2025-02-14 22:56:00
The 33rd season of the J1 soccer league kicked off on the evening of the 14th. The opening match was between Gamba Osaka and Cerezo Osaka, with Cerezo winning 5-2 with a goal from former Japan national team player Shinji Kagawa.
2025-02-14 22:51:00
On the evening of the 14th, a first grade elementary school girl was hit by a car at an intersection in Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture, and is in critical condition and unconscious. Police arrested the 55-year-old man who was driving the car on the spot and are currently investigating the details of the accident.
2025-02-14 22:04:00
It has been revealed that a 16-year-old Japanese boy who is believed to have been involved in fraud at the base of a specialized fraud group in Myanmar has been taken into custody by police in neighboring Thailand. Last month, a 17-year-old Japanese high school student who is believed to have been working at a crime base in Myanmar was also taken into custody in Thailand, and authorities are currently investigating the details.
2025-02-14 22:03:00
Ikeda Mukai, who won the silver medal in the men's 20km race walk at the Tokyo Olympics, was found guilty of doping and was suspended for four years. Ikeda commented, "I am completely unhappy with this. As soon as I receive the details of the ruling, I will consider appropriate action."
2025-02-14 21:28:00
It has been discovered that Yongming, a male giant panda who fathered 16 cubs at a theme park in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, and gained popularity as a "super dad," died last month at the facility in China where he was returned.
2025-02-14 20:04:00
The Kagoshima Prefectural Police Headquarters announced that the head of the 2nd Investigation Division, which handles fraud cases, was referred to the prosecutor's office on the 14th on suspicion of sexually assaulting a female acquaintance. The Kagoshima Prefectural Police have commented that they "deeply apologize" for this latest scandal as they work to prevent recurrences following a series of scandals.
2025-02-14 20:03:00
Nippon Television conducted interviews and surveys regarding "inappropriate dinners involving sexual contact," mainly at production sites, and announced that no such inappropriate dinners had occurred.
2025-02-14 19:58:00
The Policy Research Council chairmen of the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito Party and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan met to discuss the new fiscal year budget proposal, and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan explained the contents of the revised budget of 3.8 trillion yen announced on the 14th and requested that it be reflected in the budget proposal. The ruling party indicated that they would take the proposal back and consider it, and decided to hold another meeting next week.
2025-02-14 19:14:00
On the morning of the 14th, Monbetsu City in Hokkaido announced that this was the "first day of drift ice coming ashore," as drift ice had come ashore and made it impossible for normal ships to navigate.
2025-02-14 19:11:00
Starting around Tuesday the 18th of next week, the winter pressure pattern will strengthen, and strong cold air will again flow into the upper atmosphere, causing rough weather and heavy snowfall mainly on the Sea of Japan side from northern Japan to western Japan. There is a risk that the effects will be prolonged, so please pay close attention to the latest weather information.
2025-02-14 18:34:00
Regarding U.S. President Trump's successive announcements of the introduction of tariffs, Takeshi Niinami, president of Suntory Holdings, which operates in the United States and other parts of the world, said, "If tariffs remain in place, we will have no choice but to raise prices," indicating that the company would consider raising prices of its products if costs increase due to tariffs.
2025-02-14 18:29:00
Regarding the plan to raise the upper limit of the "High-Cost Medical Care System," which aims to reduce the out-of-pocket expenses of patients with high medical expenses, Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Fukuoka met with cancer patient groups that are opposed to the plan and conveyed that the initial policy would be revised to keep the burden on patients who will continue treatment for the long term unchanged.
2025-02-14 18:12:00
NHK's new fiscal year budget and business plan were submitted to the Diet on the 14th, along with the opinion of Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Murakami.
2025-02-14 18:04:00
On the 14th, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on social media that the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in northern Ukraine had been attacked by a Russian drone, damaging part of the shelter set up to prevent the spread of radioactive material.
2025-02-14 17:07:00
In January, a large-scale road collapse occurred in Yashio City, Saitama Prefecture, which was believed to be caused by an underground sewer pipe. We spoke to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and experts about the deterioration of infrastructure such as sewer pipes and countermeasures.
