Main news(2025/05/20)
Scaffolding collapses on Chugoku Expressway, injuring five; construction to continue even after metal fittings break
2025-05-20 22:14:00
In the accident that occurred in January this year when scaffolding collapsed at a bridge renovation work site on the Chugoku Expressway in Hiroshima Prefecture, resulting in five workers being killed or injured, interviews with multiple contractors and others have revealed that construction continued even though some of the metal fittings used to suspend the scaffolding had broken, and the accident occurred shortly thereafter.
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[Professional baseball results] Hanshin's Saiki wins a shutout victory, his most wins this season is "7"
2025-05-20 22:11:00
Six professional baseball games were played on the 20th, with Hanshin's starting pitcher Saiki recording his first shutout victory since June of last year, giving the team three straight wins and bringing their winning streak to seven this season, the most of any team.
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Ahead of South Korean presidential election, main opposition candidate Lee is "well-liked by the Japanese people"
2025-05-20 21:20:00
Ahead of South Korea's presidential election next month, Lee Jae-myung, candidate of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, which has maintained the top position in various opinion polls, said, "I have a very good impression of the Japanese people," and emphasized the importance of Japan and South Korea promoting cooperation in the areas of private exchanges and the economy.
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EU foreign ministers decide on additional sanctions against Russia over Ukraine situation
2025-05-20 21:18:00
On the 20th, the European Union held a foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, Belgium, and decided to impose additional sanctions on Russia as it has not agreed to a complete and unconditional ceasefire.
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JA Zennoh announces shipment volume of stockpiled rice by region, Kanto-Koshin accounts for 35% of total
2025-05-20 21:16:00
JA Zennoh, the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations, has revealed the volume of rice shipped by region for which it won a bid for government stockpiles. As of the 16th of this month, the Kanto-Koshin region accounted for 35% of the total, the largest amount.
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Body buried in Kitakyushu storage yard: missing man in his 80s
2025-05-20 20:06:00
On the afternoon of the 20th, a man's body was found buried in a materials storage yard in Kitakyushu City. Police are investigating whether the body is that of a missing man in his 80s and are working to confirm his identity.
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[Video] Shohei Ohtani leads both leagues with 17th home run, but the team loses four straight
2025-05-20 19:47:00
Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers hit his 17th solo home run of the season against the Diamondbacks on the 19th, once again taking the lead in home runs across both leagues. However, the team's pitchers were hit hard and the team lost 9-5, marking the first time the Dodgers have lost four games in a row this season.
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Long-term interest rates: 10-year government bond yields temporarily rise to the 1.5% range
2025-05-20 18:31:00
On the 20th, the bond market saw a widespread selling of government bonds due to the perception that demand was weak in the Ministry of Finance's Japanese government bond auction, and the yield on 10-year government bonds, which is a representative indicator of long-term interest rates, temporarily rose to the 1.5% range for the first time in about a month and a half.
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Prime Minister Ishiba: "Reduction of consumption tax rate is not appropriate" at the House of Representatives plenary session
2025-05-20 18:30:00
As debate between the ruling and opposition parties over how to handle the consumption tax becomes more active, Prime Minister Ishiba reiterated at a plenary session of the House of Representatives that it would be inappropriate to lower the tax rate, citing that the consumption tax is an important source of funding for social security.
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Japan's first organization launched to analyze the impact of global warming on record-breaking heatwaves and heavy rains
2025-05-20 18:05:00
The first organization in Japan has been launched that uses a method called "event attribution" to analyze and disseminate the extent to which global warming has influenced extreme weather phenomena such as record heat and heavy rain.
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Family of woman who died in immigration facility files lawsuit seeking disclosure of all footage from detention
2025-05-20 18:01:00
In the case of a Sri Lankan woman who died after complaining of feeling unwell while in detention at an immigration facility in Nagoya, the woman's family filed a lawsuit in the Tokyo District Court on the 20th seeking disclosure of all footage recorded during her detention, claiming that it is illegal for the government to not disclose the footage.
