Political News(2024/07/30)
Liberal Democratic Party Senator Megumi Hirose leaves party after offices and other facilities are searched
2024-07-30 22:28:00
Liberal Democratic Party Senator Megumi Hirose has resigned from the party after the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors' Office Special Investigation Division searched her offices and other locations on suspicion of fraud, alleging that a woman who had been registered as a public secretary was not actually working and that she had defrauded the government of her salary.
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Liberal Democratic Party Senator Megumi Hirose leaves party after offices and other facilities are searched
2024-07-30 22:07:00
Liberal Democratic Party Senator Megumi Hirose has left the party after the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors' Office Special Investigation Division searched her offices and other locations on suspicion of fraud, alleging that a woman who had been registered as a public secretary was not actually working and that she had defrauded the government of her salary.
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LDP Senator Megumi Hirose's office searched for suspicion of fraudulent use of public secretary salary
2024-07-30 19:28:00
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Division has searched the offices of LDP Senator Megumi Hirose on suspicion of fraud, citing suspicions that a woman who was registered as a public secretary between last year and last year was not actually working and defrauded the government of her salary. The amount of salary paid by the government during this period is said to amount to several million yen, and the Special Investigation Division is expected to question Representative Hirose herself and investigate the situation regarding the opaque flow of funds surrounding the secretary's salary.
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Prime Minister to strengthen new drug development capabilities: "Increase the number of companies valued at over 10 billion yen to 10 or more"
2024-07-30 19:12:00
In order to strengthen Japan's new drug development capabilities, the government held a meeting to hear opinions from domestic and international pharmaceutical companies, and Prime Minister Kishida announced a policy to increase investment in startup companies involved in new drug development, aiming to create more than 10 companies valued at more than 10 billion yen by 2028.
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Defense Minister Kihara: "All-out efforts to drastically strengthen information security system" at House of Councillors Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense
2024-07-30 18:57:00
The House of Councilors' Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense held an off-session hearing on the series of scandals in the Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces. Defense Minister Kihara stated that violations of the handling of "specially designated secrets" information should not occur when strengthening defense cooperation with allies and like-minded nations, and expressed his intention to make every effort to fundamentally strengthen the information security system.
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Former CDP leader Edano meets with Ozawa, "We are carefully considering the party leadership election"
2024-07-30 18:20:00
Former Constitutional Democratic Party leader Edano met with House of Representatives member Ichiro Ozawa and agreed to aim for a change of government in the next House of Representatives election, and also conveyed that he is "carefully considering" running in the party's leadership election in September of this year.
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LDP Senator Megumi Hirose's home searched on suspicion of embezzling public secretary salary
2024-07-30 18:14:00
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's Special Investigation Division has launched a compulsory investigation, searching the office and home of Liberal Democratic Party Senator Megumi Hirose on suspicion of fraud, on suspicion that a woman who was registered as a public secretary between last year and last year had no actual work experience and defrauded the government of her salary. The amount of salary paid by the government during this period is said to amount to several million yen, and the Special Investigation Division is expected to investigate the actual situation of the opaque flow of funds surrounding the secretary's salary.
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CDP to decide date for leadership election, hold joint assembly of both houses of parliament on August 7
2024-07-30 18:06:00
At a standing executive committee meeting on the 30th, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan confirmed that it will hold a general meeting of both houses of the Diet on August 7th, attended by party members from both houses, to decide the specific date for the party's leadership election to be held in September of this year.
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Deputy Defense Minister distributes Antarctic ice in his constituency: "No intention of political use"
2024-07-30 18:04:00
Deputy Defense Minister Oniki revealed that Maritime Self-Defense Force ships had distributed ice collected in Antarctica in his constituency, and said, "We just wanted to draw attention to the Self-Defense Forces and had no intention of using it for political purposes."
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No reports of arrests of former SDF personnel: "Problematic from the perspective of civilian control" - Defense Minister Kihara
2024-07-30 17:52:00
On the 30th, the House of Representatives Security Committee held a closed-session hearing on the series of scandals in the Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces. Defense Minister Kihara acknowledged that there was a problem from the perspective of civilian control in that a former member of the Self-Defense Forces was arrested last year for fraudulently receiving diving allowances, but was not informed of the incident. On the other hand, he reiterated that he has no intention of resigning to take responsibility for the series of scandals.
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Northern Territories issue: Hokkaido junior high school students meet with Prime Minister to "resume exchange programs"
2024-07-30 17:41:00
Regarding the Northern Territories issue, junior high school students from Hokkaido who are the great-grandchildren of former islanders visited the Prime Minister's Official Residence and met with Prime Minister Kishida, requesting the early resumption of exchange programs that have been suspended in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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Deputy Defense Minister distributes Antarctic ice in his constituency: "No intention of political use"
2024-07-30 14:25:00
Deputy Defense Minister Oniki revealed that Maritime Self-Defense Force ships had distributed ice collected in Antarctica in his constituency, and said, "We just wanted to draw attention to the Self-Defense Forces and had no intention of using it for political purposes."
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Defense Minister Kihara to be advised to improve information security system over MSDF "specially designated secrets" issue
2024-07-30 14:12:00
Following the discovery of a series of violations regarding the handling of "specially designated secrets" related to national security on several Maritime Self-Defense Force vessels, a House of Councilors review committee has decided to recommend to Defense Minister Kihara that he improve the information security system.
