2025-04-23 23:37:00
Police have learned that two U.S. Marines have been referred to prosecutors for sexually assaulting two women in Okinawa Prefecture, one of whom is also suspected of injuring another woman.
2025-04-23 23:32:00
This month, at a junior high school in Gosen City, Niigata Prefecture, a student handed sodium hydroxide that had been distributed for use in a science experiment to two other students, calling it a "candy," and the two students ended up suffering burns after eating it, according to an interview with the city's Board of Education. The Board of Education is sharing information with the police and is investigating the situation at the time in detail.
2025-04-23 23:09:00
A Buddhist statue that was stolen from a temple in Tsushima City, Nagasaki Prefecture in 2012 and then found in South Korea will be handed over to Japan on May 10, according to interviews with people involved.
2025-04-23 22:51:00
Police have learned that two U.S. Marines have been referred to prosecutors for sexually assaulting two women in Okinawa Prefecture, one of whom is also suspected of injuring another woman.
2025-04-23 21:49:00
It has been discovered that a school lunch at an elementary school in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, contained shards of a broken fluorescent light bulb, and that the teacher removed the pieces before feeding the students. Although no one was injured, some of the students noticed the pieces and spit them out, and the city's Board of Education has decided to take thorough measures to prevent a recurrence.
2025-04-23 20:28:00
An investigation by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and others has revealed that the forest fire in Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture, which is the largest fire in Japan since the Heisei era, is believed to have spread rapidly to at least 2.7 kilometers away within about an hour of being detected.
2025-04-23 20:22:00
On the 23rd, the Aichi Prefectural Police Headquarters transferred two Japanese nationals who were detained in neighboring Thailand to Japan and arrested them on suspicion of fraud, for allegedly making false phone calls to Japan, pretending to be police officers, at a specialized fraud base in eastern Myanmar, and defrauding over 9 million yen in cash. It is believed that a male high school student from Aichi Prefecture was also forced to take part in the specialized fraud at the same base, and the police will question the two about the actual situation of the base.
2025-04-23 20:20:00
Regarding the issue of post office delivery staff not being asked to perform roll calls to check whether they had been drinking as required by law, Japan Post conducted a nationwide investigation and found through interviews with relevant parties that roll calls were not being conducted properly at over 2,000 collection and delivery centers, including post offices. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism received a report summarizing the results of the investigation from Japan Post on the 23rd, and plans to have local transport bureaus examine the report and then conduct audits of post offices and collection and delivery centers in accordance with the Trucking Business Act.
2025-04-23 20:00:00
The Osaka District Public Prosecutors Office has decided not to indict professional baseball player Orix Buffaloes pitcher Taisuke Yamaoka, who was referred to prosecutors on suspicion of gambling for using an overseas online casino.
2025-04-23 19:25:00
Three years after a tourist boat sank off the coast of Hokkaido's Shiretoko Peninsula, a father whose son in his 30s is still missing visited the port where the boat departed to speak about his feelings.
2025-04-23 19:22:00
On the 23rd, it has been three years since the tourist boat sank off the coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaido, killing 20 passengers and crew and leaving six missing. A memorial service was held in the local town of Shari, where the families of the passengers and others who attended offered prayers for the victims.
2025-04-23 19:15:00
Regarding the second test removal of nuclear fuel debris from Unit 2 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company announced on the morning of the 23rd that it had completed the removal by placing the container containing the debris into a special container. In the future, the debris will be transported to a research facility for detailed analysis of its properties and condition.
2025-04-23 18:59:00
On the 23rd, the Fiscal System Council, an advisory body to the Minister of Finance, held a discussion on the social security system, and expressed the opinion that in preparation for the revision of medical fees next year (2026), the council should make adjustments to reflect the different business situations of hospitals and clinics.
2025-04-23 18:50:00
As the problems surrounding online casinos continue to grow, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' expert panel, which is discussing ways to strengthen regulations, held its first meeting on the 23rd and decided to finalize the direction of regulations by the end of the year, including "blocking" measures to prevent access to websites.
2025-04-23 18:40:00
On the afternoon of the 23rd, a report was received that a device had exploded at a company conducting environmental surveys in Nagoya City, and two people were taken to the hospital. None of the injuries were life-threatening. It is believed that the company was mixing chemicals, and the police and fire department are currently investigating the details of the incident.
2025-04-23 18:31:00
As the price of rice continues to rise, Hirosaki University in Aomori Prefecture has decided to provide 10 tons of rice harvested on the university's farm this fall free of charge to any students who request it.
2025-04-23 18:12:00
The first hearing of a 23-year-old defendant indicted on charges of taking a teenage boy from Miyagi Prefecture to Tokyo Station in an attempt to get him to take part in a specialized fraud in Cambodia was held. The defendant denied some of the charges, saying, "I didn't know it was a specialized fraud."
2025-04-23 17:59:00
Health insurance premiums are deducted from your monthly salary. Do you check them? As medical expenses increase, the burden of insurance premiums on each individual has also increased, and some health insurance associations are finding it difficult to maintain their policies. We will explain in detail everything from how health insurance works to the background to the increasing burden.