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Pension system reform bill begins discussions in the House of Representatives
2025-05-20 17:27:00
A bill related to pension system reform was put on the floor of the House of Representatives for deliberation on the 20th. Regarding the measure to raise the basic pension level, which was not included in the bill, Prime Minister Ishiba indicated his intention to consider how to respond based on the results of the fiscal review four years from now.
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More than 10% of stockpiled rice sold in March was distributed to consumer sites in one month
2025-05-20 16:50:00
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced the distribution status of stockpiled rice as of the 27th of last month. Of the 210,000 tons purchased at auction in March this year, only a little over 10% of the total had reached consumer sites one month later.
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Average price of new apartments in the Tokyo metropolitan area in April was 69.99 million yen, lower than the same month last year
2025-05-20 16:34:00
The average price of new apartments released in April in the greater Tokyo area was 69.99 million yen, 8.7% lower than the same month last year. This was due to the lack of high-priced properties released in central Tokyo.
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National Police Agency Commissioner General urges stalking officials to "ensuring the safety of victims"
2025-05-20 15:59:00
A meeting was held bringing together senior police officers from across the country in charge of stalker cases, and National Police Agency Commissioner General Yoshinobu Kusunoki stated that he was "taking seriously" the case in Kawasaki City where a woman's body was abandoned and her former boyfriend was arrested, and gave instructions to take every possible measure to ensure the safety of the victim.
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The inside of the national treasure "Seven-branched Sword" is almost completely uncorroded, making it "miraculously in good condition"
2025-05-20 15:17:00
The Nara National Museum has used the latest analytical equipment to examine the Shichishito, a national treasure believed to have been brought from the Korean Peninsula during the Kofun period, and found that the inside is almost completely uncorroded and in extremely good condition. The museum says, "It is miraculous that the sword is in such good condition for a sword from 1,600 years ago."
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Nippon Steel to U.S. government for huge investment if U.S. Steel acquisition approved
2025-05-20 15:12:00
As the deadline for review of Nippon Steel's plan to acquire the American steel giant U.S. Steel approaches, it has been revealed that Nippon Steel has informed the U.S. government of its intention to make a huge investment in U.S. Steel if the plan is approved. According to sources, the investment amount is expected to be in the trillions of yen.
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Fuji parent company's new personnel plan: Outside director Saito "hopes for restoration of trust"
2025-05-20 15:06:00
Regarding the new personnel plan decided by the company for the next management structure of Fuji Television's parent company, Nippon Cultural Broadcasting President Kiyoto Saito, who serves as an outside director of the parent company, expressed his hope that trust will be restored, saying that the plan brings together people with deep experience and knowledge in their respective fields.
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Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology: Reform of junior high school club activities "Guideline for household burden to be set around summer"
2025-05-20 14:46:00
Regarding reforms to club activities in junior high schools, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Abe has made clear his intention to present as early as this summer a guideline for the burden that each household would have to pay if the system of club activities being managed by local sports clubs and the like is to be fully introduced.
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Prime Minister Ishiba apologizes to Okinawa Governor Tamaki for LDP lawmaker's "Himeyuri Monument" remarks
2025-05-20 14:06:00
Prime Minister Ishiba met with Okinawa Governor Tamaki and, with the remarks made by an LDP lawmaker regarding the explanation of the Himeyuri Monument, which commemorates the female students who died in the Battle of Okinawa, offered an apology, saying, "It was an extremely regrettable remark, and as the president of the LDP I offer my deepest apologies."
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Minister of Economic Revitalization Akazawa to depart for Washington on the 23rd, negotiations to begin on the 24th
2025-05-20 13:18:00
Regarding the tariff measures of the Trump administration, Minister of Economic Revitalization Akazawa is preparing to depart for Washington on the 23rd of this week. Negotiations are expected to take place on the 24th Japan time.
