hardest by the disaster, over 60% of those who experienced the disaster said they thought their memories and lessons had faded. Experts point out that "the experience of the disaster is not something that can be talked about casually, so we need to create a system to pass on memories to the next generation."

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Former Mitsubishi UFJ Bank employee steals gold bars "to compensate another customer's cash"

2025-01-16 04:48:00
In a case in which a former employee of Mitsubishi UFJ Bank's Nerima branch was arrested by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department for stealing gold bars worth 260 million yen that were stored in a safe deposit box belonging to two of the branch's customers, it has been learned from interviews with investigators that the former employee stated during questioning that his reason for stealing the gold bars was "I had been transferred, and my purpose was to make up for the cash I had stolen from another customer up until that point."

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South Korean President Yoon arrested: "Interrogation expected to take place again today"

2025-01-16 04:40:00
On the 15th, the Joint Investigation Headquarters arrested South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol on suspicion of masterminding a civil war, and questioned him for more than 10 hours, including breaks. The president has refused to make a statement, and South Korean media reports that he will be questioned again on the 16th.

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Shogi: 17th Meijin Koji Tanigawa becomes the third player in history to achieve 1,400 wins

2025-01-16 01:29:00
The 17th Shogi Meijin, Koji Tanigawa, won a match on the 15th, becoming just the third person in history to achieve 1,400 career wins.

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