2025-04-18 22:53:00
Five professional baseball games were played on the 18th, with Seibu's two pitchers holding the SoftBank batting line to no hits and one run to win the game, marking their first three consecutive wins of the season and bringing their winning percentage to 50%.
2025-04-18 22:42:00
Iran held a military parade and President Pezechkian gave a speech, but unlike previous years, he did not specifically criticize the United States or Israel. It is believed that this is because Iran does not want to provoke the United States, ahead of the second round of talks with the Trump administration regarding nuclear development.
2025-04-18 22:36:00
Following the Trump administration's imposition of an additional 25% tariff on automobiles, automakers are trying to mitigate the impact, such as by shifting some production for local markets from Japan to the United States.
2025-04-18 21:28:00
According to the police, a body was found in a drum at a company in Yoshikawa City, Saitama Prefecture, at around 4:00 pm on the 18th. The body was covered with a blue tarp, and its age and gender are unknown. The police are rushing to confirm the identity and are investigating the details of the body, assuming it was abandoned.
2025-04-18 21:27:00
Finance Minister Kato, who will be visiting the United States from April 22 to attend the G20 (Group of 20) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting, is set to meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent on the 24th local time. Discussions are expected to take place on areas such as foreign exchange.
2025-04-18 21:17:00
At around 8:19 pm on the 18th, an earthquake with a seismic intensity of 5-low was observed in Nagano Prefecture. There is no need to worry about a tsunami from this earthquake. The seismic intensity in various areas was: ▼Seismic intensity 5-low in Omachi City, Chikuhoku Village, and Ogawa Village in Nagano Prefecture. ▼Seismic intensity 4 in Nagano City, Matsumoto City, Azumino City, Aoki Village, Omi Village, Ikusaka Village, Ikeda Town, and Matsukawa Village. ▼Seismic intensity 3 to 1 was observed over a wide area of the Kanto-Koshinetsu, Hokuriku, and Tokai regions. According to observations by the Japan Meteorological Agency, the epicenter was in northern Nagano Prefecture, the depth of the epicenter was 10 kilometers, and the magnitude, which indicates the scale of the earthquake, is estimated to be 5.0.
2025-04-18 21:10:00
According to the JR West website, due to the earthquake, delays have been occurring on the Hokuriku Shinkansen on the outbound lines between Toyama Station and Takasaki Station since around 8:45 p.m.
2025-04-18 20:54:00
According to the JR East website, the Tohoku Shinkansen has suspended operations on both lines between Tokyo and Sendai due to vehicle inspections. Operations are expected to resume around 9:40 p.m.
2025-04-18 20:50:00
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, shaking of a seismic intensity of 5 or less may cause dishes and books on shelves to fall, and unstable furniture to topple. It is dark and difficult to see the surrounding situation. There is a possibility of another strong tremor. Prioritize your personal safety by refraining from taking any unnecessary action and tidying up after it becomes light. Tonight, in order to be able to evacuate immediately, please rest with the following items by your pillow: slippers or shoes to wear when moving around; a flashlight; and an emergency evacuation bag. Also, to ensure your safety in the event of a strong tremor while you are sleeping, please check that no furniture will tip over or heavy objects will fall, and that there are no objects that are likely to fall over near entrances or passageways.
2025-04-18 20:43:00
According to the police stations in Omachi city, Chikuhoku village, and Ogawa village, where shaking of magnitude 5-lower was observed, no information of damage has been received so far, but they are continuing to check for any further information.
2025-04-18 19:25:00
Regarding ceasefire talks in the Gaza Strip in Palestine, the Islamic organization Hamas has rejected an Israeli proposal to extend the ceasefire by 45 days in exchange for the release of 10 hostages, and has emphasized its position of seeking a permanent ceasefire.
2025-04-18 19:12:00
With the 20th anniversary of the Fukuchiyama Line derailment in which 107 people were killed approaching, JR West President Kazuaki Hasegawa said, "We will continue to bear heavy responsibility as the company responsible," and expressed his intention to work on employee education to ensure that the accident is not forgotten.
2025-04-18 19:09:00
George Glass, the new U.S. ambassador to Japan, visited Japan on the 18th and expressed his hope for a conclusion to the tariff negotiations that have begun between Japan and the United States, saying, "President Trump has made this a top priority. I am confident that an agreement will be reached."
2025-04-18 18:28:00
Interviews with multiple government officials have revealed the details of the first Japan-US negotiations regarding the tariff measures of the Trump administration. The US side has called for a review of automobile safety standards and other items that it considers to be "non-tariff barriers," and has listed agricultural products that it is interested in. Meanwhile, Minister for Economic Revitalization Akazawa has asked for the requests to be prioritized.
