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

Main news(2025/01/31)


Kyoto   Hakone

Suicides among children and students hit record high - Minister of Children Mihara calls for "united government response"

2025-01-31 22:25:00
In response to the fact that the number of children and students who committed suicide last year reached a record high, Minister of State for Children's Policy, Mihara, called the situation extremely worrying and called on the relevant ministries and agencies to swiftly implement all possible measures, while emphasizing his intention to take the lead in tackling the issue as a united government.

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AEON Chairman Okada and others face pay cuts due to inadequate anti-money laundering measures at affiliated banks

2025-01-31 22:20:00
AEON, a major retail chain, has announced disciplinary measures, including reducing the compensation of four executives, including Chairman Motoya Okada, citing problems with the group's governance structure, following a business improvement order from the Financial Services Agency for its subsidiary AEON Bank being found to have inadequate anti-money laundering measures.

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Petition submitted to Minister of Justice Suzuki regarding review of application criteria for dangerous driving resulting in death or injury

2025-01-31 20:52:00
In connection with the review of the requirements for applying the crime of dangerous driving resulting in death or injury, groups calling for stronger penalties for drunk driving met with Justice Minister Suzuki to request that he consider amending the law so that egregious cases are not overlooked.

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Major banks raise fixed mortgage interest rates one after another, variable interest rates also a possibility

2025-01-31 20:33:00
Major banks have announced the fixed interest rates for home loans that will be applied in February, and interest rates have been raised one after another. Variable interest rates may also be raised in the future, following the Bank of Japan's decision last week to further raise interest rates.

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Government to add 21 items, including cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing equipment, to export control list

2025-01-31 20:08:00
In an effort to prevent Japan's cutting-edge technology from being used for military purposes, the government has decided to add 21 items related to advanced semiconductors and quantum computers to the list of items subject to "export controls," which will require prior application for permission from the government if they are to be exported.

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Hosei University female student re-arrested for hitting eight people with a hammer

2025-01-31 18:58:00
On the 10th of this month, a female university student was arrested for hitting other students one after another with a hammer on the campus of Hosei University in Machida, Tokyo. It was discovered that on the same day, the student had searched on her computer for things like "What happens if you hit someone in the head?" The Metropolitan Police Department re-arrested the student on the 31st and is continuing to investigate the circumstances of the incident.

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Speaker of the House of Representatives Nukaga: "I want to reach a certain conclusion during this Diet session" regarding Imperial succession

2025-01-31 18:55:00
The Speaker and Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Speaker of the House of Councillors, as well as representatives of each political party, met to discuss how to ensure a stable Imperial succession, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nukaga, expressed his intention to reach a certain conclusion during the current Diet session.

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Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to review government rice stockpiles to allow temporary release on market

2025-01-31 18:29:00
As rice prices continue to soar, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has decided to review how the government's stockpiled rice is managed so that it can be temporarily released into the market if it determines that distribution of rice is slowing. It has not yet been decided whether the government will actually release the rice, but attention is focused on whether this review will lead to the stabilization of rice prices.

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LDP submits bill to amend Political Funds Control Law to make corporate and group donations more transparent

2025-01-31 18:22:00
In order to increase transparency in corporate and organizational donations, the Liberal Democratic Party has submitted a bill to the House of Representatives that includes provisions requiring each political party to disclose the total amount of donations and the names of companies and organizations that have made large donations.

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[Live broadcast] Multiple accident on Chuo Expressway in Mitaka, Tokyo, 12 injured and transported to hospital

2025-01-31 18:15:00
According to a call received by the Metropolitan Police Department, a report was received of a "car chain-reaction accident" that occurred around 4:30pm on the 31st on the northbound lanes of the Chuo Expressway in Mitaka City, Tokyo. The accident involved a total of four vehicles, three trucks and one car, and 12 people were injured and taken to hospital. All injuries were minor. The incident occurred on the northbound lanes of the Chuo Expressway between Chofu Interchange and Takaido Interchange, and traffic was reportedly congested at the time. *The original article stated that the incident occurred in "Suginami Ward," but subsequent confirmation revealed that it was in "Mitaka City."

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Professional baseball training camps start tomorrow - 12 teams' activities [details]

2025-01-31 16:27:00
All 12 professional baseball teams will begin their training camps on February 1st. We will provide a summary of the activities of each team in the run-up to their training camps.

