Social News(2025/05/09)
Haneda Airport Building Company Internal Investigation: “Benefits to former House of Representatives member’s son’s company”
2025-05-09 22:56:00
Japan Airport Terminal Co., which operates the terminal building at Haneda Airport, held a press conference to discuss the issue surrounding a subsidiary of the company. The company revealed that an internal investigation revealed that the president of Japan Airport Terminal Co., Ltd. led the selection of a contract partner for the airport massage chair business operated by the subsidiary, with the aim of providing financial benefits to a company whose president is the son of a former member of the House of Representatives, and that the chairman also approved of the selection.
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Aichi Prefecture, Tahara: Elderly man and woman bleed to death; body has trauma; possible crime
2025-05-09 21:12:00
On the evening of the 9th, two elderly men and women were found bleeding and collapsed in a house in Tahara City, Aichi Prefecture, and were confirmed dead. The bodies had trauma, and the police are investigating the details, believing that it may have been a crime.
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Extremely heavy rain expected tomorrow in western and eastern Japan, mainly on the Pacific coast
2025-05-09 20:49:00
Due to the influence of a low pressure system and a front, very heavy rain and strong winds are continuing to fall intermittently in Western Japan. There is a risk of very heavy rain accompanied by localized thunderstorms from Western Japan to the Pacific coast of Eastern Japan through the 10th, and the Japan Meteorological Agency is calling for caution against flooding in low-lying areas, landslides, and rising river levels.
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Nankai Trough Mega-Earthquake Review Committee: "No significant changes observed"
2025-05-09 20:43:00
The Japan Meteorological Agency held a regular review meeting to evaluate the possibility of a major earthquake occurring in the Nankai Trough, and concluded that "no particular changes have been observed."
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Three dead sea otters in Nemuro, Hokkaido test positive for avian influenza
2025-05-09 20:43:00
Three endangered sea otters were found dead on the coast of Nemuro City, Hokkaido, and tests confirmed that they were infected with the avian influenza virus. A highly pathogenic avian influenza virus was detected in a dead sea otter on the coast of a neighboring town last month, and the Ministry of the Environment has decided to conduct detailed tests on the three sea otters found this time.
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Niigata Prefecture unable to secure rice for hometown tax return gifts, new rice to be shipped after October
2025-05-09 20:42:00
As rice prices continue to rise, Niigata Prefecture has revealed that it is unable to secure stocks of rice that is a return gift for hometown tax donations, and is therefore unable to send it to some of the people who donated. The prefecture has decided to take measures such as shipping new rice to those affected after October of this year.
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MK West Japan call center employee tells customer, "I'm going to kill you"
2025-05-09 20:05:00
MK West Japan Group, which operates taxi companies in Fukuoka and Kobe, announced and apologized for the fact that after a call center employee received an inquiry from a customer about welfare taxi vouchers for people with disabilities, the employee sent messages to the customer such as "You're just disabled, so don't get ahead of yourself" and "I'll kill you."
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Haneda Airport Building Company Internal Investigation: “Benefits to former House of Representatives member’s son’s company”
2025-05-09 20:04:00
Japan Airport Terminal Co., which operates the terminal building at Haneda Airport, held a press conference to discuss the issues surrounding its subsidiary, and revealed that as a result of an investigation, the president of the subsidiary had led the selection and change of contract partners for the airport massage chair business, in order to provide economic benefits to a company headed by the son of a former member of the House of Representatives, and that the chairman had also approved and encouraged this.
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Missing Moritomo disclosure documents: Ministry of Finance "assumes there are many references to politicians"
2025-05-09 19:41:00
On the 9th, the Ministry of Finance responded in writing to the legal team representing the surviving family members of the Kinki Finance Bureau employees who had requested an explanation for the issue of some of the documents related to Moritomo Gakuen that were newly disclosed by the Ministry of Finance last month being missing. The Ministry of Finance stated that "it is presumed that the majority of the missing parts refer to people connected to politicians," and expressed the view that many of the missing documents were destroyed in the process of intentionally destroying records of negotiations with the school eight years ago.
