Main news(2025/05/19)
Fuji TV's confiscation of reporter passes may violate antitrust laws; NPB to warn
2025-05-19 21:29:00
It has been learned through interviews with people familiar with the matter that the Fair Trade Commission has decided to soon issue a warning to the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization (NPB), demanding that the NPB take measures to prevent a recurrence, citing concerns that the confiscation of press passes from Fuji Television, which aired Major League Baseball games during the same time period as the live broadcast of the Japan Series professional baseball game, may be in violation of the Antimonopoly Act.
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WHO Annual General Assembly opens with talks on adopting pandemic treaty
2025-05-19 18:53:00
The World Health Organization (WHO) annual general meeting began in Switzerland on the 19th. During the meeting, a new international treaty to strengthen measures against infectious diseases, the Pandemic Treaty, is expected to be adopted, and the response to the announcement of the withdrawal of the United States, the largest donor country, is also scheduled to be discussed.
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Trump to hold phone call with Putin, ceasefire talks in focus
2025-05-19 18:40:00
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Putin are expected to hold a telephone conversation on the evening of the 19th, Japan time. With both leaders having expressed their willingness to meet, the focus is on what discussions will take place regarding the ceasefire in Ukraine.
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Supermarket rice prices rise again: 5 kg for 4,268 yen, up 54 yen from the previous week
2025-05-19 17:55:00
The average price of rice sold at supermarkets nationwide in the week ending on the 11th of this month was 4,268 yen per 5 kg including consumption tax, up 54 yen from the previous week. The previous week saw the price fall for the first time in 18 weeks, but this is the first increase since then.
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Iwaki Shinkin Bank suspected of misappropriating over 1 billion yen and using customer names without permission
2025-05-19 17:52:00
It has become clear through interviews with people involved that the former management of Iwaki Shinkin Bank, whose head office is in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, is suspected of misappropriating funds by opening accounts in the names of other customers without permission and lending to those accounts in order to support the cash flow of a large borrower. A third-party committee is currently investigating the facts, and the Financial Services Agency plans to take strict action based on the findings of the committee.
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Car crashes into line of children, 5 people including elementary school student transported to hospital in Fukuoka, Chikushino
2025-05-19 16:52:00
According to the fire department, at around 3:30 pm on the 19th, a report was received that "a car crashed into a line of children" in Chikushino City, Fukuoka Prefecture. According to the police and fire department, five people, including four elementary school children and the elderly woman who was driving the car, were taken to the hospital. According to the fire department, all of them are thought to be conscious, and the police and fire department are currently investigating the details of the incident.
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Explosion at restaurant in Susukino, Sapporo, firefighters report injuries
2025-05-19 14:18:00
According to the Sapporo Fire Department, an explosion occurred at a restaurant in Susukino, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, at around 1:30 p.m. on the 19th, resulting in injuries. At the scene, it was confirmed that the window glass of the restaurant on the second floor of the building had shattered and was scattered on the ground.
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Osaka: One person falls from building, two unconscious, transported
2025-05-19 13:02:00
On the morning of the 19th, two people were found collapsed on the street in Kita-ku, Osaka, and both were taken to the hospital in an unconscious state. According to the police, one person appears to have fallen from a nearby building and the other person below was caught in the fall, and the police are currently investigating the details of the incident.
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Childcare worker murder case: Some smartphone conversations with victim deleted
2025-05-19 12:11:00
In a case where an acquaintance was arrested for murdering a nursery school teacher on a beach in Miyagi Prefecture, it was learned from an interview with an investigator that some of the data exchanged between the acquaintance and the woman had been deleted from the acquaintance's smartphone. The woman's smartphone has not been found, and the police are investigating the details, suspecting that the acquaintance may have tried to hide the data.
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Prime Minister Ishiba asks for understanding that pension-related bill "contains necessary content"
2025-05-19 12:08:00
The Diet held an intensive deliberation in the House of Councillors Budget Committee. Regarding the bill related to pension system reform, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan criticized the bill for being insufficient as the measure to raise the basic pension was not included. In response, Prime Minister Ishiba said that discussions would continue on the measure to raise the basic pension, and asked for understanding that the bill included the necessary contents for pension reform.
