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

Main news(2025/01/29)


Kyoto   Hakone

Tokyo government, labor and management hold three-way discussion to achieve wage hike

2025-01-29 22:21:00
In order to achieve wage increases, a tripartite meeting was held between the Tokyo Metropolitan government, labor and management, and opinions were expressed that support is needed for improving productivity and negotiating price increases.

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An increase in "influenza encephalopathy" among children is predicted [Details on precautions]

2025-01-29 22:08:00
As the influenza epidemic continues, the Japan Pediatric Society has published a notice outlining precautions to take if infected, stating that as the number of patients increases, an increase in "influenza encephalopathy" among children is predicted. (The latter half of the article summarizes experts' opinions on influenza prevention and precautions to take if children are infected.)

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Dismembered body of man found in mountains of Higashiosaka city, police investigating

2025-01-29 21:54:00
According to police, on January 25th, the body of a man with his head, limbs, etc. severed was found in the mountains of Higashiosaka City, Osaka. The autopsy revealed that he was in his 40s or 50s, around 135 to 45 cm tall, and is believed to have died in late December 2024. Police believe the man was involved in an incident and are investigating the case on suspicion of abandoning a body.

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Former Ambassador to Japan Kennedy: Cousin's nominee for HHS secretary is "unqualified"

2025-01-29 21:17:00
On the 28th, Caroline Kennedy, who also served as U.S. ambassador to Japan, called Robert Kennedy Jr., President Trump's nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, "unqualified," and urged the Senate to reject the nomination.

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Javelin thrower Kitaguchi Haruka receives Japan Professional Sports Award

2025-01-29 21:14:00
Kitaguchi Haruka, who won the gold medal in the women's javelin throw at last year's Paris Olympics, has been selected as the recipient of the Japan Professional Sports Award, which is given to the most outstanding professional athletes and organizations this year.

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Israel's Secretary-General urges not to enforce 'UNRWA ban law'

2025-01-29 21:01:00
Regarding the Israeli law banning the activities of UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East), which continues to provide assistance in the Gaza Strip and other areas, the head of UNRWA said, "This will make life even worse for Palestinians," and strongly urged that the law not be enforced.

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Ukraine and Russia both launch drone attacks, oil refinery catches fire

2025-01-29 20:21:00
As Russia continues its military invasion of Ukraine, a Ukrainian drone attack occurred in western Russia, causing damage such as a fire at an oil refinery. Meanwhile, a Russian drone attack was also carried out in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and damage from attacks from both sides continues.

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Snow caused dozens of trucks and other vehicles to be temporarily stranded on a national highway in Oyabe, Toyama

2025-01-29 20:00:00
On the afternoon of the 29th, large trucks and other vehicles were unable to move due to snow on a national highway in Oyabe City, Toyama Prefecture, and more than a dozen vehicles were temporarily stranded. The traffic cleared in about an hour, but a 10-kilometer stretch of the road was closed for four hours.

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Government takes unusual action against UN committee recommending revision of Imperial House Law

2025-01-29 19:28:00
Last year, a United Nations committee aiming to eliminate discrimination against women recommended that the Japanese government revise the Imperial House Law, which currently stipulates that the Imperial Throne be succeeded by males in the male line. In response, the government took the unusual step of requesting that Japanese contributions not be used for the committee's activities, arguing that this does not constitute discrimination against women.

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Work begins on driving piles into soft ground for relocation of U.S. military's Futenma Air Base to Henoko

2025-01-29 19:16:00
On the 29th, the government began driving piles to strengthen the ground in preparation for the relocation of the U.S. military's Futenma Air Base to Henoko, Nago City.

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JR Central's "Doctor Yellow" retires

2025-01-29 18:57:00
Among the bullet train inspection cars affectionately known as "Doctor Yellow," a car owned by JR Central was retired on the 29th. Many rail fans gathered at Tokyo Station to catch a glimpse of the car for the last time.

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Prime Minister Ishiba urges flexible use of reserve funds to support Noto "respond to maximum extent possible"

2025-01-29 18:39:00
In response to a request from Ishikawa Prefecture Governor Hasi to allow for flexible use of the 100 billion yen set aside from the reserve fund in this fiscal year's initial budget for support for the Noto Peninsula, Prime Minister Ishiba conveyed his intention to respond to the request to the greatest extent possible.

