Main news(2025/04/30)
U.S. January-March GDP growth rate: minus 0.3% on an annualized basis, as tariffs have a significant impact
2025-04-30 21:45:00
The United States' GDP (gross domestic product) for January to March of this year was announced, and the growth rate compared to the previous three months was minus 0.3% on an annualized basis. This is a significant slowdown from the previous period, which saw positive growth of 2.4%, and the first negative growth in 12 periods since January to March 2022, which strongly reflects the impact of the Trump administration's tariff measures.
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US reports: "President Putin claims to take control of four Ukrainian provinces"
2025-04-30 20:39:00
American media outlet Bloomberg reported that during a meeting between Russian President Putin and a special envoy from the Trump administration last week, Putin argued that Russia needed to regain control of the four regions in eastern and southern Ukraine that it unilaterally annexed, including the areas it does not fully control.
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Fuji TV and parent company report measures to prevent recurrence of sexual violence cases to Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
2025-04-30 19:02:00
Following a third-party committee's determination that a former female Fuji Television announcer was the victim of sexual violence by Nakai Masahiro and its harsh review of management's responsibility and corporate culture, Fuji Television and its parent company reported to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on the 30th measures to prevent recurrence, which include dismantling and reorganizing the programming department.
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Tokaido Shinkansen service suspended on some sections due to power outage
2025-04-30 18:10:00
Due to the power outage, Tokaido Shinkansen trains were suspended between Shin-Osaka Station and Mikawa-Anjo Station, and between Shizuoka Station and Kyoto Station, but the section has now been expanded to suspend service between Shin-Osaka Station and Toyohashi Station, and between Mishima Station and Shin-Osaka Station. The cause is under investigation, and there is no prospect of resuming service.
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Environment Minister Asao holds talks with Minamata disease patient groups ahead of tomorrow's memorial service
2025-04-30 17:53:00
Ahead of the memorial service for Minamata disease victims on May 1, Environment Minister Asao visited Minamata City, Kumamoto Prefecture, to hold talks with patient groups and others. Following an incident a year ago when the microphone was cut off in the middle of a group's speech during a talk with the then Environment Minister, this year he plans to hold talks with 10 groups over two days, and at the talk on the 30th, groups once again called for a review of the patient certification system.
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Request to add "sleep disorder" to medical department name, such as "sleep disorder internal medicine"
2025-04-30 17:45:00
As the number of people suffering from insomnia, the inability to get enough sleep, is increasing, the Japan Society of Sleep Research has submitted a petition to the government to add "sleep disorders" to the list of medical departments listed by medical institutions. The plan is to list this in combination with other medical departments such as "sleep disorder internal medicine," and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare will continue to consider this in the future.
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Fuji Media Holdings predicts first final deficit, President Kanemitsu to step down
2025-04-30 17:19:00
Fuji Media Holdings, the parent company of Fuji Television, announced on the 30th that it has revised down its net profit forecast for the fiscal year 2024, announcing that it expects to post a net loss for the first time since becoming a certified broadcasting holding company in 2008.
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Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: 1.9% of rice purchased at auction in March has been delivered to consumer sites
2025-04-30 16:45:00
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced that of the approximately 210,000 tons of stockpiled rice that was auctioned off in March, only 1.9% had reached retailers and other consumer sites by April 13. They say it may be taking a certain amount of time for contracts between businesses to be concluded.
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"North Korean troops dispatched to Russia suffer 4,700 casualties" - South Korean intelligence agency
2025-04-30 16:10:00
South Korea's intelligence agency has revealed its analysis that the North Korean troops deployed to Russia have suffered approximately 4,700 casualties, including 600 deaths.
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Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism official arrested for attempting to take upskirt photos at a convenience store inside Tokyo Station
2025-04-30 15:36:00
A 41-year-old employee of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism was arrested for attempting to take up a female customer's skirt at a convenience store inside Tokyo Station.
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Total number of domestic overnight stays in March reached 56.97 million, the highest number ever recorded for the month, according to the Japan Tourism Agency.
2025-04-30 15:30:00
According to the Japan Tourism Agency, a preliminary estimate shows that a total of 56.97 million people stayed in hotels, inns, and other accommodations across Japan in March, up 3.4% from the same month last year and the highest number ever for the month of March.