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LDP/Komeito Secretary-General Meeting: Komeito calls Agriculture Minister Eto's remarks "highly inappropriate"
2025-05-20 13:14:00
The secretaries-general of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito Party met, with the Komeito Party harshly criticizing Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Eto's remarks regarding rice as extremely inappropriate. They also confirmed that they would work to address the high price of rice, including supporting the improvement measures put forward by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries regarding stockpiled rice.
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Stock prices rise as impact of US government rating limited; export-related stocks buy
2025-05-20 12:36:00
On the 20th, the Tokyo stock market saw stock prices rise as buying of export-related stocks and other stocks increased, as the impact of the downgrade of the US government's credit rating on the New York market on the 19th was limited.
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Chinese Kyoto University student arrested for cheating on TOEIC exam
2025-05-20 12:30:00
A 27-year-old Chinese graduate student was arrested on suspicion of trespassing after he was accused of attempting to take the TOEIC English proficiency test under a false name. The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the possibility that the student may have been trying to tell another test-taker the answers, as he had apparently come to the test venue with a small microphone hidden inside his mask.
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A "blue car" driving the Shin-Meishin Expressway in the wrong direction was discovered in Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture.
2025-05-20 12:19:00
According to an interview with an investigator, a car believed to have been driven by a suspect arrested on suspicion of hit-and-run in an accident involving a passenger car going the wrong way on the Shin-Meishin Expressway in Mie Prefecture, which involved cars trying to avoid the car, was found on the 19th in a residential area in Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture, about 20 kilometers from the accident scene. Police are currently investigating the suspect's whereabouts after the accident and the circumstances of his escape.
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Extreme heat expected in eastern and western Japan, with temperatures expected to exceed 35 degrees Celsius; be careful of heatstroke
2025-05-20 12:10:00
On the 20th, eastern and western Japan will experience intense heat from the morning onwards. Temperatures are expected to reach over 35 degrees during the day in some areas, so please be careful of heatstroke.
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A man in his 30s barricades himself in an apartment in Funabashi, Chiba, and holds his mother and sister captive
2025-05-20 12:10:00
A man in his 30s who lives in an apartment in Funabashi City, Chiba Prefecture, has been holding his mother and sister captive with what appears to be a knife. The man has been able to communicate with the woman by phone, but initially told police officers, "I'll kill you if you don't leave," and the police are treating the incident as a barricade.
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Minister of Finance: "Strict action will be taken in accordance with the law" for misappropriation of funds by Iwaki Shinkin Bank
2025-05-20 11:58:00
Regarding the issue of the former management of Iwaki Shinkin Bank, which has its head office in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, misappropriating funds to support the cash flow of large borrowers, Minister of Finance Katsuyuki Kato stated that the Financial Services Agency intends to take strict measures in accordance with the law, taking into account the findings of an independent committee currently investigating the facts.
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Drugstore shoplifter: Orders for theft from Vietnam? Arrest warrants issued for suspects
2025-05-20 11:49:00
In a case where a group of Vietnamese thieves were sending large quantities of goods stolen from drug stores to their home country, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and other joint investigation headquarters identified two suspects who are believed to have been issuing instructions remotely from Vietnam and obtained arrest warrants. The investigation is working to uncover the true nature of organized crime that crosses borders.
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Driver admitted to charges in Metropolitan Expressway accident that killed 3 after driving while ill
2025-05-20 11:47:00
A driver who was in poor health and was charged with negligent driving resulting in death and injury in an accident last year on the Metropolitan Expressway in Saitama Prefecture, when his large truck crashed into a traffic jam, killing three people and injuring three, admitted to the charges at his first trial on the 20th.
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Tokyo Metropolitan Government to make basic water charges free for four months from this summer
2025-05-20 10:50:00
In an effort to ease the burden on households caused by rising prices, Tokyo has decided to make basic water charges free for the four months starting from this summer.
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Company president arrested for selling "mopeds" as electric-assist bicycles
2025-05-20 10:29:00
According to an interview with a person involved in the investigation, the Kanagawa Prefectural Police Headquarters has uncovered a company in Tokyo that is suspected of selling electric bikes with pedals, known as "mopeds," as license-free electric-assist bicycles. The police have arrested the company's president on suspicion of violating the Unfair Competition Prevention Act and will continue to investigate the actual situation of the fraudulent sales.