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Okinawa Prefecture holds first forum with U.S. military in Japan to exchange opinions following incident involving U.S. soldier
2025-05-09 19:38:00
In order to prevent the recurrence of sexual violence committed by U.S. soldiers, a "forum" was held for the first time where the U.S. military in Japan, Okinawa Prefecture, and others exchanged opinions. It was confirmed that they would hold discussions at least once a year, in principle, in the future, with the aim of strengthening countermeasures.
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The Kuroshio Current meander continues for the longest period on record for 7 years and 9 months, but the Japan Meteorological Agency sees "signs of an end"
2025-05-09 19:33:00
The phenomenon known as the "Great Kuroshio Meander," in which the Kuroshio Current curves sharply, has continued for the longest period on record, at seven years and nine months, but the Japan Meteorological Agency has announced that it is coming to an end.
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Subway stabbing incident: "Parents who are enthusiastic about education take it too far and become criminals" - motive explained
2025-05-09 18:42:00
In the case where a 43-year-old suspect was arrested on the 7th for stabbing a university student passenger with a kitchen knife at Todai-mae Station on the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line, the suspect stated his motives as "I wanted to commit the crime at Todai-mae to show parents around the world that excessive enthusiasm for education can lead to children committing crimes," but also said something to the effect of "I committed the crime because I couldn't make ends meet financially." The Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating the details of the incident.
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Extremely heavy rain expected tomorrow in western and eastern Japan, mainly on the Pacific coast
2025-05-09 18:40:00
Due to the influence of a low pressure system and front, very heavy rain and strong winds are falling in western Japan. There is a risk of very heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms in some areas from western Japan to the Pacific coast of eastern Japan through the 10th, and the Japan Meteorological Agency is calling for caution against flooding in low-lying areas, landslides, and rising rivers.
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Princess Aiko visits Osaka Week and the Singapore Pavilion at the Expo
2025-05-09 18:29:00
Princess Aiko, the eldest daughter of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress, who is visiting Osaka, viewed the exhibits for "Osaka Week," which began on the 9th at the Osaka-Kansai Expo site.
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Kagawa Marugame Police Station: Officer loses gun safe key
2025-05-09 18:01:00
It has been learned from police sources that last month, a police officer from the Marugame Police Station in Kagawa Prefecture temporarily lost the key to a warehouse where handguns are kept. Later, an employee of a nearby restaurant found the key and reported it to the police, and the police are providing guidance to the officer and working to prevent recurrence.
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Subway stabbing incident: "Parents who are enthusiastic about education take it too far and become criminals" - motive explained
2025-05-09 17:58:00
In the case on the 7th at Todai-mae Station on the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line, where a 43-year-old suspect was arrested for stabbing a university student passenger with a kitchen knife, interviews with investigators have revealed that the suspect has begun to make statements to the Metropolitan Police Department about his motive for the crime, saying, "I started skipping school because my parents were too education-conscious. By committing the crime at Todai-mae, I wanted to show parents around the world that if they take it too far, their children will become criminals."
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[Live] Japan Airport Terminal Co., Ltd. releases investigation results, chairman and president resigns
2025-05-09 17:37:00
In response to a problem where a subsidiary of Japan Airport Terminal Co., which operates the terminal building at Haneda Airport, was allegedly paying approximately 200 million yen to a consulting firm that was found to be operating without actual business operations by the National Tax Agency, the company announced the resignation of its chairman and president. A press conference will be held at 5:00 pm on the 9th to announce the results of the investigation. We will be reporting the company's press conference live.
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Male student commits suicide at Fukuoka's Tagawa Junior High School; third-party committee determines cause of bullying
2025-05-09 17:32:00
Regarding the suicide of a third-year male student at a junior high school in Tagawa City, Fukuoka Prefecture, last year, a third-party committee set up by the Tagawa City Board of Education determined that the victim had been bullied by other students, who repeatedly called him "smelly," and published an investigative report stating that it was believed that the mental stress led to the student's suicide.
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Ruling and opposition parties confirm early amendments to strengthen measures against online casinos
2025-05-09 17:22:00
The ruling and opposition parties held working-level talks to strengthen measures against online casinos, and confirmed that they will aim for early legal reform with an eye on the current Diet session. The outline of a proposed amendment compiled by the ruling party and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, which includes a ban on the establishment of casino sites, was also presented, and discussions will proceed.