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Cyber attack on "Hoken Minaoshi Honpo" - 5.1 million pieces of information leaked
2025-04-30 14:26:00
The company that operates the major insurance agency "Hoken Minaoshi Honpo" has announced that it has been hit by a cyber attack using a ransomware virus, resulting in the leakage of approximately 5.1 million pieces of personal information, including the names and addresses of customers who had signed insurance contracts.
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Nagano: Two bodies found in Northern Alps mountain accident; missing persons?
2025-04-30 14:11:00
Following a series of mountain accidents in the Northern Alps of Nagano Prefecture, police conducted a search on the 30th and found two bodies. Police believe the bodies to be those of two people who had been missing and are currently in the process of identifying them.
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Three people killed in accident on Tohoku Expressway; car caught on security camera exiting interchange and re-entering; wrong-way driving?
2025-04-30 13:42:00
Police have learned that a car similar to the one involved in the multiple accident on the Tohoku Expressway in Tochigi Prefecture on April 26th, which was caused by a wrong-way car, was caught on surveillance camera and then immediately re-entered the highway after exiting a nearby interchange. Police believe that the wrong-way car, trying to return to the highway, took a wrong route at a fork in the road before reaching the main line and are currently investigating the details of the incident.
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Barricades installed at forest road entrance in Kazuno, Akita Prefecture due to bear attacks in the past
2025-04-30 13:16:00
In the mountains of Kazuno City, Akita Prefecture, city officials on April 30th set up barricades at the entrance to a forest road to prohibit entry, ahead of the month of May, when a number of bear attacks on humans have occurred in the past.
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14 people suffer food poisoning from tap water in Kanna Town, Gunma Prefecture; agricultural water may have flowed into the water reservoir
2025-04-30 13:00:00
In April, 14 people, including children, from Kanna Town in Gunma Prefecture complained of symptoms such as fever and stomach pain, and the prefecture determined that the cause was food poisoning from the town's tap water. All 14 people are now recovering.
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Toyota and Waymo sign basic agreement to collaborate on self-driving vehicle development
2025-04-30 12:32:00
Toyota Motor Corporation announced that it has reached a basic agreement to collaborate with Waymo, a subsidiary of the parent company of the American IT giant Google, which develops autonomous driving technology. The two companies will collaborate on vehicle development and other areas to accelerate the spread of autonomous driving.
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Saitama: High school girl murdered: "Walking around the scene looking for a woman to kill"
2025-04-30 12:10:00
In April, a 15-year-old high school girl was murdered in Saitama City. In a police interview, the arrested 25-year-old suspect admitted to the charges, saying, "I walked around the scene, looking for a woman to kill." He also said, "I'm at the bottom of society," and police are investigating the case, believing that the suspect, who had become desperate, attacked the victim like a random attacker.
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Food prices to rise for over 14,000 items in 2025 due to rising raw material prices and labor shortages
2025-04-30 12:04:00
A private research company has found that over 14,000 food items will see price increases this year, surpassing the number of items that saw price increases in the whole of last year. Price increases across a wide range of items continue against the backdrop of soaring raw material prices and labor shortages.
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Number of whooping cough patients in the week ending April 20: 1,884, the highest number ever recorded for four consecutive weeks
2025-04-30 11:12:00
The epidemic of whooping cough, which mainly infects children and causes severe coughing, continues. According to the National Institute for Health and Crisis Management, the number of patients reported by medical institutions nationwide in the week ending April 20 was 1,884, an increase of more than 600 from the previous week, setting a new record for the fourth consecutive week.
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Fire breaks out in Takehara shopping district, Hiroshima; 7 buildings burned; no reports of injuries
2025-04-30 11:01:00
On the morning of the 30th, a fire broke out in a shopping arcade in Takehara City, Hiroshima Prefecture, and according to the police, the fire has spread to at least seven buildings so far. At this time, there are no reports of injuries, and firefighting efforts are underway at the scene.
