Main news(2025/02/27)
Ruling party considers revising new fiscal year budget proposal to reduce it by about 340 billion yen from government proposal
2025-02-27 22:03:00
It has been learned that the ruling party is considering revising the new fiscal year budget proposal to bring the total amount of the general account to about 115.2 trillion yen, a reduction of about 340 billion yen from the initial government proposal. This reflects the reduction in tax revenue due to the increase in the "annual income threshold" and additional expenditure due to the free education system.
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American actor Gene Hackman dies at home with his wife at age 95
2025-02-27 21:30:00
Gene Hackman, the Academy Award-winning American actor who starred in films such as "The French Connection" and "Unforgiven," was found dead at his home alongside his wife. He was 95 years old.
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High court not to recommend prosecutors disclose evidence list in Iizuka case retrial
2025-02-27 21:00:00
On the 27th, the Fukuoka High Court indicated to the defense team that it would not recommend that the prosecution disclose a list of evidence that the defense team is requesting to be disclosed in a retrial of the so-called "Iizuka Incident," in which two elementary school girls were murdered in Iizuka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, 33 years ago.
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Myanmar special fraud base: Armed group leader: "One Japanese found"
2025-02-27 20:57:00
On the 27th, a leader of an ethnic minority armed group that controls an area in eastern Myanmar where there are bases for special fraud operations said to NHK, "A young Japanese man was found at one of the bases last night." They said they would ask him for more details about how he got to the Myanmar side.
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Hyogo: 100-Article Committee Report to Include "General Review" of "Inappropriate Reprimands"
2025-02-27 20:48:00
It has been learned from an interview with a related person that the 100-article committee investigating the whistleblower issue of Governor Saito of Hyogo Prefecture is preparing to include a "summary" of the investigation stating that "there was inappropriate reprimanding that could be called power harassment" in the report it will soon compile. The committee claims that the whistleblower incident is likely to be considered an "external whistleblowing" under the law to protect whistleblowers, and that there were problems with the prefecture's response.
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Fuji Television establishes guidelines for dining out: "Respect for human rights is the top priority"
2025-02-27 20:40:00
Fuji Television has announced that it has established guidelines for employees to follow when dining out or participating in meetings in order to reform its corporate culture and restore trust. It has stated that it will prioritize respect for human rights and take strict action if any human rights violations occur.
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Nippon Professional Baseball announces that 14 players from 7 teams use online casinos
2025-02-27 19:43:00
The Nippon Professional Baseball Organization (NPB) announced that it had requested the 12 professional baseball teams to check whether any of their players were using online casinos, and that a total of 14 players from 7 teams had reported to the NPB. After an Orix player admitted to using online casinos in the past, the NPB had requested each team to voluntarily report users.
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The LDP Tax Commission approves amendments to the bill to raise the minimum taxable income to 1.6 million yen
2025-02-27 18:51:00
The LDP Tax System Research Council has approved a plan to revise tax-related bills in order to revise the "1.03 million yen annual income barrier" and raise the minimum taxable income tax to 1.6 million yen. Policy leaders from the LDP, Komeito and Japan Restoration Party also met, where the ruling party conveyed its intention to make the revisions and asked for cooperation. In the second half of this article, we will go into more detail about "the details of the revision of the annual income barrier" and "estimated tax cuts for each annual income."
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Asahikawa, Hokkaido High school student murder defendant, 19 years old at the time, admits to charges at first hearing
2025-02-27 18:32:00
The first hearing of a defendant, then 19 years old, accused of murder and other crimes for allegedly killing a 17-year-old high school girl by pushing her off a bridge into a river in a valley in Asahikawa City, Hokkaido, in April last year was held.The defendant stated, "It's true," and admitted to the charges.
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Hisashi Hieda resigns from Fuji Media Holdings' management advisory committee
2025-02-27 18:14:00
Fuji Media Holdings, the parent company of Fuji Television, announced that Hieda Hisashi, a director and advisor who had led the group's management for many years, had resigned as a member of the Management Advisory Committee, which provides advice and recommendations on personnel matters for directors, effective the 27th.