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Agriculture Minister Eto: "I've never bought rice. I have so much at home I could sell it."
2025-05-19 12:06:00
In a speech at a political fundraising party held by the Saga Prefectural LDP in Saga City on the 18th, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Taku Eto commented on the topic of stockpiled rice, "I have never bought rice. Supporters give me a lot of rice. I have so much in my food storage that I could sell it."
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Accident on Shin-Meishin Expressway: Car driving in the wrong direction for at least 10km still not found
2025-05-19 12:00:00
On the 18th, a car was traveling the wrong way on the Shin-Meishin Expressway in Mie Prefecture, injuring four people in a car that tried to avoid it. Interviews with police and others revealed that the car is believed to have traveled at least 10 kilometers in the wrong direction. A full day has passed since the car was found, and police are investigating its whereabouts on suspicion of a hit-and-run.
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Saitama Misato Elementary school student hit and run incident: Drinking together several hours before the incident
2025-05-19 11:55:00
In connection with a hit-and-run incident on the 14th of this month in Misato City, Saitama Prefecture, in which four elementary school students were hit by a car and injured, two suspects, both of Chinese nationality, who were arrested on the 18th, are believed to have been drinking together at a restaurant in the city for several hours just before the incident, according to interviews with the police.
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33-year-old suspect arrested in Tokyo for allegedly operating "pedal-equipped electric bike" without a license
2025-05-19 11:36:00
A 33-year-old Uzbek national was arrested by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department for driving an electric bike with pedals without a license.
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US Treasury Secretary Bessent: "I don't have much confidence in Moody's"
2025-05-19 10:55:00
In response to Moody's Ratings, a major rating agency, downgrading the U.S. government's rating by one notch from the top, U.S. Treasury Secretary David Bessent said he "doesn't have much confidence in Moody's."
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Former US President Biden diagnosed with prostate cancer - US media
2025-05-19 07:10:00
American media have reported that former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. In a statement from Biden's personal office, the cancer has spread to his bones, but is effectively treatable, and "Mr. Biden and his family are discussing treatment options with their doctors."
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Romania's Mayor Dan declares victory in re-run of presidential election
2025-05-19 06:56:00
In Romania, an Eastern European country, a runoff election for the presidential election was held on the 18th. The vote count is almost complete, and with 98% of the votes counted, Mayor Dan of the capital Bucharest, who advocates the continuation of a pro-European policy, is leading the leader of a far-right party by more than 8 points, and local media is reporting that Mr. Dan has won.
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President Zelensky meets with Vice President Vance and others before US-Russia phone call
2025-05-19 06:15:00
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended a mass celebrating the inauguration of the new Pope and met with US Vice President Vance and others. Ahead of the phone call between President Trump and Russian President Putin scheduled for the 19th, he emphasized Ukraine's position of calling for an unconditional ceasefire.
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Profit and loss forecasts for listed companies this fiscal year: Overall, forecast to decline by more than 5% compared to last year
2025-05-19 05:49:00
It has been revealed that the profit and loss forecasts published by listed companies for the current fiscal year are expected to decrease by more than 5% overall from last year's results. With the future uncertain due to the Trump administration's tariff measures, many companies are expecting increased costs and reduced trade volume.
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With just over a month left in the Diet session, debate over pension reform bills and other issues is expected to intensify
2025-05-19 05:17:00
With just over a month left in the Diet session, the government and ruling parties plan to pass bills related to pension system reform within the session. On the other hand, the opposition parties are preparing to step up their pursuit of the government's pension system reform and measures to combat rising prices, and the debate is expected to intensify toward the end of the session.
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Saitama elementary school student hit-and-run incident: Did the driver flee to avoid being found out for drunk driving?
2025-05-19 05:13:00
Police have learned that two suspects, both Chinese nationals, arrested on the 18th in a hit-and-run incident in which four elementary school students were hit and injured by a car in Misato City, Saitama Prefecture on the 14th of this month, were drinking together before the incident. Police believe that the suspects fled the scene to avoid being found out for drunk driving and are currently investigating the details. One of the two arrested suspects, a 42-year-old, has reportedly partially denied the charges of the hit-and-run incident.
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