2025-04-23 17:48:00
In a case where a Vietnamese suspect was arrested last year for breaking into the old Nakano Ward Office building in Tokyo, which was undergoing demolition, and stealing copper wire cables, the Metropolitan Police Department has arrested another suspect who is believed to be the "buyer." The suspect has reportedly denied the charges during questioning.
2025-04-23 17:46:00
Regarding the issue of post office delivery staff not being asked to perform roll calls to check whether they had been drinking as required by law, Japan Post conducted a nationwide investigation and found through interviews with relevant parties that roll calls were not being conducted properly at over 2,000 collection and delivery centers, including post offices. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism received a report summarizing the results of the investigation from Japan Post on the 23rd, and plans to have local transport bureaus examine the report and then conduct audits of post offices and collection and delivery centers in accordance with the Trucking Business Act.
2025-04-23 17:44:00
On the 23rd, 11th day after its opening, the number of visitors, including staff, to the Osaka-Kansai Expo exceeded one million, and a commemorative ceremony was held.
2025-04-23 17:31:00
Regarding the second test removal of nuclear fuel debris from Unit 2 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company announced on the morning of the 23rd that it had completed the removal by placing the container containing the debris into a special container. In the future, the debris will be transported to a research facility for detailed analysis of its properties and condition.
2025-04-23 17:12:00
Regarding the issue of post office delivery staff not being asked to perform roll calls to check whether they had been drinking as required by law, Japan Post conducted a nationwide investigation and found through interviews with relevant parties that roll calls were not being conducted properly at more than 2,000 collection and delivery centers, including post offices. The company plans to report the results of its investigation to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on the 23rd and make them public.
2025-04-23 17:09:00
Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress will visit Saitama Prefecture for two days from the 24th of next month to attend the National Tree Planting Festival.
2025-04-23 17:03:00
In order to strengthen immigration screening of foreign nationals, the Japanese government plans to introduce a new electronic authentication system that will conduct online screening before travelling for people coming from countries that are exempt from obtaining a short-term visa. The system is scheduled to go into operation in fiscal 2028, three years from now.
2025-04-23 16:32:00
In response to the increasing incidence of stalking and domestic violence, the National Police Agency held a meeting of police officials from across the country and instructed them to identify and respond to risks before romantic complications escalate into serious crimes.
2025-04-23 16:15:00
According to the fire department, a report was received at around 2:30pm on the 23rd that a distillation device had exploded at the Environmental Science Research Institute, a company that conducts environmental surveys in Kita-ku, Nagoya. According to the fire department, one man in his 50s was taken to the hospital with a head injury, and one woman in her 50s complained of feeling unwell after inhaling smoke. Police and fire departments are currently investigating the details of the incident. The incident occurred in an area where many factories and warehouses are located.
2025-04-23 15:29:00
As part of measures to combat rising prices, the government has decided to gradually reduce gasoline prices by 10 yen per liter starting next month. The government hopes to provide seamless support to the people, which is closely related to their daily lives, and to ease their financial burden, but opposition parties are calling for the abolition of the provisional gasoline tax rate.
2025-04-23 15:26:00
The Osaka Metro Chuo Line, the only rail route to the Osaka-Kansai Expo site, suspended operations on the night of the 22nd, leaving approximately 4,000 people stranded at Yumeshima Station, the closest station to the site. The Expo Association revealed that it only became aware of the suspension of operations about 30 minutes later, and will review its response, including how it shared information with Osaka Metro.
2025-04-23 15:22:00
The nationwide average retail price of regular gasoline was 185.1 yen per liter as of the 21st, marking the first decrease in four weeks.
2025-04-23 15:21:00
In response to new damage estimates from a massive earthquake in the Nankai Trough, the Liberal Democratic Party has compiled a proposal calling for drastic strengthening of regional efforts to secure food, medical care, and electricity in order to significantly reduce disaster-related deaths.
2025-04-23 14:57:00
As part of measures to combat rising prices, the government has decided to gradually reduce gasoline prices by 10 yen per liter starting next month. The government hopes to provide seamless support to the people, which is closely related to their daily lives, and to ease their financial burden, but opposition parties are calling for the abolition of the provisional gasoline tax rate.
2025-04-23 14:54:00
On the 22nd, a police officer was injured when he was hit by a car that had fled the scene while investigating a murder-related incident at a house in Yokohama. The police have issued a nationwide wanted warrant for the 50-year-old gang leader who was driving the car on suspicion of attempted murder of a police officer, among other charges.
2025-04-23 14:41:00
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it will phase out petroleum-based color additives in food. Local media reports that these color additives are found in cereals, sweets, and other products, and this will have a major impact on the food industry.
2025-04-23 14:40:00
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, and a ship carrying atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki departed from Yokohama Port to travel around the world to appeal for the abolition of nuclear weapons.
2025-04-23 13:44:00
On the 22nd, a police officer was injured when he was hit by a car that had fled the scene while investigating a murder-related incident at a house in Yokohama. The police have issued a nationwide wanted warrant for the 50-year-old gang leader who was driving the car on suspicion of attempted murder of a police officer, among other charges.
