2025-02-26 22:35:00
American media reported that 21 employees of DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), an organization that considers ways to cut government spending, have resigned en masse. It is believed that they are protesting against the employee cuts being promoted by the head of the organization, businessman Elon Musk, and others.
2025-02-26 21:47:00
It has been discovered that works sold under the author name "Yoshimoto Banana" on Amazon's e-book service were removed after author Yoshimoto claimed they were not written by her. Although the service lists "Ogawa Yoko" as the author, works that she claims she did not write are also being sold, and experts have pointed out that, based on the cover art and text characteristics, they may have been created using generative AI.
2025-02-26 20:22:00
Several Western media outlets have reported that the United States and Ukraine have reached an agreement regarding the rights to mineral resources in Ukraine. The agreement does not include the security guarantees that Ukraine has requested, and the focus in the future will likely be on how the United States will be involved.
2025-02-26 20:12:00
In the case of Iwao Hakamada, for example, the length of time required for a retrial is becoming an issue, and a bipartisan group of lawmakers aiming to amend the retrial system held a general meeting and confirmed their intention to try to achieve the amendment in the current Diet session through a member's bill. Each party will now proceed with the discussion.
2025-02-26 19:45:00
Inoue Tenkai, a second-year student at a high school in Tokyo, feels that the final disposal of soil removed during decontamination outside Fukushima Prefecture by 2045 is an issue for his generation, and is working to spread the word about it to other young people in his generation.
2025-02-26 19:43:00
Intensive deliberations were held in the House of Representatives Budget Committee, where the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan repeatedly called for a complete freeze on any increase in the upper limit of the high-cost medical care system burden. In response, Prime Minister Ishiba called for understanding for the increase, stating that stable financial resources must be secured in order to maintain the system.
2025-02-26 19:40:00
The National Radiation Council has deemed the proposed standards set by the Ministry of the Environment regarding the concentration of radioactive materials when "recycling" soil generated during decontamination work following the accident at the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant "appropriate." In light of this, the Ministry of the Environment is taking necessary steps, such as revising ministerial ordinances, to fully implement "recycling" from fiscal 2025 onwards.
2025-02-26 19:12:00
Regarding the "High-Cost Medical Care System," which aims to reduce the out-of-pocket expenses of patients who have incurred high medical expenses, patient groups, including those for cancer patients, have once again called for a complete freeze on the increase in the upper limit of such expenses.
2025-02-26 19:11:00
The Consumer Affairs Agency conducted an investigation into a personal gym operator in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, on suspicion of misleading customers into thinking they could not receive discounts unless they joined by a certain deadline, and announced that it had approved a plan submitted by the company that included measures to prevent recurrence. This procedure was introduced in October last year with the aim of early correction, and this is the first time that a gym has been approved.
2025-02-26 19:01:00
In a survey conducted by an NPO that supports relocation, asking people who used its consultation service about their preferred place of relocation, Tokyo came in 14th place, making it into the top 20 rankings for the first time.
2025-02-26 18:07:00
The average price of new condominiums released nationwide last year was 60.82 million yen, exceeding 60 million yen for the first time and setting a new record high.
2025-02-26 18:02:00
The G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting has begun in South Africa. The first day focused on the global economy, with the leaders discussing the outlook and risks for the near future as US President Trump sets out new tariff policies.
2025-02-26 17:52:00
Following the decision by the Japanese government to postpone its participation as an observer in the Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, a group of atomic bomb survivors visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to protest. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveyed its intention to aim for nuclear abolition under the framework of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and asked for understanding.
2025-02-26 17:40:00
The average price of Chinese cabbage and cabbage sold at supermarkets and other stores exceeded double the average price last week and continues to be high. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries says that this is due to the lack of rain this winter, and that they will be closely monitoring the impact of future weather conditions.
2025-02-26 16:13:00
Meiji, a major food manufacturer, will end sales of bottled milk and coffee drinks at the end of March. Due to declining demand and difficulties in procuring bottles, they will switch to selling them in paper containers from April onwards.
2025-02-26 16:04:00
In response to the issue of Hyogo Prefectural Assembly members from the Japan Restoration Party providing audio recordings of closed-door meetings of the 100-Article Committee to a third party during last year's prefectural gubernatorial election, the party's prefectural organization has drawn up a proposal to impose the most severe punishment of expulsion on Kishiguchi Minoru and a recommendation to Masuyama Makoto to leave the party, according to interviews with party sources.
2025-02-26 15:49:00
On the 26th, it marked one year since last year when a first-grade elementary school student in Miyama City, Fukuoka Prefecture, choked on his school lunch and died. All elementary and junior high schools in the city held school-wide assemblies and vowed to prevent a recurrence.
2025-02-26 15:18:00
A new forest fire broke out in Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture, where forest fires have been occurring one after another, on the afternoon of the 26th. According to the police, the fire is believed to have started in a work shed and spread.
2025-02-26 14:16:00
In a lawsuit filed by residents of Joso City, Ibaraki Prefecture, who suffered extensive flooding damage when the Kinugawa River overflowed during the 2015 Kanto-Tohoku Heavy Rains, alleging that the government's river management was inappropriate, the Tokyo High Court, in its second instance, ordered the government to pay compensation, following on from the first instance.
2025-02-26 13:44:00
Amid a series of reviews of diversity initiatives (DEI) in the United States, IT giant Apple rejected a shareholder proposal at its general shareholders meeting to abolish DEI initiatives, emphasizing its continued emphasis on diversity.
2025-02-26 13:38:00
It has been learned from an interview with a related person that the Fujisankei Ladies Tournament, which was scheduled to be held in April this year and sponsored by Fuji Television and others, will be canceled. This is believed to be due to the series of problems surrounding Masahiro Nakai and women.