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Fuji TV reporter passes confiscated; NPB investigated by Japan Fair Trade Commission for suspected antitrust violations
2025-04-30 10:55:00
It has been learned through interviews with people involved that the Japan Fair Trade Commission is investigating the possibility of a violation of the Antimonopoly Act, including the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) confiscating press passes from Fuji Television, which was broadcasting Major League Baseball games during the same time that the Japan Series was being broadcast live.
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US Secretary of State to hold phone call with India, Pakistan foreign ministers to ease tensions
2025-04-30 10:51:00
As tensions rise over a terrorist attack in the disputed Kashmir region between India and Pakistan, with both sides taking countermeasures, the U.S. State Department has announced that Secretary of State Rubio will soon hold telephone talks with the foreign ministers of both countries in an effort to ease tensions.
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Despite declaration of ceasefire from May 8, Russian attacks continue with casualties including children
2025-04-30 08:24:00
Russian President Putin, who continues to invade Ukraine, has unilaterally declared a ceasefire starting on the 8th of next month, but the Russian military continues to attack Ukraine with drones and other weapons, resulting in multiple casualties, including children.
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President Trump to highlight achievements at supporters' rally on 100 days since inauguration
2025-04-30 07:05:00
U.S. President Trump will mark 100 days since taking office on the 29th, and is set to speak at a rally of his supporters to tout his economic policies as achievements.
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Traffic restrictions on National Route 1 in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, due to flooding caused by large amounts of water from underground
2025-04-30 07:00:00
A large amount of water has leaked out from the ground near an intersection on a national highway in Kyoto City, causing the road to be flooded. The city's waterworks bureau and others are investigating the cause, and traffic restrictions have been put in place in the surrounding area.
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Parents of researcher who committed suicide in his second year at the company file lawsuit against manufacturer for damages
2025-04-30 06:50:00
The parents of a researcher in his second year at a major manufacturer who committed suicide will file a lawsuit against the manufacturer on the 30th, seeking compensation, claiming that "harsh training, such as being ordered to repeatedly rewrite reports without any concrete guidance, was the cause." In an interview, the manufacturer stated, "We have responded to employees' inquiries and transferred them. The family's views are different from ours."
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Trump administration to ease tariffs on imported auto parts
2025-04-30 06:42:00
The Trump administration in the United States has announced that it will take measures to reduce the burden of tariffs on imported auto parts for manufacturers that produce automobiles in the United States.
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New services such as "no extra charge for video streaming" on mobile phone plans are becoming more common
2025-04-30 06:40:00
Major mobile phone companies are actively trying to attract customers by incorporating entertainment services, such as introducing new pricing plans that allow users to watch sports video streaming at no extra charge.
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Shuttle bus to Osaka Expo site crashes, same type of bus out of service
2025-04-30 06:16:00
Osaka Metro revealed that an autonomous shuttle bus transporting visitors to the Osaka-Kansai Expo site had switched to manual operation and stopped, but then started moving again and collided with a concrete wall. The bus was in transit at the time and no one was injured, but the company said it would suspend operation of the same type of bus until the cause was determined.
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My Number Card "Proof of Singlehood" to Prevent Problems with Matchmaking Apps
2025-04-30 06:02:00
In response to a series of cases where people have falsified personal information to register for dating apps and run into trouble, a Tokyo-based dating app operator will soon begin an initiative to strengthen identity verification using information obtained from My Number cards that indicates a person is single. According to the Digital Agency, this is the first time such an initiative has been implemented.
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Prime Minister Ishiba returns from the Philippines today and plans to engage in Japan-US negotiations
2025-04-30 05:42:00
Prime Minister Ishiba held a summit meeting in the Philippines on the 29th, where the two countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in the field of security. On the 30th, he will hear from Japanese companies in the Philippines about the impact of the US tariff measures, after which he will return to Japan and continue to focus all his efforts on the Japan-US negotiations, which he regards as a top priority.
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Economic Revitalization Minister Akazawa departs for Washington today for second round of tariff negotiations
2025-04-30 05:21:00
Regarding the tariff measures imposed by the Trump administration, Minister of State for Economic Revitalization Akazawa will depart for Washington on the 30th for the second round of Japan-U.S. negotiations. He will once again strongly call for a review of the series of measures and hopes to find common ground by promoting investment, etc.
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