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US Secretary of Defense announces investigation into the conduct of former top military officer while in office

2025-01-29 17:47:00
US Secretary of Defense John Hegseth has announced that he will revoke the access privileges of the former US military's top uniformed officer, who has been criticized by President Trump, and will investigate his conduct while in office. US media reports that he may be demoted.

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Iwao Hakamada found not guilty and demands 200 million yen in compensation from the government

2025-01-29 16:57:00
It has been learned in an interview with his legal team that on the 29th, Iwao Hakamada, who was found not guilty in a retrial for the murder of a family of four in Shizuoka Prefecture 59 years ago, filed a claim for more than 217 million yen in compensation from the government, claiming that he was wrongfully detained for 47 years and seven months.

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Japan Exchange Group to cut CEO's compensation following TSE former employee takeover bid scandal

2025-01-29 16:18:00
Following the case in which a former Tokyo Stock Exchange employee was indicted without being placed in custody for allegedly passing on undisclosed information about a company's tender offer to his family, it has been learned that the Japan Exchange Group, which owns the TSE, has decided to reduce the compensation of CEO Hiromi Yamamichi in order to clarify management responsibility.

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Deepseek officials investigate whether OpenAI data was obtained illegally

2025-01-29 15:55:00
OpenAI, a US company developing generative AI, is investigating allegations that individuals believed to be connected to the Chinese startup DeepSeek used OpenAI's technology to illegally obtain large amounts of data, US media reported.

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Company employee arrested for threatening high school girl with "I'm a Yakuza" and committing obscene acts

2025-01-29 15:48:00
A 58-year-old company employee from Saitama City was arrested by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department for allegedly threatening a high school girl he met on social media, saying, "I'm a yakuza. I'll kill you and bury you in the mountains," and then sexually assaulting her. During questioning, he denied the charges, saying, "I didn't commit any sexual assault."

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The House of Representatives holds first meeting to reform the electoral system, confirming that it will set a direction by the end of the year

2025-01-29 15:16:00
A House of Representatives council considering fundamental reform of the electoral system held its first meeting to examine the issues and evaluation of the current electoral system consisting of single-seat districts and proportional representation, and to indicate the direction of reform by the end of the year.

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Fukushima: One week after fatal accident involving cram school student, at least three cars reported to have run red lights

2025-01-29 14:43:00
On the 29th, it has been one week since the accident on the 22nd of this month, in which a 19-year-old prep school student was killed by a drunk driver on a pedestrian crossing while taking a university entrance exam in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture. According to investigators, the car is suspected of ignoring at least three traffic lights just before the accident, and on the 29th, the police closed the road near the scene and are investigating the circumstances at the time in detail.

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Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare proposes to abolish the company size requirement for joining the Employees' Pension Insurance in October 2035

2025-01-29 14:38:00
Regarding the timing of abolishing the company size requirement for part-time workers to join the Employees' Pension Insurance, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has revised its initial proposal of October 2029, taking into consideration the increased burden on companies, and has presented the Liberal Democratic Party with a proposal to move the date to October 2035, 10 years from now.

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Sony Group Announces President Hiroki Toki as New CEO

2025-01-29 14:35:00
Sony Group announced that President Hiroki Toki will become the new CEO effective April 1st. Chairman Kenichiro Yoshida, who had been CEO until now, will continue to serve as chairman with representative authority even after his retirement.

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President Trump signs executive order restricting gender reassignment treatment for those under 19

2025-01-29 14:08:00
On the 28th, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order restricting gender reassignment treatment and surgery for people under the age of 19.

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New fiscal year budget proposal: LDP requests to begin deliberations on the 30th, but CDP refuses

2025-01-29 13:58:00
The Diet Affairs Committee chairmen of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan met to discuss the schedule for deliberation on the new fiscal year's budget bill, with the LDP repeatedly calling for substantive deliberation on the budget bill to begin on the 30th, but the Constitutional Democratic Party said this was unacceptable, and no compromise was reached.

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US Trump administration issues notice to suspend subsidies, etc., causing confusion

2025-01-29 13:31:00
The Trump administration in the United States has notified government agencies to temporarily suspend financial assistance programs such as subsidies in order to verify whether the use of government subsidies and other funds is in line with the president's policies. In response, aid groups and others have expressed concerns about the impact, causing confusion.