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Prime Minister Kishida instructs relevant ministers to formulate new policies to promote a circular economy by the end of the year
2024-07-30 14:08:00
Regarding the circular economy, which promotes the recovery and reuse of resources, Prime Minister Kishida said that it is essential for achieving both the resolution of social issues and economic growth, and that he wants to strengthen efforts in this area by positioning it as a national strategy. He has instructed relevant cabinet ministers to formulate a new policy package by the end of the year.
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Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi: "Significant for stable use of nuclear power plants"
2024-07-30 14:04:00
Regarding Aomori Prefecture's intention to conclude an agreement that is a prerequisite for starting operations regarding an interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi stated that this would be significant toward ensuring the stable use of nuclear power plants, and indicated that the government would also proceed with the necessary considerations, such as clarifying the destination for the fuel to be transported after temporary storage.
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LDP Senator Megumi Hirose's home searched on suspicion of embezzling public secretary salary
2024-07-30 12:05:00
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's Special Investigation Division has launched a compulsory investigation, searching the office and home of Liberal Democratic Party Senator Megumi Hirose on suspicion of fraud, on suspicion that a woman who was registered as a public secretary between last year and last year had no actual work experience and defrauded the government of her salary. The amount of salary paid by the government during this period is said to amount to several million yen, and the Special Investigation Division is expected to investigate the actual situation of the opaque flow of funds surrounding the secretary's salary.
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No reports of arrests of former SDF personnel: "Problematic from the perspective of civilian control" - Defense Minister Kihara
2024-07-30 11:54:00
On the 30th, the House of Representatives Security Committee held a closed-session hearing on the series of scandals in the Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces. Defense Minister Kihara acknowledged that there was a problem from the perspective of civilian control in that a former member of the Self-Defense Forces was arrested last year for fraudulently receiving diving allowances, but was not informed of the incident. On the other hand, he reiterated that he has no intention of resigning to take responsibility for the series of scandals.
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LDP Senator Megumi Hirose's home searched on suspicion of embezzling public secretary salary
2024-07-30 11:00:00
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's Special Investigation Division has launched a compulsory investigation, searching the office and home of Liberal Democratic Party Senator Megumi Hirose on suspicion of fraud, on suspicion that a woman who was registered as a public secretary between last year and last year had no actual work experience and defrauded the government of her salary. The amount of salary paid by the government during this period is said to amount to several million yen, and the Special Investigation Division is expected to investigate the actual situation of the opaque flow of funds surrounding the secretary's salary.
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LDP Senator Megumi Hirose's home searched on suspicion of embezzling public secretary salary
2024-07-30 10:14:00
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's Special Investigation Division has launched a compulsory investigation, searching the office and home of Liberal Democratic Party Senator Megumi Hirose on suspicion of fraud, on suspicion that a woman who was registered as a public secretary between last year and last year had no actual work experience and defrauded the government of her salary. The amount of salary paid by the government during this period is said to amount to several million yen, and the Special Investigation Division is expected to investigate the actual situation of the opaque flow of funds surrounding the secretary's salary.
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Unemployment rate in June was 2.5%, down 0.1 percentage point from the previous month
2024-07-30 08:49:00
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the nationwide unemployment rate in June was 2.5%, down 0.1 percentage point from May.
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Prime Minister Kishida's Activities July 29, 2024
2024-07-30 06:29:00
(Prime Minister Kishida's Activities July 29, 2024) 09:54 Leaves the official residence on foot 09:55 Arrives at the official residence 10:02 Headquarters for the Promotion of Measures to Realize a Society of Coexistence Free of Prejudice and Discrimination against People with Disabilities (until 10:23) 10:29 Meets with Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Takemi Keizo and Director-General of the National Security Council Akiba Takeo (until 10:46) 13:32 Interview with the Chugoku Shimbun (until 14:03) 14:08 Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy (until 14:54) 15:15 Courtesy call by U.S. Secretary of State Blinken and Secretary of Defense Austin (until 15:41) 15:54 Courtesy calls by Secretary of State Blinken, Australian Foreign Minister Wong, and Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar (until 16:12) 16:25 Receives a request from Kumamoto Governor Kimura Kei (until 16:37) 16:52 Courtesy call from Honorary Chairman of the Awamori Meister Association, Arakaki Katsunobu (until 17:01)17:04 Extraordinary Cabinet meeting (until 17:12)17:15 Meeting with Minister of State for Financial Services, Murai Hideki, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, Kanda Junichi, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of the Cabinet Office, Ito Hideki, Commissioner of the Financial Services Agency, Arizumi Hideo, Deputy Director-General for International Financial Affairs, Horimoto Yoshio, Deputy Director-General of the Policy Planning Bureau, Yufu Motoyuki (until 17:36)17:42 Received a request from Kumagai Toshihito, Governor of Chiba Prefecture (until 17:57)18:03 Meeting with Iida Yuji, Administrative Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Tatsuzaki Takatsugu, Deputy Director-General for the Promotion of the Transition to a Carbon-Free Economic Structure, Yarimizu Hiroshi, Administrative Vice-Minister of the Environment, and Suminokura Ichiro, Deputy Director-General of the Environmental Regeneration and Resource Recycling Bureau (until 18:13)19:08 Departure from the Prime Minister's Office on foot19:09 Arrival at the Prime Minister's Office
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Government to draw up roadmap to strengthen domestic drug development capabilities
2024-07-30 05:39:00
The government has put together a roadmap with specific numerical targets to strengthen domestic drug development. In order to develop innovative new drugs, the government plans to set up a base for clinical trials in collaboration with overseas companies, aiming to conduct 10 trials per year within four years.
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