2025-04-23 12:39:00
On the 22nd, in a case where a man shook off police officers who were trying to search a house in Kanagawa Ward, Yokohama City and fled in a car, the police have issued a nationwide wanted notice for the fugitive suspect, Satoshi Tamura (50), a gang leader affiliated with the designated crime organization Inagawa-kai. He is currently under investigation for attempted murder for hitting a police officer with his car, causing injury, and for obstructing public duties.
2025-04-23 12:31:00
In a case where the suspects of a group arrested for defrauding cash in a special fraud scheme using fictitious billing methods are thought to have been contracted to launder money for the "Luffy Group," which is based in the Philippines and has committed a series of widespread robberies, it has been learned from an interview with an investigator that the phone calls for the fictitious billings that the group was arrested for are suspected to have been made from overseas bases. The joint investigation headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Department and other organizations plans to investigate the situation, including the destinations of the proceeds from cross-border crimes.
2025-04-23 12:14:00
Regarding the second test removal of nuclear fuel debris from Unit 2 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company announced on the morning of the 23rd that it had completed the removal by placing the container containing the debris into a special container. In the future, the debris will be transported to a research facility for detailed analysis of its properties and condition.
2025-04-23 12:13:00
On the night of the 21st, a suspect arrested on suspicion of breaking into a cram school in Saitama Prefecture is thought to have been involved in about 20 incidents and accidents, including a fatal hit-and-run incident, in the hour and a half prior to the incident, according to police interviews. One person was killed and about 10 people were injured, and the police are currently investigating the circumstances of the incident in more detail.
2025-04-23 11:28:00
Regarding the issue of post office delivery staff not being asked to perform roll calls to check whether they had been drinking as required by law, Japan Post conducted a nationwide investigation and found through interviews with relevant parties that roll calls were not being conducted properly at more than 2,000 collection and delivery centers, including post offices. The company plans to report the results of its investigation to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on the 23rd and make them public.
2025-04-23 11:21:00
As rice prices soar, there are concerns about the impact on rice production, which is expected to be a big hit. This month, just before the full-scale rice planting season, about 100 metal water supply valves were found missing from rice paddies in Namegata City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Similar incidents have been occurring one after another in Ibaraki Prefecture, and the police are calling for caution.
2025-04-23 06:10:00
A group from Nagoya University has compiled the results of a survey showing that the number of medical accidents has fallen by more than a third after a hospital implemented an initiative to encourage the reporting of so-called "near misses" that could lead to medical accidents. The group said, "This reduction is likely due to the fact that measures against accidents have been continued while maintaining a high level of transparency throughout the hospital."
2025-04-23 05:50:00
On the 22nd, a 43-year-old father was arrested on suspicion of murder for allegedly squeezing the neck of his 10-year-old son, resulting in his death in Sapporo. The father has admitted to the charges, and the police are currently investigating the details of the incident.
2025-04-23 05:23:00
As part of measures to combat rising prices, the government has decided to gradually reduce gasoline prices by 10 yen per liter starting next month. The government hopes to provide seamless support to the people, which is closely related to their daily lives, and to reduce their financial burden.
2025-04-23 05:21:00
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and other joint investigation headquarters arrested three suspects, including a 37-year-old man from Osaka, on suspicion of defrauding cash through a special fraud scheme involving false billings, and are also investigating their involvement in money laundering. The suspects received criminal proceeds from multiple organizations, including the "Luffy Group," which committed a series of widespread robberies, and at one point were believed to have laundered more than 1 billion yen in a three-month period, so efforts are underway to clarify the situation.
2025-04-23 04:55:00
Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) is expected to complete the second test removal of nuclear fuel debris from Unit 2 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant on the 23rd, and will now conduct a detailed analysis of the properties and condition of the removed debris.
2025-04-23 04:38:00
On the 23rd, it will be three years since the tourist boat sank off the coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaido. The parents of a man in his 30s who lost their son in the accident, living in Chiba Prefecture, released a statement, revealing their current feelings, saying, "With each passing day that passes without seeing our son, our loneliness only grows."
2025-04-23 04:32:00
On the 23rd, it will be three years since the tourist boat sank off the coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaido, killing 20 passengers and crew and leaving six missing. A memorial service will be held in the local town of Shari, attended by the passengers' families and associates.
2025-04-23 03:30:00
The "Heat Stroke Caution Alert," which is issued when health damage due to heat stroke is predicted, will go into effect this year on the 23rd. When there is a risk of serious damage to health, a "Special Heat Stroke Caution Alert," which is a higher level of alert, will be issued and thorough measures to prevent heat stroke will be required.
2025-04-23 02:55:00
In connection with the collapse of a high-rise building under construction in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, following the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, Thai investigators have announced that they have arrested three Thai nationals who are shareholders in a local subsidiary of a Chinese state-owned enterprise that was in charge of the construction, and are investigating whether they may be involved in the cause of the collapse.