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NBA Rui Hachimura returns after 3 games from injury, scores 13 points but the team loses

2025-01-29 13:10:00
Rui Hachimura of the NBA (American professional basketball) Lakers returned to the starting lineup for the first time since injury in a game against the 76ers on the 28th, scoring 13 points, but the team lost, ending their winning streak at four.

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Three people re-arrested in fake suicide at railroad crossing case on suspicion of indecent assault

2025-01-29 12:53:00
In a case where the president of a painting company and four others were arrested for murdering a male co-worker at a railroad crossing in Itabashi Ward, Tokyo, two years ago and making it look like a suicide, the Metropolitan Police Department has rearrested three of them for forcibly performing indecent acts on the man. This is the third arrest, and the Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the case, believing that they had repeatedly assaulted and harassed the man over a long period of time.

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Fuji TV's focus shifts to how to proceed with selection of new management

2025-01-29 12:36:00
In response to a series of issues surrounding Nakai Masahiro's troubles with women, Fuji Television and its parent company are considering reviewing their management structure. However, outside directors have called for changes to the way personnel decisions are made, such as to reflect the perspectives of multiple directors, so the focus is on how to go about selecting a new management team.

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Three people arrested for "alibi company" forgery of insurance cards to rent rooms for illegal store

2025-01-29 12:27:00
Three suspects were arrested on suspicion of fraud for cooperating with an illegal adult entertainment establishment in an apartment in Tokyo and forging the insurance cards of female employees, which were necessary for the establishment to rent rooms. The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the case, believing that they repeatedly forged insurance cards while posing as an "alibi company."

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Prime Minister Ishiba: Free high school tuition: Need to consider securing stable funding

2025-01-29 12:07:00
In the Diet, a representative question session was held in response to Prime Minister Ishiba's policy speech at the House of Councillors plenary session. The Japan Restoration Party called for the realization of free high school tuition fees without income restrictions, while Prime Minister Ishiba expressed the view that it is necessary to consider securing stable financial resources, etc.

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Last year, 527 students committed suicide, the highest number ever

2025-01-29 12:00:00
While the overall number of people who committed suicide last year was 20,268, the lowest level ever recorded, the number of children and students who committed suicide reached 527, the highest number ever.

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Heavy snow expected in Nagano and northern Kanto tomorrow. Be careful of snow accumulation and frozen roads.

2025-01-29 11:56:00
Due to the influence of winter pressure patterns and cold air above, heavy snow is expected to fall in Nagano Prefecture and northern Kanto from the evening of the 29th to the 30th. The Japan Meteorological Agency is calling for caution regarding the impact of snow accumulation and frozen roads on traffic.

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Fukuoka High Court rules to revoke cuts to welfare benefits

2025-01-29 11:54:00
The Fukuoka High Court handed down a ruling to overturn the gradual reduction in welfare benefits that began in 2013 in a lawsuit filed by recipients in Fukuoka Prefecture against the national and local governments. According to the plaintiffs' legal team, this is the second ruling in a similar class action lawsuit to overturn a reduction in benefits.

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What happened at the Bank of Japan's 2014 "Halloween Easing" meeting? Minutes released

2025-01-29 11:42:00
The Bank of Japan has released the minutes of its monetary policy meeting held in the second half of 2014, about 10 years ago. At the end of October, the bank took additional monetary easing measures in an attempt to escape deflation, surprising financial markets as the "Halloween easing." However, the decision was made at the last minute, with those in favor slightly outnumbering those opposed, and the minutes reveal that many people expressed concern about side effects.

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US changes position to support enforcement of UNRWA ban law following Trump's inauguration

2025-01-29 10:52:00
Before Israel could enact a law banning UN agencies responsible for supporting Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip and elsewhere, the UN Security Council met, and following the inauguration of President Trump, the US reversed its previous stance and indicated its support for the enactment of the law, making its pro-Israel stance even clearer.

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The United Nations announces that the US will formally withdraw from the Paris Agreement in January next year

2025-01-29 10:31:00
The United Nations has announced that it has received notice from the Trump administration that the United States will once again withdraw from the Paris Agreement, an international framework for combating global warming, and that the formal withdrawal will take place one year from now, in January of next year.