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Yoshimoto Kogyo: Fact-finding investigation into whether multiple talents gambled at online casinos
2025-02-27 18:00:00
Regarding the issue of several talents belonging to Yoshimoto Kogyo being questioned by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department on suspicion of gambling at online casinos, Yoshimoto Kogyo apologized on its website on the 27th and revealed that it is investigating the facts, including holding hearings with external lawyers.
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Cabbage imports in January recorded a record high, 42 times higher than last year
2025-02-27 17:58:00
Due to the decline in domestic vegetable production, imports from overseas are increasing. Of these, cabbage imports in January reached a record high of 42 times that of the same month last year.
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Compensation for victims of former eugenic protection law to be flexible even without records, review committee launched
2025-02-27 17:58:00
Regarding compensation for victims who were forced to undergo sterilization or abortions under the former Eugenic Protection Law, the Agency for Children and Families launched a review committee on the 27th to flexibly proceed with certification based on the explanations of the individuals themselves, even in cases where there are no records of the surgery.
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Restoration Party leader Yoshimura: "Expelled lawmakers should resign" over external funding
2025-02-27 16:59:00
Regarding the two prefectural assembly members of the Japan Restoration Party who were expelled and recommended to leave the party by the party's prefectural organization for providing audio recordings of closed-door meetings of the 100-Article Committee to an outside party during last year's Hyogo Prefectural gubernatorial election, Japan Restoration Party leader Yoshimura expressed the view that the expelled members should resign.
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Keio University Hospital approves clinical research plan for uterus transplant
2025-02-27 16:26:00
Keio University Hospital has announced that a clinical research plan being carried out by a group within the university regarding "uterus transplants," in which a uterus donated by a relative is transplanted into a woman born without a uterus, with the aim of enabling her to give birth, has been approved by a review committee. The hospital will now consider whether to actually carry out the surgery.
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Women's golf tournament "Fujisankei Ladies" canceled
2025-02-27 16:14:00
It has been announced that the Fujisankei Ladies Tournament, a women's golf tournament in Japan that 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 issues surrounding Masahiro Nakai's troubles with women, and the tournament's secretariat has stated, "We deeply apologize to all involved parties."
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The largest amount ever stolen: 223 billion yen worth of crypto assets FBI: "North Korea involved"
2025-02-27 15:41:00
On the 26th, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced that North Korea was involved in the theft of crypto assets worth approximately 223 billion yen (Japanese yen) from a major cryptocurrency exchange headquartered in Dubai, UAE, last week, in what is said to be the largest amount of cryptocurrency stolen in history.
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Nadeshiko Japan Soccer: World No. 1, wins against the United States
2025-02-27 15:18:00
Japan's women's national soccer team, Nadeshiko Japan, defeated the world's number one ranked team, the United States, 2-1 in their first international tournament since Nils Nielsen took over as coach.
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Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center: 3-year-old girl dies after airway management device comes loose
2025-02-27 14:50:00
The Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center announced that in July of last year, a device used to secure the airway of a hospitalized three-year-old girl came loose, resulting in her death.
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Last year's birth numbers were just over 720,000, down 37,000 from the previous year, the lowest since statistics began
2025-02-27 14:01:00
According to a preliminary estimate by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the number of children born last year was just over 720,000, a decrease of just over 37,000 from the previous year, the lowest figure since statistics began being kept.
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Completion of TEPCO's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant Unit 7 anti-terrorism facility postponed to August 2029
2025-02-27 13:58:00
Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has announced that the completion date for anti-terrorism facilities at Unit 7 of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Niigata Prefecture, which it is aiming to restart, has been postponed from next month to August 2029, meaning that the plant will be unable to operate for approximately three to four years from October of this year.
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Discussions continue between LDP, Komeito and CDP on raising upper limit of "high-cost medical care system" burden
2025-02-27 13:27:00
Policy chiefs from the Liberal Democratic Party, the Komeito Party, and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan met to discuss the revision of the new fiscal year budget. The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan once again called for a complete freeze on the increase in the upper limit of the "High-cost Medical Care System," and it was decided that discussions would continue.
