月: 2023年10月

1. A man has fired shots toward a hospital in Saitama Prefecture near Tokyo, possibly wounding two people. The suspected shooter fled the scene and reportedly holed himself up in a nearby post office. 2. Japan’s government is arranging another flight by a Self-Defense Force aircraft to bring Japanese nationals home from Israel as the military there steps up its attacks on the Gaza Strip. 3. Policymakers at the Bank of Japan have modified the yield curve control on the long-term rate again. The central bank redefined the 1 percent threshold as an upper limit with room for allowance, rather than a rigid cap.

1. China’s top uniformed officer has warned that the military “will not be soft-handed” if anyone attempts to “separate” Taiwan from China. The Central Military Commission’s vice chair, General Zhang Youxia, spoke on Monday at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum. 2. Images suggest that Israeli forces have entered northern Gaza and have advanced about 3 kilometers southward. Israel’s military conducted intense air raids and continued ground operations in the enclave on Sunday.
3. A new fact has come to light involving the retrial of Hakamada Iwao, who has been sentenced to death but has been pleading innocent for a murder case that occurred more than half a century ago.

1. China’s former premier Li Keqiang died early on Friday at the age of 68, according to state media. China Central Television says Li had a heart attack and died shortly after midnight in Shanghai after all rescue measures failed.
2. A US-drafted resolution calling for a “humanitarian pause” and a Russian resolution seeking a “humanitarian ceasefire” failed to pass in the UN Security Council on Wednesday due to a rift between the United States and Russia. Both resolutions condemned the October 7 terror attack by Islamic group Hamas in Israel. Gaza residents and the families of the hostages taken by Hamas are growing increasingly worried. 3. The total value of sales at Japan’s major supermarkets was up in September for the seventh straight month. The increase was driven by the rising cost of many items.

1. Israeli media says that a large number of hostages may be released from Hamas captivity within a few days. The Israeli government on Wednesday said that more than half the estimated 220 hostages still held by Hamas have passports from 25 different countries. 2. The number of shops and staff at Japan’s Narita airport has taken a big hit since the start of the pandemic. The slump comes at a difficult time for the transport hub, which is facing a resurgence in tourists and other travelers.
3. The Japanese government has approved the resignation of parliamentary vice-minister of education and culture Yamada Taro over a scandal. Yamada submitted his resignation to the education minister on Wednesday following a media report about his extramarital affair with a woman.

1. US leaders are calling for humanitarian pauses in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip to allow for international aid to reach civilians, but they say they oppose a general ceasefire. Palestinian authorities say the number of people killed in the bombardment has risen to nearly 5,800. So far 1,400 Israelis have been killed, most of them in the initial attack on October 7. Hamas is still holding 220 people hostage.
2. In a landmark ruling, Japan’s Supreme Court has decided that requiring people to undergo surgery to remove their reproductive functions when they wish to officially change gender is unconstitutional. A person who was recorded as male at birth but now identifies as a woman asked a family court to allow a gender change without surgery, claiming that enforcing it would violate their human rights and the Constitution.
3. The start of 2024 is still a couple of months away. But a traditional ceramics maker in southern Japan is hard at work producing figurines for the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac. Amakusa ceramics are designated as one of Japan’s traditional crafts. One porcelain maker in Reihoku, Kumamoto Prefecture, started turning out miniature dragons in early September, using locally procured stones as a base material.

1. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on Israel to ensure the safety of civilians amid the conflict between the country and Hamas. Wang said China is saddened by the large number of civilian casualties caused by the conflict. He also said that while states have the right to self-defense, they should abide by international humanitarian law and protect the safety of civilians. 2. The International Atomic Energy Agency has begun its first survey since the release of treated and diluted water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean started earlier this year. IAEA Deputy Director General Lydie Evrard said the IAEA’s mission will continue until the release of the water is finished. She said the IAEA will continue its safety review with objectivity, based on the science and with an independent approach. 3. As the Christmas season approaches, Japanese people enjoy eating a typical cream sponge cake topped with large, fresh strawberries. But this year’s hot summer is raising concern about a sufficient quantity of the fruit.

1. An NHK staff member in the Gaza Strip has obtained footage taken at one of the main hospitals there. The video shows children apparently wounded by Israeli airstrikes being carried into the facility. An official of the International Committee of the Red Cross called the situation catastrophic. The official said the hospital lacks adequate fuel to remain operational and medical supplies to save lives.
2. Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has announced his intention to study income tax cuts, stressing that increased tax revenue will be returned to the people as a temporary measure to help them deal with rising prices. The prime minister said in his policy speech that the economy should be given the highest priority as Japan shifts away from the cost-cutting that has continued for three decades.
3. The leaders of the United States and five other Western nations have reiterated their support for Israel amid its fighting with the Islamic group Hamas. They also urged Israel to adhere to international humanitarian law and protect civilians.

1. US President Joe Biden has called for support for Israel and Ukraine, saying it is vital for US national security. Biden said, “We’re facing an inflection point in history. One of those moments where the decisions we make today are going to determine the future for decades to come.” 2. The latest data out of China indicates that a slump in the housing market is spreading throughout the country. New home prices declined in more major cities in September than in the previous month. The Chinese government is trying to reverse the lingering real-estate slump. Its countermeasures include easing mortgage-related regulations. The question is whether the government will take additional action.
3. Japan’s Diet convened for an extraordinary session on Friday. Lawmakers are to discuss rising prices and a draft supplementary budget for the first time since Prime Minister Kishida Fumio reshuffled his Cabinet last month.

1. Israel says it will allow Egypt conditional access to the Gaza Strip to deliver humanitarian aid. The Israeli government announced in a statement on Wednesday that “Israel will not prevent humanitarian assistance from Egypt as long as it is only food, water and medicine for the civilian population located in the southern Gaza Strip.”
2. The British government says Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will arrive in Israel on Thursday and meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Sunak plans to visit Israel and its neighbors through Friday to discuss ways to contain the fighting and provide humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. 3. US vehicle maker Tesla has posted a nearly 45 percent decline in third quarter net profit. This comes as the company slashes prices to compete with rivals around the world. Tesla released its latest earnings report on Wednesday. It says revenues in the July-September period rose 9 percent from the same period last year to about 23.3 billion dollars. But net income plunged to about 1.8 billion dollars.

1. Chinese President Xi Jinping met on Wednesday in Beijing with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two are attending an international forum on China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Xi and Putin sat down on the sidelines of the event to discuss their shared vision for the future. 2. The Chinese government released third-quarter GDP data on Wednesday showing the recovery of the world’s second-largest economy slowed down amid a prolonged slump in the real estate sector. 3.Prices of newly harvested Japanese rice have risen for the second consecutive year amid higher costs of fertilizers and fuel. The agriculture ministry conducted a survey during the September harvest season. It found that the average wholesale price of new rice was 15,291 yen, or about 102 dollars. For a 60-kilogram sack. That is up nearly 10 percent in yen terms from a year earlier.