Main news(2025/05/17)
Truck catches fire in tunnel on Hanshin Expressway, Osaka, no injuries
2025-05-17 19:31:00
According to police and firefighters, a truck caught fire in a tunnel on the Hanshin Expressway Yamatogawa Line in Sakai City, Osaka, at around 6 p.m. on the 17th. No one has been injured, including the driver of the truck, but as smoke is building up inside the tunnel, they are currently moving about 20 cars behind the truck. The tunnel is about 10 kilometers long, and the vehicle fire broke out about 2 kilometers from the entrance.
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Atmospheric instability expected to continue in eastern Japan through the 18th; watch out for lightning and gusts of wind
2025-05-17 19:11:00
The start of the rainy season was announced in southern Kyushu on the 16th, but in western and eastern Japan, rain and wind intensified due to a front and low pressure on the 17th, and strong winds also had an impact. In eastern Japan, the unstable atmosphere is expected to continue through the 18th, so caution is advised against strong gusts of wind such as lightning strikes and tornadoes.
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Measles infections spreading in the US due to misinformation about vaccines
2025-05-17 19:09:00
On the 16th, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that the number of people infected with the highly contagious measles in the country has risen to 1,024 so far this year. Experts point out that a decline in vaccination rates is behind this, and that if this trend continues, the number of infected people may reach the highest level in the past 30 years.
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Strong winds affecting many areas, including a fallen street tree in Nihonbashi and a capsized canoe in Kyoto
2025-05-17 17:00:00
Due to the influence of the front and low pressure, the atmospheric conditions in western and eastern Japan, especially on the Pacific coast, became very unstable on the 17th, and the winds became stronger, affecting many areas. Here is a summary of the effects of the strong winds on the 17th.
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Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line road closure due to strong winds
2025-05-17 16:12:00
According to the Japan Road Traffic Information Center, due to strong winds, the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line has been closed since 3:30 pm on the outbound lanes between Kawasaki Ukishima Junction in Kanagawa Prefecture and Kisarazu Kaneda Interchange in Chiba Prefecture, and on the inbound lanes between the connecting road's Sodegaura Interchange and Kawasaki Ukishima Junction.
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From conclaves to Expo toilets... can you trust the answers generated by AI?
2025-05-17 15:30:00
Is the origin of the Japanese word "test of endurance" "conclave"? More and more people are using generative AI for research, even to the point where they have been made the culprit of a crime without even realizing it. Recently, even in normal internet searches, the answers given by AI are displayed at the top. However, there are also cases where they "lie" without even realizing it. Why is that the case? How should we use generative AI, which has entered our daily lives without us realizing it?
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Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani's 16th home run puts him at the top of both leagues
2025-05-17 13:35:00
Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers started as the leadoff hitter and designated hitter in the game against the Angels on the 16th, and hit his 16th solo home run of the season in his fourth at-bat in the eighth inning. This was Ohtani's first home run in three consecutive games this season, and he now leads both leagues in home runs, surpassing Yankees' Judge and Phillies' Schwarber.
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Over 90 boats capsize at Kyoto Kyotango canoe event, 6 people rushed to hospital due to strong winds
2025-05-17 13:05:00
According to the police and fire department, at around 10:00 a.m. on the 17th, at a canoeing event held in Kumihama Bay in Kumihama Town, Kyotango City, northern Kyoto Prefecture, about 90 canoes capsized offshore, and six people were taken to the hospital. All of them are conscious. According to the police, the wind was strong at the time, and they are investigating the details of the incident, believing that the canoes were blown over by the strong winds.
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Suspect arrested for abandoning a childcare worker's body in Miyagi re-arrested on suspicion of murder
2025-05-17 12:37:00
A suspect, an acquaintance of the man arrested for abandoning the body of a female nursery school teacher on a beach in Miyagi Prefecture, has been rearrested on suspicion of murder for allegedly killing the woman with what appears to be a knife.
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Gas leak reported at ENEOS Sakai refinery in Osaka; 3 people rushed to hospital, 2 unconscious
2025-05-17 11:59:00
According to the fire department, at around 10 a.m. on the 17th, a report was received from the Sakai Refinery of ENEOS, the largest oil refiner in Osaka, located in Chikko Hamadera-cho, Nishi-ku, Sakai City, that "a gas leak had occurred in the piping on the premises, and an employee had collapsed." According to the police and fire department, three people were transported from the scene, two of whom are unconscious. The condition of the other person is unknown. According to the fire department, it was confirmed that the gas leak had stopped by 10:30, and the refinery explained that "hydrogen sulfide may have leaked." According to the ENEOS website, the Sakai Refinery is located on the coast of Sakai City and covers an area of approximately 1.24 million square meters. According to the fire department, the impact of the gas leak on nearby residents has not been confirmed, and the police have restricted access to the premises and are investigating the details.