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[Live] Japan Airport Terminal Co., Ltd. releases investigation results, chairman and president resigns
2025-05-09 17:02:00
In response to a problem where a subsidiary of Japan Airport Terminal Co., which operates the terminal building at Haneda Airport, was allegedly paying approximately 200 million yen to a consulting firm that was found to be operating without actual business operations by the National Tax Agency, the company announced the resignation of its chairman and president. A press conference will be held at 5:00 pm on the 9th to announce the results of the investigation. We will be reporting the company's press conference live.
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Climbing restrictions for Mount Fuji: Shizuoka Prefecture ordinance comes into force; mountain entry fees to be charged in both prefectures
2025-05-09 16:44:00
On the 9th, Shizuoka Prefecture's ordinance to regulate climbing Mt. Fuji came into force, and starting this summer mountain season, both Yamanashi Prefecture and Shizuoka Prefecture will begin to charge mountain entry fees. Tourists visiting the trailhead on the Shizuoka side expressed their understanding of the need for the regulations.
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Tokyo District Court dismisses lawsuit filed by former vice president over "power harassment" by Nihon University president
2025-05-09 16:39:00
In a lawsuit filed by former Nihon University Vice President Sawada Yasuhiro seeking compensation from Chancellor Hayashi Mariko, alleging that he suffered power harassment over the university's handling of a drug-related incident in the university's American football team, the Tokyo District Court dismissed the lawsuit, finding that the allegation "does not constitute power harassment."
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Osaka: Man stabbed with knife, taken to hospital but only slightly injured; 34-year-old suspect arrested
2025-05-09 16:28:00
Around noon on the 9th, a man in his 30s was stabbed by a man with a knife on the grounds of an apartment building in Abeno-ku, Osaka, and was taken to the hospital. He is said to have suffered minor injuries. Police have arrested a 34-year-old suspect who was near the scene on suspicion of attempted murder, and are currently investigating the details of the incident.
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Part of commercially available fishing line decomposes in the ocean due to microorganisms, research by Tokyo University and Ehime University
2025-05-09 15:51:00
A group from the University of Tokyo and Ehime University announced that they have discovered that some commercially available fishing lines are decomposed in the ocean by the action of microorganisms. This is expected to lead to measures against marine plastic waste, as it was previously thought that fishing lines could not be decomposed.
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Osaka: Man stabbed with knife, taken to hospital but only slightly injured; 34-year-old suspect arrested
2025-05-09 15:36:00
Around noon on the 9th, a man in his 30s was stabbed by a man with a knife near an apartment building in Abeno-ku, Osaka, and was taken to the hospital. He is said to have suffered minor injuries. Police have arrested a 34-year-old suspect who was near the scene on suspicion of attempted murder, and are currently investigating the details of the incident.
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Experiment to increase chances of winning "territorial disputes" Riken and others succeed in mice
2025-05-09 14:59:00
A group including the RIKEN in Saitama Prefecture announced that they had succeeded in an experiment to increase the chances of winning territorial disputes by manipulating the neural circuits in the mouse brain. They hope to use this to elucidate psychological states, such as stress resistance.
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Okinawa: Sexual violence by U.S. soldiers continues; prefectural assembly passes resolution of protest
2025-05-09 14:23:00
As sexual violence by U.S. soldiers continues to occur in Okinawa, the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly unanimously passed a resolution of protest on the 9th. It calls for the military, the prefecture, and others to hold effective discussions to prevent such violence from occurring, and for a fundamental revision of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement.
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Two men in their 20s arrested for allegedly molesting a runaway girl at Shinjuku's "Toyo Yoko" shopping mall
2025-05-09 14:10:00
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has arrested two suspects in their 20s for allegedly luring a runaway girl to an area of Shinjuku called "Toyoko" in Tokyo, bringing her into their home and committing lewd acts on her.
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Former employee given suspended sentence in Tokyo District Court case over insider trading at Tokyo Stock Exchange
2025-05-09 14:05:00
In a trial for insider trading in which a former Tokyo Stock Exchange employee was accused of illegally conveying undisclosed information to his father, the Tokyo District Court handed down a suspended sentence to the former employee, finding that he had "severely damaged the trust of investors."
