2025-03-17 23:35:00
The government plans to draw up a five-year action plan to coincide with its state visit to Brazilian President Lula next week, and is working to include provisions for mutual visits between the leaders every two years and the establishment of a framework for dialogue between the foreign and defense authorities.
2025-03-17 22:17:00
In response to the large-scale road collapse in Yashio City, Saitama Prefecture, Prime Minister Ishiba has instructed Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Nakano to expedite restoration work at the site by utilizing reserve funds in this year's budget, and to promptly proceed with an investigation of sewer pipes across the country.
2025-03-17 22:02:00
American retail sales, which also affect stock prices and exchange rates, were announced and were 0.2% higher last month than the previous month. However, this was well below market expectations of an increase of around 0.6%. In the United States, there is concern that the Trump administration's hike in tariffs could lead to a re-acceleration of inflation and a slowdown in the economy. The Federal Reserve Board will hold a meeting to decide on monetary policy on the 18th. Attention is focused on what Chairman Powell will say about the current and future economic situation at the press conference after the meeting.
2025-03-17 22:01:00
Voting will take place on March 23rd for the Fukuoka Prefectural Governor Election. The election was announced on the 6th, with four candidates, both incumbents and newcomers, running. NHK analyzed each candidate's speeches using a method called "text mining" to interpret what they were trying to say. We will also be showing uncut videos of the candidates' speeches and their responses during interviews. *During the election period, we will be updating a series of videos in the latter half of the article, in which reporters explain the "interpretation of candidate questionnaires."
2025-03-17 21:29:00
Regarding the issue of Prime Minister Ishiba distributing gift certificates to the offices of LDP members of the House of Representatives, LDP Senator Shoji Maida retracted his statement that "past prime ministers have done this as a practice," saying that it was based on misunderstandings of the facts and speculation. The issue continues to be pursued, and on the 17th Prime Minister Ishiba apologized again, with a series of statements from both the ruling and opposition parties.
2025-03-17 19:20:00
As part of the formulation of the government's new science and technology strategy, Prime Minister Ishiba outlined his intention to support the development of AI, quantum technology, and other areas, and instructed relevant cabinet ministers to accelerate concrete consideration of these issues.
2025-03-17 19:08:00
Regarding the issue of Prime Minister Ishiba distributing gift certificates to the offices of Liberal Democratic Party members of the House of Representatives with whom he had dinner this month, at the House of Councillors Budget Committee on the 17th, he stated that he did not believe that this was political activity and that there were no legal issues, but he also offered repeated apologies, saying that his actions were at odds with public opinion.
2025-03-17 19:04:00
Regarding the issue of Prime Minister Ishiba distributing gift certificates to the offices of LDP members of the House of Representatives, LDP Senator Shoji Maida retracted his statement that "past prime ministers have done this as a practice," saying that it was based on misunderstandings of the facts and speculation. The issue continues to be pursued, and on the 17th Prime Minister Ishiba apologized again, with a series of statements from both the ruling and opposition parties.
2025-03-17 17:58:00
A special committee of the House of Representatives invited experts to question them on the treatment of corporate and group donations. Some people called for a ban on donations, citing concerns that they would inevitably give priority to corporate profits and hinder the public interest, while others pointed out that a ban would only create new loopholes, and that regulations should be strengthened, including by ensuring transparency.
2025-03-17 17:03:00
A special committee of the House of Representatives invited experts to question them on the treatment of corporate and group donations. Some people called for a ban on donations, citing concerns that they would inevitably give priority to corporate profits and hinder the public interest, while others pointed out that a ban would only create new loopholes, and that regulations should be strengthened, including by ensuring transparency.
2025-03-17 16:33:00
Regarding the issue of Prime Minister Ishiba distributing gift certificates to the offices of LDP members of the House of Representatives, LDP Senator Shoji Maida retracted his statement that "past prime ministers have done it as a practice," saying that it was based on misunderstandings of the facts and speculation. The issue continues to be pursued, and today Prime Minister Ishiba apologized again, with a series of statements from both the ruling and opposition parties.
2025-03-17 15:57:00
Regarding the issue of Prime Minister Ishiba distributing gift certificates to the offices of LDP members of the House of Representatives, LDP Senator Shoji Maida retracted his statement that "past prime ministers have done it as a practice," saying that it was based on misunderstandings of the facts and speculation. The issue continues to be pursued, and today Prime Minister Ishiba apologized again, with a series of statements from both the ruling and opposition parties.
2025-03-17 15:42:00
The LDP and CDP Diet Affairs Committee chairpersons met and agreed to hold intensive discussions on themes such as foreign affairs and security at the House of Councillors Budget Committee on the 19th. The CDP also called for thorough discussions, taking into account the issue of gift certificates, without being limited by a set date.
2025-03-17 13:40:00
The Central Council for Education, an advisory body to the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, held a general meeting and selected Masahiro Hashimoto, chairman of Sumitomo Life Insurance, a major life insurance company, as its new chairman.
2025-03-17 12:10:00
The investigation into the issue of distributing gift certificates to the offices of LDP members of the House of Representatives continues. Today, Prime Minister Ishiba apologized again, and both the ruling and opposition parties made a series of statements.