2025-04-18 18:14:00
Due to the influence of warm air flowing in from the south, temperatures have been rising since the morning in many areas, with some areas reaching summer-like temperatures of over 25°C. Temperatures are expected to reach nearly 30°C during the day in some places, so please be careful to manage your health.
2025-04-18 17:58:00
During this year's Golden Week holiday, the peak days for domestic flights of major airlines are expected to be April 26th and May 3rd for outbound flights, and May 6th for inbound flights.
2025-04-18 17:37:00
In a lawsuit in which a woman in her 40s from Hiroshima City was repeatedly sexually abused by her father as a child and is suffering from the aftereffects of the abuse, she sought compensation from her father. By the 18th, the Supreme Court made a decision to dismiss the woman's appeal, and the ruling dismissing the lawsuit on the grounds that the lawsuit was filed too late has become final.
2025-04-18 17:20:00
Japan's annual catch limit for bigeye tuna caught in the Indian Ocean will be increased by 15% for three years starting from 2026.
2025-04-18 17:16:00
The price of rice continues to rise. In the Consumer Price Index for last month (March), which looks at the price movements of goods and services consumed at home, the increase in the price of "rice" exceeded 90%, the highest ever. In this situation, some private calculations suggest that the price of a bowl of rice is now higher than the price of a slice of bread.
2025-04-18 16:51:00
The Trump administration has been implementing a series of tariff measures to reduce the trade deficit and bring manufacturing back to the US. It has been more than a month since tariffs were imposed on steel and other products, and the impact of the tariff hikes is beginning to be felt in the US. The impact is also felt by local subsidiaries of Japanese companies.
2025-04-18 16:32:00
Regarding the tariff measures taken by the Trump administration, Minister of Economic Revitalization Akazawa returned to the United States on the 18th after completing the first round of Japan-U.S. negotiations. He said that he had conveyed Japan's position and indicated his intention to continue working on the issue in a manner that is in line with the national interest.
2025-04-18 15:54:00
With a view to providing relief to victims of the former Unification Church, the Agency for Cultural Affairs has decided to formulate guidelines for the appropriate liquidation procedures of assets after "designated religious corporations," which are expected to have many victims, are dissolved.
2025-04-18 15:45:00
Regarding the issue surrounding political fundraising parties held by LDP factions, former Chairman Yamazaki Masaaki of the former Abe faction, who attended the House of Councillors Political Ethics Committee, explained that he was unaware of the system by which excess amounts over quotas were refunded.
2025-04-18 14:47:00
It's the season when we need to worry about ultraviolet rays. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the amount of ultraviolet rays is on the rise, and experts are urging people to take precautions from now on.
2025-04-18 14:17:00
A bill to hold a prefectural referendum on whether to restart the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant was voted on at a plenary session of the Niigata Prefectural Assembly held on the 18th, and was rejected by a majority. As a result, a prefectural referendum on the bill will not be held.
2025-04-18 14:02:00
Princess Kako, the second daughter of Prince and Princess Akishino, who is visiting Ishikawa Prefecture, observed artisans at work at a Kutani ware workshop in Komatsu City that has been in operation since the Meiji era.
2025-04-18 13:31:00
As bears continue to appear in urban areas, a revised Wildlife Protection and Management Act was passed and enacted at the House of Councilors plenary session on the 18th, which includes provisions allowing the use of hunting rifles in urban areas on an exceptional basis at the discretion of local municipalities.
2025-04-18 12:49:00
A 31-year-old suspect has been arrested after allegedly receiving the money from another "collection agent" in a series of robberies carried out by illegal part-time workers that occurred in the Tokyo metropolitan area last year. He said, "I don't know anything about the robbery, but after receiving the money, I asked my wife to take it to another place," and the Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating the matter in detail.
2025-04-18 12:23:00
Regarding the fact that a major shareholder investment fund has proposed its own candidates for the next management structure of Fuji Television's parent company, Nippon Cultural Broadcasting Corporation President Kiyoto Saito, who serves as an outside director of the parent company, has expressed the view that in order to restore trust, the company should consider reviewing the director candidates it has already presented.
2025-04-18 12:19:00
The first hearing in a case in which a former Mitsubishi UFJ Bank employee is accused of stealing gold bars from a safe deposit box was held at the Tokyo District Court on the 18th, and the former employee stated, "I will admit to everything," and admitted to the charges against him.