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Former Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Suematsu and Takahashi, both from the former Abe faction, attend the House of Councillors Ethics Committee

2025-01-31 15:38:00
Regarding the issue surrounding the political fundraising parties held by a faction of the Liberal Democratic Party, former Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Suematsu, who appeared before the House of Councillors Political Ethics Committee, explained that he had questioned prominent members of the faction about the circumstances under which refunds for sales that exceeded quotas had been resumed, but had not received a clear answer.

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Prime Minister Ishiba and President Trump to hold first Japan-U.S. summit meeting on February 7

2025-01-31 15:17:00
The first Japan-U.S. summit meeting between Prime Minister Ishiba and U.S. President Trump is expected to take place in Washington on February 7th local time. Prime Minister Ishiba hopes to build a relationship of trust through the meeting and further strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance.

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Kyoani arson and murder convict Aoba withdraws appeal, lawyer requests invalidation

2025-01-31 15:12:00
It has been learned that Shinji Aoba, a death row inmate who was sentenced to death in the first trial for the arson and murder at Kyoto Animation, has withdrawn his appeal and his death sentence has been finalized, but his lawyer has filed a petition with the Osaka High Court arguing that the withdrawal is invalid. In the past, there have been cases where withdrawals were deemed invalid and trials were resumed, so the court's decision will be the focus of attention.

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January wholesale egg prices remain high, rising to 305 yen per kilogram for medium-sized eggs as of the 31st

2025-01-31 14:02:00
The wholesale price of eggs traded in the Tokyo area in January this year was the second highest for the month since 2020. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries says the main reason is the successive outbreaks of avian influenza at large farms since the beginning of January.

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Lakers' Rui Hachimura scores 22 points, including four three-pointers, against the Wizards

2025-01-31 13:46:00
Rui Hachimura of the NBA (American professional basketball) Lakers scored 22 points, including four three-point shots, in a game against the Wizards held in Washington, the opposing team's home stadium, on the 30th, contributing to his team's victory.

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Canadian suspect arrested for smuggling stimulants worth 21.1 billion yen hidden in machines

2025-01-31 13:07:00
A 38-year-old Canadian suspect was arrested for smuggling stimulants weighing over 320 kilograms, worth 21.1 billion yen at street value, by hiding them in a machine. The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the case, suspecting that an international organization may be involved.

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Prime Minister Ishiba: "The highest number of suicides among children is a serious matter and measures need to be examined"

2025-01-31 13:05:00
Regarding the fact that the number of children and students who committed suicide last year was the highest ever, Prime Minister Ishiba said at the House of Representatives Budget Committee, "This is a serious matter. We need to examine what countermeasures were effective, and we will increase budgets and personnel for those that are effective."

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Two arrested for defrauding more than 100 million yen by posting flamboyant lifestyle stories on social media

2025-01-31 12:05:00
Two suspects who are believed to have posted pictures of luxury imported cars and stacks of cash on social media to show off their flashy lifestyles and raise money through false investment schemes have been arrested on suspicion of fraud. The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the possibility that they may have swindled a total of more than 100 million yen from people they met on social media.

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Snow is expected to fall on flat areas in southern Kanto, including Tokyo, on Sunday, the 2nd.

2025-01-31 12:00:00
The peak of the snowfall has passed in Nagano Prefecture and northern Kanto, but on Sunday, February 2nd, a low pressure system will pass along the southern coast of Honshu, which could cause snow to fall on the plains of southern Kanto. Please pay close attention to the latest weather information.

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Defense Minister Nakatani speaks with U.S. Secretary of Defense Hegseth over the phone for the first time

2025-01-31 11:36:00
Defense Minister Nakatani held his first telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of Defense Hegseth on the morning of the 31st. Although the details of the conversation have not been made public, it is believed that they confirmed the policy of strengthening the deterrent and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance even under the new Trump administration.

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US passenger plane helicopter crash: "Unusual situation in control tower"

2025-01-31 11:32:00
On the 30th, the New York Times reported about the accident in which a passenger plane carrying 64 passengers and crew collided with a military helicopter and crashed near the US capital of Washington, D.C., that at the time of the accident, an "unusual" system was in place in the airport's control tower, with one person handling tasks that should normally be performed by two people.

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Egg prices rise due to bird flu, Agriculture Minister Eto says "efforts to prevent spread of infection"

2025-01-31 11:30:00
Regarding the rise in egg prices, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Eto pointed out the impact of avian influenza and expressed his intention to make efforts to prevent the further spread of infection.