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Yamanashi Otsuki forest fire caused by dead grass continues to spread Voluntary evacuation shelter opened
2025-02-27 12:55:00
On the 26th, a fire broke out from dead grass in Otsuki City, Yamanashi Prefecture, and spread to a nearby forest, and the fire continues to spread overnight on the 27th. So far, no one has been injured, but firefighters are continuing to fight the fire by deploying helicopters.
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Chinese students arrested for illegally purchasing large amounts of cigarettes using transportation IC cards
2025-02-27 12:22:00
Two Chinese international students were arrested for allegedly purchasing large quantities of cigarettes at a convenience store in Tokyo using a transportation IC card that had been charged with someone else's credit card information. The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the case, suspecting that a group including the two had repeatedly made fraudulent purchases worth 45 million yen at the same store.
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CDP and ROK confirm coordination to unify candidates for single-seat districts in Upper House election by April
2025-02-27 12:08:00
Regarding this summer's House of Councillors election, CDP leader Noda and Rengo Chairman Yoshino met and confirmed their intention to proceed with a coordinated House of Councillors election by April between the CDP and the Democratic Party for the People, both of which are supported by Rengo, with the aim of unifying candidates in single-seat districts.
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Former sumo wrestler Tokitsukaze arrested for illegally parking and misusing a no-parking exemption badge
2025-02-27 12:00:00
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has arrested former sumo wrestler Tokitsunai, who was previously the stablemaster Tokitsunai, on suspicion of illegally parking by fraudulently using a "no parking exemption badge" issued to people with disabilities and other such persons.
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National Police Agency to abolish identity verification by sending image of My Number card next year
2025-02-27 11:53:00
The practice of verifying identity by photographing the face of a driver's license or My Number card when opening an account has become widespread, but in light of a succession of identity theft crimes, the National Police Agency has decided to abolish these non-face-to-face verification methods by April of next year. The practice of verifying identity by mailing copies of driver's licenses and other documents will also be abolished, but non-face-to-face verification methods such as reading information from IC chips will continue to be permitted, and the agency plans to proceed with revising the regulations in the future.
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Officials from each country meet in person for the first time to set rules for generative AI
2025-02-27 11:30:00
The first face-to-face meeting of the "Hiroshima AI Process Friends Group," which discusses the promotion of the use of generative AI and the creation of common rules, began in Tokyo on the 27th. Director-general-level officials from each country are scheduled to discuss issues surrounding AI, with a focus on whether it can be used safely.
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Three junior and senior high school students arrested for misusing generative AI to sign over 100 telecommunications contracts
2025-02-27 11:18:00
Three junior and senior high school students were arrested on suspicion of violating the Unauthorized Access Prevention Act for logging into a mobile phone company's system with a program created by abusing generative AI and signing up for numerous lines. According to the Metropolitan Police Department, the three purchased approximately 2 billion IDs and passwords, believed to be for logging in, on social media and resold the lines they had illegally signed up for.
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Distracted driving-related fatal and serious injury accidents at record high, including for bicycles
2025-02-27 11:12:00
According to a summary by the National Police Agency, there were more than 130 fatal and serious injury accidents nationwide last year caused by people using mobile phones or smartphones while driving, the highest number ever. The number of fatal and serious injury accidents caused by people using mobile phones or smartphones while driving also reached a record high. The National Police Agency is calling for people to absolutely stop using mobile phones or smartphones, as it can lead to serious injuries to both the driver and the other party.
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Trump to announce tariffs on autos, other imports from EU soon
2025-02-27 11:11:00
US President Donald Trump has said he plans to impose tariffs on products imported from the European Union, and has indicated that he plans to make an announcement soon. He said that the tariffs will be aimed at automobiles and other products imported from the EU, but he has not disclosed the specifics.
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Seven & i Holdings abandons plan to delist after receiving contact from founding family
2025-02-27 09:56:00
Seven & i Holdings has revealed that the founding family has abandoned plans to buy the company and take it private, citing a notice from the family stating that they were no longer able to raise the funds necessary to make a formal proposal.