2025-03-17 11:42:00
Regarding the issue of distributing gift certificates to the offices of LDP members of the House of Representatives, Prime Minister Ishiba repeatedly apologized at the House of Councillors Budget Committee, saying that he felt deeply that his actions were at odds with public sentiment, and indicated his intention to provide a full explanation. However, when asked by the opposition parties whether previous prime ministers had also done so as a matter of practice, he said that he was not aware of the matter and was not in a position to answer.
2025-03-17 09:30:00
Prime Minister Ishiba's activities (March 16, 2025) 12:30 Meets with Minister of Digital Affairs Taira Masaaki and Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary Suzuki Atsuo at the official residence (until 13:18) 13:21 Records a video message for economic events, etc. (until 13:36) 13:51 Meets with Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Fukuoka Suemasa, Minister of State for Economic Revitalization Akazawa Akimasa, Administrative Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Ihara Kazuto, and Director-General of the Pension Bureau Hazama Ryuichiro (until 15:11) 15:12 Meets with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Aoki Kazuhiko (until 18:34) (March 15, 2025) 07:39 Departs from the official residence 07:54 Arrives at JR Shinjuku Station 08:15 Departs from Shinjuku Station on the Azusa 79 11:03 Arrives at JR Okaya Station in Okaya City, Nagano Prefecture 11:06 Departs from Okaya Station 11:50 Arrived at Shinshu Ina Soba Meijing-tei, a soba restaurant in Ina City, Nagano Prefecture. Lunch with Minister of State for Regional Revitalization Ito Yoshitaka, Nagano Governor Abe Shuichi, and Japan Post President Masuda Hiroya. 12:35 Departed from the same place. 12:40 Arrived at Inadani Sees, a base facility for industry-academia-government collaboration in the city. Visited unmanned aerial vehicles, etc. 13:02 New Regional Economy and Living Environment Creation Conference (until 14:23) 14:28 Departed from the same place. 14:54 Arrived at Ohisama no Mori, a complex welfare facility in Miyata Village, Nagano Prefecture. Visited Azuma-ya Kawaramachi, a home-based childcare facility for the elderly, located within the facility. Accompanied by Nagano Governor Abe 15:16 Roundtable discussion with relevant parties (until 15:56) 16:06 Media interviews (until 16:18) 17:19 Departs from same location 17:28 Arrives at JR Okaya Station 18:16 Departs from same station on Azusa 50 20:50 Arrives at JR Shinjuku Station 20:55 Departs from same station 21:08 Arrives at the Prime Minister's Residence (March 14, 2025) 07:26 Departs from the Prime Minister's Residence on foot 07:27 Arrives at the Prime Minister's Residence 07:28 Media interviews (until 07:30) 07:40 Ministerial meeting on logistics innovation (until 07:51) 07:58 Consumer Policy Council (until 08:08) 08:15 Cabinet meeting (until 08:30) 08:40 Meeting with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Aoki Kazuhiko (until 09:00) 09:37 Meeting with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Aoki (until 9:56) 10:01 Courtesy call from Los Angeles Dodgers player Sasaki Roki and others (until 10:15) 10:20 Meeting with Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary Sakata Wataru and Cabinet Secretariat Deputy Director-General for Recovery and Reconstruction Assistance Nagahashi Kazuhisa (until 10:33) 10:40 Meeting with Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Aoki (until 10:45) 11:40 Courtesy call from a joint delegation of the Japan-China Economic Association (until 12:07) 12:46 Departs from the Prime Minister's Office 12:48 Arrives in the Diet 12:50 Enters the First Committee Room of the House of Councillors 12:55 House of Councillors Budget Committee opens 17:08 House of Councillors Budget Committee adjourns. Leaves the room at 17:11 Leaves the Diet at 17:12 Arrives at the Prime Minister's Office at 17:18 Met with Director-General of the National Security Secretariat Okano Masatake, Cabinet Intelligence Director Hara Kazuya, Director-General of the Defense Ministry's Defense Policy Bureau Yamato Taro, and Chief of the Intelligence Bureau Egawa Hiroshi (until 17:32) 17:33 Met with Cabinet Intelligence Director Hara (until 17:41) 18:04 Iftar dinner hosted by the Prime Minister with ambassadors of Islamic countries to Japan (until 18:24) 18:41 Roundtable discussion with truck drivers (until 19:09) 19:56 Leaves the Prime Minister's Office on foot 19:57 Arrives at the Prime Minister's Office
2025-03-17 07:22:00
In the Chiba Prefectural Governor election, which was a contest between the incumbent and three newcomers, independent incumbent Toshihito Kumagai (47) was elected for the second time.
2025-03-17 06:45:00
In the Chiba Prefectural Governor election, which was a contest between the incumbent and three newcomers, independent incumbent Toshihito Kumagai (47) was elected for the second time.
2025-03-17 05:19:00
Regarding the issue of distributing gift certificates to the offices of LDP members of the House of Representatives, Prime Minister Ishiba has decided to continue to provide a detailed explanation, saying he wants to minimize the impact on budget deliberations and other matters. In response, the Constitutional Democratic Party and others plan to intensify their pursuit of the issue, including by requesting that Prime Minister Ishiba explain himself before the Political Ethics Committee.
2025-03-17 04:56:00
In the Chiba mayoral election, which was a contest between the incumbent and two newcomers, independent incumbent Shunichi Kamiya (51) was elected for the second time.