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Osaka: Man stabbed by knife-wielding man, transported to hospital; man in his 30s arrested
2025-05-09 14:03:00
Around noon on the 9th, a man in his 30s was stabbed by a man with a knife near an apartment building in Abeno-ku, Osaka, and was taken to the hospital. He is said to have suffered minor injuries. Police have arrested a man who was near the scene on suspicion of attempted murder and are currently investigating the details of the incident.
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Three Hiroshima graduate schools to introduce credit transfer system for peace studies and nuclear disarmament courses
2025-05-09 13:49:00
This year marks 80 years since the atomic bombing, and starting this fall, graduate schools at three universities in Hiroshima Prefecture will begin a credit transfer system that allows students to mutually recognize credits for courses related to peace studies and nuclear disarmament. The aim is to foster human resources with expertise in peace research through collaboration between graduate schools in the atomic bombed areas.
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Spring Decorations Grand Cordon Recipients Receive Presentation Ceremony at Imperial Palace
2025-05-09 13:05:00
A ceremony to present the Grand Cordon to those who received the Order of the Sacred Treasure in the spring awards was held at the Imperial Palace.
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Former employee given suspended sentence in Tokyo District Court case over insider trading at Tokyo Stock Exchange
2025-05-09 12:56:00
In a trial for insider trading in which a former Tokyo Stock Exchange employee was accused of illegally conveying undisclosed information to his father, the Tokyo District Court handed down a suspended sentence to the former employee, finding that he had "severely damaged the trust of investors."
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Subway stabbing incident: "Parents who are enthusiastic about education take it too far and become criminals" - motive explained
2025-05-09 12:52:00
In the case on the 7th at Todai-mae Station on the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line, a 43-year-old suspect was arrested for stabbing a university student passenger with a kitchen knife, interviews with investigators have revealed that the suspect has begun to make statements about his motive for the crime during questioning by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, saying, "I started skipping school because my parents were too education-conscious. By committing the crime at Todai-mae, I wanted to show parents around the world that if they take it too far, their children will become criminals."
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Two Chinese arrested for forging foreign resident cards, Japanese name data also included
2025-05-09 12:22:00
The Metropolitan Police Department has arrested two Chinese suspects for forging residence cards issued to foreigners residing in Japan. Approximately 10,000 records of family registers and other records of foreign and Japanese nationals have been found at related locations, and the Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating the details of the case.
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Rice price outlook index for the next three months rises by 4 points
2025-05-09 12:19:00
The index showing rice price outlook for the next three months, which was surveyed in April among rice producers and wholesalers, rose by four points from the previous survey. The survey group suggested that although stockpiled rice has started to be released, concerns that rice will become scarce as summer approaches may have become somewhat stronger.
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Kanagawa Prefectural Police set up team to investigate Kawasaki body abandonment case
2025-05-09 12:11:00
On the 9th, the Kanagawa Prefectural Police Headquarters established a team to investigate the series of responses to the case in Kawasaki City where a woman's body was abandoned and her ex-boyfriend was arrested. In this case, the woman's family and others complained that the police did not respond adequately to the complaints of the woman who had consulted them about her being stalked, and the police will investigate whether there were any problems and make the results public.
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Japan Airport Terminal Co. chairman and president resign after 200 million yen was paid to company with no actual operations
2025-05-09 12:11:00
In response to a problem where a subsidiary of Japan Airport Terminal Co., which operates the terminal building at Haneda Airport, was allegedly paying approximately 200 million yen to a consulting firm that was found to have no actual business operations by the National Tax Agency, the company announced the resignation of its chairman and president. It plans to hold a press conference on the afternoon of the 9th to announce the results of its investigation.
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Secretary of House of Councillors sexually assaulted female journalist; government ordered to pay compensation
2025-05-09 12:03:00
The Tokyo District Court has ordered the government to pay 4.4 million yen in damages to Senator Seiji Ueda's public secretary for sexually assaulting a female reporter for a news organization. The government has not appealed, and the ruling has been finalized.
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Extremely heavy rain expected tomorrow in western and eastern Japan; be careful
2025-05-09 11:54:00
Due to the influence of a low pressure system and a front, heavy rain is falling in western Japan and the wind is also getting stronger. There is a risk of very heavy rain accompanied by localized thunderstorms from western Japan to the Pacific coast of eastern Japan through the 10th, and the Japan Meteorological Agency is calling for caution against flooding in low-lying areas, landslides, and rising rivers.