2025-02-26 13:02:00
A group of Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers who support the optional system of separate surnames for married couples met and confirmed that they would base their discussions on the proposal from the Legislative Council in 1996 that proposed the system's introduction, while also strengthening efforts within the party to make it a reality.
2025-02-26 12:59:00
The White House has announced that the administration will decide who will be the media representatives in President Trump's office and elsewhere. In response, the White House Press Association, which has previously decided which media outlets will be in charge, has protested, saying that this will undermine the independence of a free press.
2025-02-26 12:59:00
The American steel industry union has announced that it has filed a lawsuit against U.S. Steel, which is being planned for acquisition by Nippon Steel Corporation, alleging that it has pressured union members to suppress opposition to the plan.
2025-02-26 12:57:00
In the so-called "Osaki Case," in which a 97-year-old woman who served time in prison for murdering her brother-in-law in Osaki Town, Kagoshima Prefecture, 46 years ago in 1979, protested her innocence and sought a retrial, the Supreme Court ruled by the 26th not to grant a retrial. Meanwhile, one of the five judges expressed a dissenting opinion, stating that a retrial should be granted.
2025-02-26 12:13:00
On the 25th, a man in his 70s was found bleeding from his head in an apartment in Otsu City and confirmed dead. The police believe he was attacked by someone due to multiple wounds on his head and face, and have begun an investigation into the case as a murder. His wife, also in her 70s, also had multiple wounds on her head and is unconscious and in critical condition.
2025-02-26 12:10:00
Regarding the review of the "1.03 million yen annual income barrier," senior officials of the Tax System Research Council of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito Party met and confirmed that they would present a proposal to further expand the range of annual income to which the income tax exemption is added, as the ruling party, to the Democratic Party for the People at a tax consultation on the afternoon of the 26th, and would seek understanding from the Democratic Party for the People, as this is a bare-bones proposal given financial resources.
2025-02-26 12:01:00
South Korea's Statistics Bureau said the birth rate, an indicator of the number of children one woman will have, was 0.75 last year, up slightly from a record low the previous year but still one of the lowest in the world.
2025-02-26 11:52:00
Intensive deliberations were held in the House of Representatives Budget Committee in the Diet, and Prime Minister Ishiba reiterated the significance of the free high school tuition agreement reached between the ruling parties and the Japan Restoration Party in eliminating educational disparities based on income. He also stated his intention to tackle various issues in order to improve the quality of education itself, including at public schools.
2025-02-26 11:32:00
U.S. President Trump has announced that he will begin selling a "Trump Gold Card" to wealthy foreigners, which will allow them to obtain permanent residency by paying approximately $5 million, or more than 740 million yen in Japanese yen.
2025-02-26 11:25:00
The average price of rice at supermarkets nationwide, as compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, was 3,892 yen per 5 kg for the week ending on the 16th of this month, up 62 yen from the previous week. The price of rice at stores has continued to rise this month, and is up by more than 90% compared to a year ago.
2025-02-26 10:34:00
In the Scottish Premier League on the 25th, Celtic's Daizen Maeda scored two goals in a match against Aberdeen, bringing his total number of goals scored in official matches this season to 25.
2025-02-26 10:14:00
Regarding the schedule for deliberation on the new fiscal year budget bill, at the House of Representatives Budget Committee board meeting on the morning of the 26th, the ruling and opposition parties agreed to invite Prime Minister Ishiba and relevant cabinet ministers to the afternoon of the 28th to hold intensive discussions on topics such as political funding issues.
2025-02-26 07:14:00
On the 25th, in response to a question from reporters, US President Trump stated, "I've heard that Ukrainian President Zelensky is coming on Friday. If President Zelensky wants to sign an agreement with me, I'm fine with that." Several major Western media outlets have reported that the US and Ukraine have agreed to talks on the rights to rare earths and other mineral resources in Ukraine, which US President Trump is seeking in return for his support in the Ukraine situation. If an agreement is reached on the rights to mineral resources, attention is focused on whether it will improve the strained relationship between the two leaders and lead to an end to the fighting in Ukraine.
2025-02-26 06:58:00
A fire broke out in a mountain forest straddling the cities of Rikuzentakata and Ofunato in Iwate Prefecture on the 25th. Firefighting efforts by firefighters and others have weakened the flames, but the fire has not been extinguished. The two cities continue to issue evacuation orders to approximately 550 residents in the surrounding area and urge them to remain vigilant.
2025-02-26 06:57:00
Pitcher Roki Sasaki, who is in his first year of training camp with the Dodgers in the major leagues, faced batters from other teams in a real game for the first time, and showed his strengths by striking out batters with his signature splitter. However, he allowed the leadoff batter to hit a ball over the fence and he was unable to control his curveballs, leaving him with some issues to work on before the opening series, where he will be named as a starting pitcher.
2025-02-26 06:54:00
Cleveland-Cliffs CEO David Goncalves, who lost out to Nippon Steel in a bid to acquire U.S. Steel, said, "It's time for Nippon Steel to pack up and leave before this becomes a serious diplomatic issue," and called for the plan to be abandoned.
2025-02-26 04:46:00
The G20, or the meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors of the 20 major countries, will begin in South Africa on the evening of the 26th, Japan time. With US President Trump announcing new tariff policies and hinting at withdrawal from international tax rules, the focus is on whether the G20 can demonstrate a cooperative stance toward the growth of the global economy.
2025-02-26 02:01:00
Regarding the adoption of a US resolution at the UN Security Council on the situation in Ukraine that avoided critical language against Russia, a spokesman for the Russian presidential office welcomed it, saying that "the US is taking a more balanced position."