2025-04-18 11:56:00
Japan-US tariff negotiations have begun in earnest. How will Japan respond to the tariff measures imposed by the Trump administration? We have summarized the responses of the minister in charge.
2025-04-18 11:52:00
Following the first ministerial negotiations held on the 17th (Japan time) regarding the tariff measures of the Trump administration, Prime Minister Ishiba pointed out that there is still a gap in positions between Japan and the United States. He emphasized that the government will continue to work together as a united front to address this issue as a top priority.
2025-04-18 11:40:00
As trade friction between the U.S. and China intensifies following the tariff measures imposed by the Trump administration, President Trump acknowledged that discussions are underway with China and expressed his hope that "an agreement can be reached with China and with all other countries."
2025-04-18 11:27:00
Due to track construction near Tamachi Station, JR's Yamanote Line and Keihin-Tohoku Line will be suspended on some sections from the 19th until around noon on the 20th. JR will provide alternative transportation to subways, private railways, etc.
2025-04-18 10:59:00
In Major League Baseball, Orioles pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano started against the Guardians, pitching his longest seven innings since joining the team, allowing only two runs and earning his second win of the season.
2025-04-18 10:47:00
Regarding the Japan-U.S. negotiations over U.S. tariff measures, President Trump indicated on the 17th that he believes the tariff negotiations and Nippon Steel's plan to acquire U.S. Steel, a major American steel manufacturer, will be handled separately.
2025-04-18 10:47:00
As gasoline prices continue to rise, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan has submitted a bill to the House of Representatives on its own to abolish the provisional gasoline tax rate from July of this year in order to reduce the burden on people's lives. The bill states that the provisional gasoline tax rate will be abolished from July of this year in order to protect people's lives and the economy from the rise in gasoline prices.
2025-04-18 09:06:00
At around 8:57 a.m. on the 18th, an earthquake measuring magnitude 3 was observed in Oita Prefecture. There is no need to worry about a tsunami caused by this earthquake.
2025-04-18 08:44:00
The Consumer Price Index for March, which tracks the price movements of goods and services consumed at home, excluding fresh food, which is subject to large fluctuations due to weather, rose 3.2% from the same month last year. The rate of increase was 0.2 percentage points higher than the previous month's 3.0%, marking the fourth consecutive month of a rise in the 3% range.
2025-04-18 08:11:00
Regarding the situation in Ukraine, US Secretary of State Rubio and Special Envoy Witkow visited France and held talks with President Macron and Ukrainian officials. French Foreign Minister Barrot stated that this was the first time that Europe had participated in talks toward a ceasefire, and that they would be held again in the UK next week.
2025-04-18 06:41:00
U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated that he expects to sign a deal on Ukraine's mineral rights on the 24th of this month.
2025-04-18 06:33:00
The Kanto region is said to have multiple "earthquake hotspots." Research results that look into the cause have been published. Expert analysis has revealed that a raised area called a "seamount" beneath the northern part of Tokyo Bay may be causing frequent earthquakes.
2025-04-18 06:29:00
On the 17th, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down more than $500 on the New York Stock Exchange.
2025-04-18 06:18:00
US President Trump said of Federal Reserve Chairman Powell, "I don't think he's fulfilling his duties. If I want him to go, he'll go right away." While President Trump is calling for interest rates to be lowered, Chairman Powell has maintained a cautious stance on early interest rate cuts, and the conflict is intensifying.
2025-04-18 06:09:00
Regarding the US tariff measures, Minister of Economic Revitalization Akazawa held his first Japan-US negotiations and agreed to aim for an agreement as soon as possible. The Japanese government plans to carefully examine the US demands ahead of the next round of negotiations and find areas where both sides can come to an agreement. Meanwhile, President Trump stated, "We are not in a hurry," indicating that he is not in a hurry to reach results or make compromises.
2025-04-18 05:36:00
Regarding the agreement that both Russia and Ukraine agreed with the United States last month to halt attacks on energy facilities, a leading Russian newspaper noted that the deadline expired on the 16th, and quoted a senior Russian Foreign Ministry official as saying that there is no point in Russia unilaterally extending the agreement.
2025-04-18 05:18:00
According to an interview with the prefecture and other sources, the remains of about 20 people believed to have died in the war were discovered last year during the production of a movie based on a true story on Ie Island in the northern part of Okinawa Island, where a horrific battle that is said to be a "microcosm of the Battle of Okinawa" took place. This is the first discovery of remains on Ie Island in about 20 years.