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European Football: Takefusa Kubo's Real Sociedad advances to playoffs

2025-01-31 10:58:00
The final match of the first round of the Europa League was held on the 30th, and Real Sociedad, the Spanish first division team that Takefusa Kubo plays for, finished in 13th place and will have to play in the playoffs for a place in the final tournament.

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Italian authorities launch investigation into restricting data processing by DeepSeek

2025-01-31 10:47:00
Italian authorities have announced that they have launched an investigation into Deepseek, a Chinese startup developing generative AI, and are restricting its data processing in Italy, citing insufficient disclosure of information about the collection of personal data.

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December industrial production index increased 0.3% from the previous month, the first increase in two months

2025-01-31 09:13:00
The mining and manufacturing production index for December last year, which indicates corporate production activity, was 102.1, with 2020 as the index of 100, up 0.3% from the previous month. This was the first increase in two months, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry maintained its assessment of corporate production activity as "advancing and retreating."

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Unemployment rate: 2.4% in December, 2.5% average for last year

2025-01-31 08:59:00
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the national unemployment rate last month was 2.4%, down 0.1 percentage point from the previous month. As a result, the average unemployment rate for the past year was 2.5%, down 0.1 percentage point from the year before.

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Tokyo's 23 wards' consumer price index in January up 2.5% from the same month last year

2025-01-31 08:51:00
The Consumer Price Index for Tokyo's 23 wards in January, excluding fresh food, which is subject to large fluctuations due to weather, was 2.5% higher than the same month last year in preliminary figures. The rate of increase was 0.1 percentage point higher than 2.4% in December last year, and has remained in the 2% range for three consecutive months.

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Tokyo's population last year was over 79,000 people, and the concentration of people in one area continues.

2025-01-31 08:36:00
Last year, Tokyo's population had an in-migration surplus of over 79,000 people, an increase of over 10,000 from the year before. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, which compiled the survey, stated that "the in-migration surplus among younger generations is noticeable, and the trend of concentration in Tokyo continues."

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December job availability ratio nationwide average 1.25 times, remaining at the same level for three consecutive months

2025-01-31 08:35:00
The national average job offer ratio was 1.25 in December, remaining at the same level for three consecutive months. In addition, looking at the year 2024, it was 1.25, 0.06 points lower than in 2023.

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Russian strategic bombers fly over the Sea of ​​Japan and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk in a bid to check the U.S. and Japan?

2025-01-31 06:31:00
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that Russian long-range strategic bombers flew over international waters in the Sea of ​​Japan and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, an action believed to be intended to warn Japan and the United States.

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Seven candidates for IOC Presidential election hold press conference: Watanabe to make IOC a "World Sports Organization"

2025-01-31 06:15:00
Seven candidates held a press conference in the run-up to the election for the presidency of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to be held in March this year, and Morinari Watanabe, the first Japanese to run for office, proposed changing the IOC to a "World Sports Organization" and expanding the scope of its activities.

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Nissan Motor cuts production capacity in the U.S. and plans to offer voluntary retirement

2025-01-31 06:09:00
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. plans to cut 9,000 jobs in order to turn its business around, and plans to scale back production in the United States and invite voluntary retirements. Nissan's turnaround is a prerequisite for the merger talks with Honda, and the focus is on whether the company can put together and execute concrete measures.

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Fuji Media Holdings downgrades earnings forecast, sales fall by 50.1 billion yen

2025-01-31 06:03:00
Fuji Media Holdings, the parent company of Fuji Television, announced on the 30th that it has revised down its earnings forecast for the fiscal year ending March this year in response to the ongoing trend among companies to suspend commercial broadcasts. The company has decided to set up a new committee to overhaul management and to consider revising its management structure.

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Saitama Yashio road collapse; ramp to be completed within days; full-scale search to begin

2025-01-31 06:01:00
In connection with the large road collapse in Yashio City, Saitama Prefecture, which left one man missing, construction is underway on a slope near the site, and it is expected that heavy machinery will be able to pass through within a few days, after which the fire department hopes to begin a full-scale search.

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Substantial deliberations begin on new fiscal year budget proposal; debate over measures to combat rising prices intensifies

2025-01-31 05:04:00
The Diet will begin substantive deliberations on the new fiscal year budget on the 31st. The ruling and opposition parties will begin full-scale debate over the basic policy of the Ishiba Cabinet, measures to combat rising prices, and efforts to restore trust in politics.

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