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Port of Los Angeles imports fall by 30% in first week of May due to Trump tariffs
2025-05-20 09:43:00
The Port of Los Angeles, the US's gateway for trade with Asia, revealed that the volume of imported cargo handled in the first week of May fell by more than 30% compared to the same period last year due to the impact of the Trump administration's tariff policies.
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Chiba zoo sells NFTs, first in Japan to record 3D data of gorillas and other animals
2025-05-20 07:01:00
Chiba Zoo has started a business selling digital images of animals using "NFTs," a cryptocurrency that certifies the originality of products sold in the digital space. This is the first time in Japan that a zoo has used NFTs.
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US and Russian leaders hold phone call: Putin gives no indication of intention to immediately ceasefire
2025-05-20 06:55:00
Regarding the situation in Ukraine, US President Trump and Russian President Putin held a telephone conversation in the early hours of the 20th (Japan time). President Putin stated that he was "prepared to draw up a memorandum regarding a future peace treaty," but did not indicate any intention to agree to an immediate ceasefire. The second half of this article provides commentary on the telephone conversation from reporters covering both countries.
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Fuel containing up to 10% bioethanol to be introduced from fiscal 2028
2025-05-20 06:29:00
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has decided to bring forward two years of its action plan to commercialize a fuel made by mixing up to 10% "bioethanol," made from corn and sugarcane, with gasoline by fiscal 2030, and to introduce it in some areas from fiscal 2028.
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Prime Minister Netanyahu prepares to step up attacks to "control the entire Gaza Strip"
2025-05-20 06:25:00
Regarding the expanding Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that he aims to take control of the entire Gaza Strip, indicating that he will further strengthen his attacks. As of the 19th, more than 130 people have been killed in the fierce air strikes and ground operations by the Israeli military, and the number of civilian casualties continues to rise.
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Agriculture Minister Eto's "I've never bought rice" remarks criticized by opposition parties, to be pursued in the Diet
2025-05-20 06:23:00
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Eto has retracted his remarks regarding rice, apologized, and indicated his intention to continue his duties as minister. The opposition parties have unanimously criticized the remarks as inappropriate and cannot be overlooked, and plan to pursue them in the Diet.
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Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism: "4,000 station platform doors nationwide by 2030"
2025-05-20 05:50:00
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has set a new goal of increasing the number of "platform screen doors" installed on train station platforms to 4,000 locations nationwide by fiscal 2030.
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Midsummer temperatures expected in various areas; be careful of heatstroke; maximum temperature predicted to reach 35 degrees
2025-05-20 05:33:00
On the 20th, it will be sunny and temperatures will rise during the day, mainly in eastern and western Japan, with temperatures expected to reach over 30 degrees in many areas, so please be careful of heatstroke. On the other hand, due to the influence of cold air and fronts above, the atmospheric conditions in northern Japan and the Amami region are very unstable, so be careful of strong gusts of wind such as lightning and tornadoes, and sudden heavy rain.
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Peruvian suspect arrested for hit-and-run after driving the wrong way on the Shin-Meishin Expressway
2025-05-20 05:22:00
On the 18th, on the Shin-Meishin Expressway in Mie Prefecture, a passenger car was driving the wrong way, and cars that tried to avoid it were involved in an accident. Police arrested a 34-year-old Peruvian suspect living in Shiga Prefecture on suspicion of hit-and-run on two cars. Police are investigating the circumstances that led to the car driving the wrong way and running away.
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Nippon Steel considering 2 trillion yen investment in US Steel - Foreign Press Agency
2025-05-20 03:35:00
As the deadline for a U.S. government committee's review of Nippon Steel's plan to acquire U.S. Steel, a major American steel manufacturer, approaches, Reuters reported that Nippon Steel is considering investing 2 trillion yen in U.S. Steel if the plan is approved.
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