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Google Maps app: Gulf of Mexico is now called "Gulf of America" ​​in the US

2025-01-29 10:29:00
Following the US government's announcement that it would change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America," IT giant Google revealed that its map app would display the name as "Gulf of America" ​​when used in the US, but would display the name as "Gulf of Mexico" when used in Mexico.

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Putin suggests appointing ceasefire negotiator with Ukraine

2025-01-29 09:29:00
Russian President Putin has argued that if ceasefire talks are held regarding the military invasion of Ukraine, President Zelensky, whose term has already expired, does not have the authority to negotiate with him, but has also indicated that Russia is willing to appoint a negotiator if he is willing to participate in the talks.

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[Earthquake Alert] Earthquake of magnitude 3 hits Noto region, Ishikawa

2025-01-29 09:03:00
An earthquake occurred at around 8:58 a.m. on the 29th. Currently, the following areas are experiencing seismic intensity levels of 3 or higher. ▼Seismic intensity level 3 in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture. There is no need to worry about a tsunami caused by this earthquake. The epicenter was in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture, the depth of the epicenter was 10 kilometers, and the magnitude of the earthquake, which indicates the scale of the earthquake, is estimated to be 3.6.

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Italian Prime Minister Meloni under investigation by prosecutors over extradition of wanted criminal

2025-01-29 08:42:00
The Italian government detained Libyan government officials who had arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on suspicion of war crimes and other crimes, and then deported them to Libya without handing them over to the ICC. As a result, Prime Minister Meloni and others are now the subject of an investigation by Italian prosecutors for aiding and abetting a crime.

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Trump administration considers tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China starting February 1

2025-01-29 07:49:00
The White House has said President Trump is still considering February 1 as the date for imposing tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China.

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French President Macron announces plans for major renovation of Louvre

2025-01-29 07:27:00
President Macron has announced plans for a major renovation of France's Louvre museum to ease congestion, including new entrances and a dedicated exhibition space for the famous painting "Mona Lisa."

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Osaka Higashinari house fire: 2 dead, 1 unconscious and in critical condition

2025-01-29 06:54:00
In the early hours of the 29th, a fire broke out at a house in Higashinari Ward, Osaka, leaving two people dead and one in critical condition and unconscious, according to firefighters.

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Sumo wrestler Toyonoryu to be promoted to the 74th Yokozuna today

2025-01-29 06:35:00
Ozeki Toyonoryu, who won the first tournament of the sumo season, will be promoted to the 74th Yokozuna on the 29th.

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Fuji TV's management review is being called into question - can it lead to regaining trust?

2025-01-29 06:23:00
In response to the series of problems surrounding Nakai Masahiro's troubles with women, Fuji Television's president and chairman resigned on the 27th, and the vice-chairman indicated on the 28th that he would also step down after the third-party committee's investigation was completed. The seven outside directors of the parent company have indicated that they will be actively involved in selecting new management, so the question now is whether they can review the management structure and restore trust.

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Saitama Yashio road collapse, truck falls and rescue operations continue

2025-01-29 05:43:00
Rescue operations are still ongoing more than 20 hours after a truck fell into a hole created by a road collapse in Yashio City, Saitama Prefecture on the 28th. According to the police, the area of ​​the collapse has expanded somewhat, and there is a risk of damaging gas pipes, so the police are calling on residents in the surrounding area to evacuate.

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The new fiscal year budget proposal is in the House of Representatives Budget Committee as negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties continue

2025-01-29 05:31:00
The ruling party wants to begin substantive deliberations on the new fiscal year budget in the House of Representatives Budget Committee from the 30th. The opposition party is calling for the committee to vote on inviting the accounting officer of the former Abe faction of the Liberal Democratic Party as a reference person prior to the deliberations, and coordination between the ruling and opposition parties is expected.

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"Kyoto Animation" arson and murder: appeal withdrawn, death sentence finalized, lawyer's response in focus

2025-01-29 04:57:00
Aoba Shinji, who was sentenced to death in the first instance for setting fire to the Kyoto Animation studio and killing 36 employees, withdrew his appeal on January 27th, and his death sentence was finalized. There have been cases in the past where the validity of a defendant's withdrawal of an appeal against a death sentence has been contested, so the focus will be on how his lawyers will respond in the future.

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