2025-02-14 16:57:00
The Ministry of the Environment's expert committee has approved a plan to release the Japanese crested ibis, a national special natural monument, in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture for the first time in Honshu around June next year as part of an effort to return the birds to the wild. There are also voices in the local area hoping that the birds will become a symbol of recovery from the Noto Peninsula earthquake, and the specific location for the birds to be released in the Noto region will be decided by around July this year.
2025-02-14 16:52:00
To coincide with Valentine's Day today, February 14th, an event was held at an Aizu Railway station in Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, where Sakura, the cat who serves as the honorary stationmaster, welcomed passengers and presented them with chocolates.
2025-02-14 16:42:00
On the morning of the 14th, a fire broke out at a hotel under construction in Busan, southeastern South Korea, killing six people working inside the building and injuring 25.
2025-02-14 15:52:00
On the 14th, the government decided at a cabinet meeting to change guidelines that will allow the state to temporarily acquire companies' factories and equipment in the event of an emergency, in order to ensure a stable supply of certain important materials such as semiconductors that are essential to people's lives.
2025-02-14 15:46:00
Princess Aiko, the eldest daughter of the Emperor and Empress, served as a guide for the first time at an event to entertain a diplomatic corps held at the Imperial Household Agency's Duck Hunt on the 14th.
2025-02-14 15:44:00
The so-called "middle-aged senior" people in their 50s who work at companies will soon be faced with the retirement age. What kind of system will it be, and what will happen when it comes? A reporter covering the labor sector explains. (Reporter Ryota Miyazaki, Social Affairs Department)
2025-02-14 15:43:00
As the implementation of adding readings to names on family registers begins in May this year, the Ministry of Justice has compiled guidelines to determine whether readings will be accepted when filing birth notifications, etc. Readings that have no relevance at all, such as "Taro" being changed to "Michael" or "Ken" being changed to "Kensama," will not be accepted due to concerns that they may cause confusion in society.
2025-02-14 15:31:00
The Central Council for Education's working group, which is considering the use of digital textbooks in elementary, junior high and high schools, has put together an interim proposal stating that it would be appropriate to position digital textbooks as "official textbooks" in the same way as paper textbooks. The second half of this article summarizes the status of consideration and issues surrounding the introduction of digital textbooks.
2025-02-14 14:46:00
Regarding the future of the nation and local areas in the event of a declining population, Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Murakami remarked on the 13th that "to put it in extreme terms, we won't even need prefectural offices," in response to which he said at the House of Representatives Budget Committee, "This is a long-term issue, and if we don't start thinking about it now in order to ensure the survival of the next generation, it will be too late."
2025-02-14 13:52:00
US President Donald Trump met with Indian Prime Minister Modi and agreed to begin talks to reduce the US trade deficit with India.
2025-02-14 13:31:00
Policy directors from the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito Party and the Japan Restoration Party met to discuss free high school tuition, with the ruling party conveying its intention to lift income restrictions on financial support for private high schools from April next year. They also agreed to hold further discussions early next week on the issue, including how to handle the upper limit of the financial support.
2025-02-14 13:16:00
The My Number Card can be used for identity verification and insurance purposes. It is said that 80% of the population currently has one, but from 2025 some people will need to renew their card. Also, starting this spring, some new government services using the card will begin. We have summarized the current situation and points to note regarding the My Number Card.
2025-02-14 13:08:00
A 21-year-old office worker from Yokohama was arrested for hitting a man with a crowbar on the street in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, and trying to take him away in a car. It is believed that he applied for an illegal part-time job and attacked a man he did not know, and the Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating the details of the incident.
2025-02-14 12:47:00
Regarding the plan to raise the upper limit of the "High-Cost Medical Care System," which aims to reduce the out-of-pocket expenses for patients with high medical expenses, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is considering keeping the burden on patients who will continue treatment for the long term unchanged, in response to calls from cancer patients for a review.
2025-02-14 12:44:00
At a cabinet meeting on the 14th, the government decided to invite Brazilian President Lula to Japan as a state guest in March. This will be the first time in six years that a foreign dignitary has been invited as a state guest.
2025-02-14 12:14:00
Regarding the new fiscal year's budget proposal, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan has put together a revised bill worth 3.8 trillion yen, which would free up funds from reserves and funds and redirect them to the party's goals of making school lunches free and lowering gasoline prices.