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Akita windmill blade falling accident "Necessary safety measures considered" Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Muto
2025-05-09 11:29:00
Regarding the accident in which a blade fell from a wind turbine at a seaside park in Akita City, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Muto stated at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting on the 9th that he intends to consider necessary safety measures after investigating the cause of the accident.
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Real wages in March fell 2.1%, down for the third consecutive month
2025-05-09 10:36:00
The total amount of cash wages per worker in March this year increased by 2.1% compared to the same month last year, but wage growth did not keep up with rising prices, resulting in a 2.1% decrease in real wages. This is the third consecutive month that real wages have decreased.
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Princess Kako to make official visit to Brazil, marking 130 years since diplomatic relations were established
2025-05-09 09:01:00
It has been officially decided that Princess Kako, the second daughter of Prince and Princess Akishino, will make an official visit to Brazil for two weeks from next month 4th, marking the 130th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Brazil and Japan, in order to promote international goodwill.
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Saitama Koshigaya Motorcycle and pedestrian collision on crosswalk kills two
2025-05-09 08:48:00
Late on the night of the 8th, a motorcycle driven by a man collided with a woman who was crossing a national highway in Koshigaya City, Saitama Prefecture, and both were killed. Police are investigating the details of the accident while confirming the identities of the victims.
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Real wages in March fell 2.1%, down for the third consecutive month
2025-05-09 08:46:00
The total amount of cash wages per worker in March this year increased by 2.1% compared to the same month last year, but wage growth did not keep up with rising prices, resulting in a 2.1% decrease in real wages. This is the third consecutive month that real wages have decreased.
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Fukuoka: One house burned down; two bodies found in ruins; elderly couple unable to be contacted
2025-05-09 06:33:00
On the early morning of the 9th, a wooden house in Fukuoka City was completely burned down, and two bodies were found in the ruins. After the fire, the elderly couple who lived in the house could not be contacted, and the police and fire department are working to identify the bodies.
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Very heavy rain expected tomorrow in western and eastern Japan
2025-05-09 06:21:00
Due to the influence of the front, there is a risk of very heavy rain accompanied by localized thunderstorms from western Japan to the Pacific side of eastern Japan through the 10th. In western Japan, winds are expected to strengthen, making the weather rough, and the Japan Meteorological Agency is calling for caution against flooding in low-lying areas, landslides, and rising rivers.
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Saitama Koshigaya Motorcycle and pedestrian collision on crosswalk kills two
2025-05-09 05:41:00
Late on the night of the 8th, a motorcycle driven by a man collided with a woman who was crossing a national highway in Koshigaya City, Saitama Prefecture, and both were killed. Police are investigating the details of the accident while confirming the identities of the victims.
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LDP lawmaker Nishida's comments about Himeyuri Monument spark backlash from opposition parties, criticism from within the party
2025-05-09 05:22:00
Opposition parties have stepped up their criticism of the remarks made by Liberal Democratic Party Senator Masashi Nishida regarding the explanation of the "Himeyuri Monument" in Okinawa, calling them "absurd remarks that contradict the facts." There are also voices within the Liberal Democratic Party calling for the retraction of the remarks, fearing the impact they may have on the upcoming House of Councillors elections in the summer.
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Subway stabbing suspect may have another knife; investigation into purpose
2025-05-09 04:52:00
In a case where a 43-year-old suspect was arrested on the 7th at Todaimae Station on the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line for stabbing a university student passenger with a kitchen knife, it was revealed through interviews with investigators that the suspect was carrying another knife in addition to the murder weapon. The Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating in detail the purpose of the suspect possessing multiple knives and the planning of the crime.
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31 people lost in Nagano mountains during Golden Week holidays, highest number in 10 years
2025-05-09 04:29:00
A total of 31 people were lost in the mountains of Nagano Prefecture during this year's Golden Week holiday, the highest number in the past 10 years. In particular, there have been many accidents caused by people slipping and falling on remaining snow during this time of year, and the police are urging people to carefully check the condition of mountain trails.
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