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Mizuho Bank employee fired for disciplinary reasons for stealing 66 million yen from safe deposit box
2025-02-27 09:50:00
Mizuho Bank has revealed that a bank employee who had been stealing customer cash from safe deposit boxes at its branches had stolen a total of 66 million yen from two customers' safe deposit boxes. The employee was a woman in her 30s who worked at the Hiroo branch in Tokyo at the time, and she is said to have committed the thefts by illegally using spare keys to safe deposit boxes kept at the branch between around January 2016 and June 2019. The bank said it dismissed the employee in October 2019 for disciplinary reasons.
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Trump plans to sue media outlets that used anonymous names
2025-02-27 08:38:00
U.S. President Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with the publication and reporting of lies based on anonymous information, and has indicated his intention to sue media outlets that use anonymous sources in order to clarify whether the sources are real.
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Russia evaluates support for North Korea's invasion of Ukraine in political party exchange
2025-02-27 08:37:00
The ruling party of the Putin administration in Russia, United Russia, conveyed to a visiting delegation from the Workers' Party of North Korea that it highly values North Korea's support for its military invasion of Ukraine. This is a boost to the strengthening of military ties between the two countries' political parties.
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LDP begins hearing of former Abe faction accounting officer as witness in House of Representatives Budget Committee
2025-02-27 08:16:00
In a case involving a political fund-raising party for a faction of the Liberal Democratic Party, the House of Representatives Budget Committee has begun questioning the former Abe faction's accounting officer at a hotel in Tokyo. The focus will be on whether the hearing will lead to a clearer picture of the situation, including the circumstances under which the faction's refunds, which were once suspended, were resumed.
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Firefighting efforts continue in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture [Helicopter footage]
2025-02-27 07:01:00
The forest fire that broke out in Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture on the 26th continues to spread even after a night has passed since it started. According to the city, at least 84 houses and other buildings are believed to have been damaged, and firefighters are continuing to fight the fire. We will report live on the situation on the ground.
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Kagoshima Prefecture Sakurajima: Advance evacuation plan for anticipated large-scale eruption finalized
2025-02-27 06:34:00
It has been learned that a council made up of the prefecture and other organizations has, for the first time, drawn up a draft evacuation plan that calls for advance action, including "wide-area evacuations" for surrounding cities and towns, in the event of a predicted large-scale eruption of Sakurajima in Kagoshima Prefecture that causes volcanic ash to fall over a wide area.
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Trump: Ukraine mineral rights agreement reached, but security guarantees remain Europe's responsibility
2025-02-27 06:05:00
US President Donald Trump said this week that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit the US and sign an agreement on mineral resource rights. However, he said that the responsibility for providing security guarantees required by Ukraine should lie with Europe, not the US.
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President Zelenskyy recognizes some progress in final draft agreement with the US
2025-02-27 05:42:00
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a final agreement has been reached with the Trump administration over the rights to Ukraine's mineral resources, and that there has been some progress in providing the security guarantees that Ukraine has sought. He also expressed his eagerness to meet with President Trump, saying that he is currently working on making such arrangements happen.
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French Supreme Court orders retrial in murder case of Japanese female student
2025-02-27 05:39:00
In the case of the disappearance of Aimi Kurosaki, a student at the University of Tsukuba while studying abroad in France nine years ago, and her Chilean former boyfriend now charged with murder, the French Supreme Court has overturned the second-instance verdict of 28 years in prison, citing procedural irregularities, and ordered a retrial.
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17 years ago, Lake Biwa unsolved case: Inmate from another case under investigation for murder
2025-02-27 05:08:00
In an unsolved case in which a man's dismembered body was found near Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture 17 years ago in 2008, police have decided to begin full-scale investigation of a 74-year-old inmate serving time for a different murder case on suspicion of murder as early as the 27th, according to interviews with investigators.
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Budget proposal: LDP, Komeito fail to reach agreement on tax system talks, negotiations nearing final stage with vote in sight
2025-02-27 05:04:00
Regarding the revision of the new fiscal year budget, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito Party failed to reach an agreement with the Democratic Party for the People on the review of the "1.03 million yen annual income barrier." Meanwhile, discussions with the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan are continuing on the "high-cost medical care system," and discussions between the ruling and opposition parties are reaching a climax in preparation for the vote on the budget.
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