月: 2023年10月

1. Two scientists whose “groundbreaking findings” transformed the threat of the pandemic have been awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine. Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman were recognized on Monday for laying the groundwork for COVID-19 vaccines. Members of the Nobel panel say the laureates contributed to the unprecedented rate of vaccine development during “one of the greatest threats to human health” in history. “They have saved millions of lives, prevented severe COVID-19, reduced the overall disease burden and enabled societies to open up again,” said Richard Sandberg, a member of the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute near Stockholm.
2. A bipartisan group of US Senators, including Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, are reportedly planning to visit China next week with hopes of meeting President Xi Jinping.
3. Japanese opposition lawmaker Suzuki Muneo has defied a government advisory against travel to Russia and has held talks with Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko. Russia’s Foreign Ministry says Suzuki, an Upper House lawmaker with Nippon Ishin Japan Innovation Party, met Rudenko on Monday.

1. The head of an animation firm in Kyoto City has denied in court that his studio stoke the idea for a novel, as a man accused of a deadly arson attack claims. Kyoto Animation President Hatta Hideaki testified as a witness in the trial of Aoba Shinji at the Kyoto District Court on Monday. Hatta said it is heart-wrenching that the incident happened due to Aoba’s mistaken belief. 2. Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates says it is changing its name to focus on compensating the victims of its late founder. The agency has been at the center of a scandal over sex abuse involving Johnny Kitagawa. It also says it’s starting a new company to manage their roster of talent. The company says 478 people have come forward as of the end of last month with allegations of abuse involving Kitagawa. Of those, 325 are seeking compensation, which the company will begin distributing starting in November under a new name: “Smile-Up.”
3. Tokyo metropolitan police have arrested another ex-cram school teacher on suspicion of conspiring to shoot images of a girl’s underwear with a former colleague already under arrest. Police also referred the school to prosecutors for alleged violation of the personal information protection law.