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Former FBI director calls for assassination of President Trump, authorities investigate controversy
2025-05-17 11:26:00
A photo posted on social media by a former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has sparked controversy, drawing criticism from the ruling Republican Party and others for calling for the assassination of President Trump, and escalating to the point where authorities are investigating.
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[Weather commentary] Heavy rain expected from Kyushu to Hokkaido; beware of flooding
2025-05-17 11:00:00
Japan is covered with clouds caused by low pressure and fronts, and rain is falling mainly in western and eastern Japan. There are developed clouds in western Japan, so please be careful of heavy rain, heavy rain, lightning strikes and gusts of wind. Many places in northern Japan will also experience rain in the afternoon, and Hokkaido is expected to experience rain from the evening to the night. Explanation by weather forecaster Toshiyuki Minami. The video is 1 minute 54 seconds long. It cannot be viewed on data broadcasting.
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Nissan's factory cut plan includes two domestic factories, including Oppama in Yokosuka
2025-05-17 10:27:00
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. plans to cut seven factories around the world in an effort to turn its business around, but it has been revealed that the company's plan includes two domestic factories, including the Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. Nissan is expected to proceed with careful consideration in the future.
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Aichi Self-Defense Force plane crash: Body parts believed to be those of crew members found; search continues
2025-05-17 08:43:00
On the 16th, the Air Self-Defense Force revealed that they had found a body part believed to be that of a crew member in the accident in which an Air Self-Defense Force training aircraft crashed into a pond in Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture, leaving two crew members missing. The body part was transported to Komaki Air Base for identification, and the search at the scene is continuing on the 17th.
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Trump administration's "tax cut bill" rejected by some Republican lawmakers
2025-05-17 08:36:00
A bill including tax cuts proposed by the Trump administration was voted on in the House of Representatives Budget Committee, but was rejected due to opposition from some Republican lawmakers. President Trump has called for support, saying, "Without the law, we will be hit with tax increases," but the situation remains unclear as to whether the bill will be passed.
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Israeli military expands military operations in Gaza
2025-05-17 07:12:00
The Israeli military announced on the night of the 16th that it had further expanded its military operations in the Gaza Strip in Palestine. The Israeli military said that the intensive airstrikes and troop movements carried out on the 16th were the initial stages of a new military operation.
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European leaders meet to confirm continued support for Ukraine
2025-05-17 06:59:00
While high-level direct talks were taking place between Russia and Ukraine over a ceasefire, a summit of European countries was held in Albania on the 16th, where the leaders confirmed their intention to strengthen sanctions against Russia and continue to support Ukraine.
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Russia and Ukraine agree to prisoner exchange, continue ceasefire discussions
2025-05-17 06:57:00
Russia and Ukraine held direct high-level talks in Turkey for the first time in about three years and agreed to soon exchange 1,000 prisoners from each side. They also said they would continue to discuss the ceasefire that Ukraine has strongly demanded.
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Moody's downgrades U.S. government rating from top to lowest
2025-05-17 06:52:00
On the 16th, Moody's Ratings, a major rating agency, announced that it had downgraded the US government's rating by one notch from the highest "Aaa" to "Aa1". The reasons cited included the expansion of the US government's debt and rising interest payment costs. Moody's had previously downgraded the outlook for the US government's rating from "stable" to "negative" in the wake of the chaos in Congress over the budget proposal two years ago.
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Hit-and-run incident in Misato, Saitama: Car owner may have been driving at the time, unable to contact
2025-05-17 06:10:00
The whereabouts of the man who drove the car that fled the scene of a hit-and-run incident in Misato City, Saitama Prefecture, in which four elementary school students were injured, are still unknown. The owner of the car is a Chinese national, and has not been able to be contacted since the incident. The police believe that the owner may have been driving the car at the time, and are rushing to confirm his whereabouts.
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Law to introduce "active cyber defense" passed by government, preparing for smooth operation
2025-05-17 06:07:00
A law has been passed to introduce "active cyber defense" to prevent cyber attacks before they occur. The government will steadily proceed with preparations such as creating basic guidelines to ensure the law's smooth implementation, and will continue to provide detailed explanations to dispel concerns about the "secrecy of communications."
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