2025-02-14 12:07:00
Police have begun questioning the former director and doctor of a hospital in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, on suspicion of trying to cover up a murder that occurred there two years ago by creating a medical certificate stating that the patient died of pneumonia, according to an investigation. They plan to arrest them on suspicion of harboring a criminal.
2025-02-14 11:54:00
US President Trump has expressed the view that Russia should be reinstated into the G7, or group of seven major nations, and returned to the G8.
2025-02-14 11:47:00
Regarding the results of emergency inspections of sewer pipes nationwide following the road collapse in Yashio City, Saitama Prefecture, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced that corrosion and other issues were confirmed in sewer pipes in three locations in Saitama Prefecture.
2025-02-14 11:19:00
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the issuance of the My Number Card, and some people are beginning to need to renew their cards. Local governments that handle the procedures are expecting congestion in the future, so they are rushing to take measures such as increasing the number of staff.
2025-02-14 11:13:00
On the 13th, US President Trump expressed his willingness to soon hold US-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine involving senior officials from both governments in an effort to reach a ceasefire.
2025-02-14 11:12:00
The first match of the playoffs for the Europa League final tournament was held on the 13th, and Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo scored a goal, contributing to his team's victory.
2025-02-14 11:01:00
In an interview with NHK, Steven Pifer, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said of the Trump administration's stance on supporting Ukraine, "The previous administration provided a great deal of military aid, but that is not the case with the Trump administration at this point," pointing out that the new administration is more reluctant to provide support than the previous Biden administration.
2025-02-14 10:27:00
At the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, dismantling of some of the tanks that became empty following the release of treated water began on the 14th. This is the first time that a storage tank for treated water has been dismantled in about a year and a half since the release began.
2025-02-14 10:14:00
Regarding China's expanding military power, U.S. Secretary of Defense Hegseth said, "The United States alone cannot deter China," and expressed his intention to strengthen cooperation with allies in the Indo-Pacific region, such as Japan.
2025-02-14 10:13:00
Regarding Nippon Steel's plan to acquire U.S. Steel, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters, "I didn't want them to do business with Japan or any other country," and emphasized his belief that tariffs would protect the U.S. domestic steel industry.
2025-02-14 08:55:00
Following U.S. President Donald Trump's order to suspend foreign aid, unexploded ordnance disposal operations have been forced to halt in countries such as Vietnam and Laos, where large numbers of bombs were dropped by U.S. forces during the Vietnam War, raising concerns.
2025-02-14 08:24:00
The U.S. Senate has approved Robert Kennedy Jr., who was nominated by President Trump as Secretary of Health and Human Services, responsible for policies related to public health. Kennedy was known as a "vaccine skeptic" because he had repeatedly questioned vaccines, but at his confirmation hearing in January he emphasized that he was not opposed to vaccines.
2025-02-14 06:53:00
It has been revealed that a Japanese high school student was abducted from Thailand to Myanmar and forced to work at the base of a specialized fraud group. Thai police have arrested a 29-year-old Japanese man on suspicion of being involved in the abduction of the high school student.
2025-02-14 06:51:00
US President Trump signed a document instructing the heads of each ministry and agency to consider introducing a measure called "reciprocal tariffs." If a trading partner imposes high tariffs, tariffs on imports from that country will be raised to the same level. The scope of the investigation into the introduction of this measure includes all trading partners, including Japan and the EU.
2025-02-14 06:04:00
On the 14th, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will officially announce the release of 210,000 tons of government rice stockpiles. Initially, the government was cautious about the release, but this will be the first release with the aim of promoting the distribution of rice, whose prices have continued to soar, and the focus will be on whether it will lead to price stabilization.
2025-02-14 05:57:00
Two years ago, a murder occurred at a hospital in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, and the hospital is suspected of trying to cover up the incident by creating a medical certificate stating that the patient died of pneumonia, according to an interview with a person involved in the investigation. The police are soon planning to file charges against hospital staff for concealing the perpetrator, according to an interview with a person involved in the investigation.
2025-02-14 05:20:00
Honda and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. terminated talks on a business integration on the 13th. Both companies will be forced to review their strategies, but Nissan in particular is expected to post a final deficit of 80 billion yen in its fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, and the focus is on whether it can come up with a more thorough business restructuring plan.
