月: 2024年9月

1. The new leader of Japan’s main ruling Liberal Democratic Party has officially announced his executive lineup. LDP President Ishiba Shigeru is set to become prime minister on Tuesday. Ishiba has named former Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide as the LDP’s vice-president. Aso Tar, who was vice-president, has become the party’s top advisor. Ishiba has appointed Moriyama Hiroshi, the former chairperson of the General Council, as the LDP’s secretary-general. Finance Minister Suzuki Shunichi will become the new General Council chairperson. Former Defense Minister Onodera Itsunori has been appointed chairperson of the Policy Research Council and former Environment Minister Koizumi Shinjiro has become chairperson of the Election Strategy Committee. 2. Japanese opposition parties have agreed to call on the ruling parties for sufficient deliberation on policies of the incoming administration of Ishiba Shigeru before the Lower House is dissolved for a general election. Ishiba is making arrangements to dissolve the Lower House on October 9. Voting in the resultant election is likely to take place on October 27. 3. The head of the interim government in Bangladesh has expressed his determination to quickly advance reform and hold an election. Muhammad Yunus became chief advisor of the interim government after the administration of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina collapsed in August after 15 years in power, following student protests. Yunus is the founder of Grameen Bank, which extends small unsecured loans to underprivileged people. He and the bank won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.

1. A Japanese court has acquitted an eighty-eight-year-old man who was convicted of a murder case that took place more than half a century ago. Hakamada Iwao had maintained his innocence and, with his elder sister, fought to clear his name.
2. US President Joe Biden has announced additional military aid of 7.9 billion dollars for Ukraine, saying it is essential for the country to gain battleground advantages to end the war with Russia.
3. Ishiba Shigeru has been elected leader of Japan’s main ruling Liberal Democratic Party. He is virtually assured of becoming the next prime minister.

1. The United States, Japan, France and other US allies have announced a joint statement calling for a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanon-based Shia Muslim group Hezbollah. The statement says, “It is time to conclude a diplomatic settlement that enables civilians on both sides of the border to return to their homes in safety.” It adds, “Diplomacy, however, cannot succeed amid an escalation of this conflict.” 2. The governor of Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture has opted to lose his seat after a non-confidence vote last week. Saito Motohiko says he will not dissolve the assembly and accepts that on Monday he will lose his job. But Saito said he also wants to run in the next gubernatorial election.
3. Four Japanese men have been caught at an Australian airport on suspicion of trying to smuggle a large amount of cigarettes into the country. NHK has learned that the four were pulled aside at Brisbane Airport earlier this month for trying to bring in more than 140,000 cigarettes without reporting them.

1. Emergency officials say the death toll from record rainfall in Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture has risen to nine.
2. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged UN member nations to work together to stop Russia’s invasion of his country, and he has asked them to participate in a peace summit later this year.
3. Japan’s Finance Ministry is hoping to mint excitement for the coming World Expo 2025 in Osaka. It has unveiled designs for commemorative coins to mark the event that’s scheduled to kick off next April.

1. Japan’s main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party has approved a new leadership lineup proposed by its newly elected President Noda Yoshihiko. On Tuesday, Noda presented his selection of key party appointments to party lawmakers from both chambers of the Diet. They approved the appointment of Ogawa Junya as Secretary-General, Shigetoku Kazuhiko as Chairperson of the Policy Research Committee and Ryu Hirofumi as Chairperson of the Diet Affairs Committee. Oogushi Hiroshi will stay on as Chairperson of the Election Strategy Committee.
2. The plaintiffs in a Nagasaki District Court ruling that recognized some individuals as hibakusha, or atomic bomb survivors, are expected to appeal on Tuesday. The plaintiffs said they are appealing because the district court ruling that recognized only some of them as hibakusha was inconsistent with precedents.
3. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian says Iran does not want war in the Middle East or to become the cause of instability in the region. Pezeshkian spoke to reporters in New York on Monday. He is visiting the United States to join the UN General Assembly for the first time since taking office.

1. Members of Japan’s largest opposition party have chosen Noda Yoshihiko as their new leader. He served as prime minister between 2011 and 2012. The Constitutional Democratic Party held a special convention on Monday in Tokyo to select its leadership. Four candidates ran in the contest. Noda came out ahead in a run-off against former party president Edano Yukio. Diet lawmakers, local assembly and general party members as well as supporters cast votes. Noda said: “I am determined to take over the government. The battle starts today. No matter who the Liberal Democratic Party chooses as its leader on September 27th, a general election will definitely be held before long. So, let’s start preparing for that battle today. From now on, we have ‘no sides.” Let’s unite our party so we can take power.” 2. Major League Baseball superstar Ohtani Shohei of the Los Angeles dodgers has marked his 53rd homer and 55th stolen base of the season. The Japanese player started as the leadoff designated hitter in Sunday’s game against the Colorado Rockies. Ohtani belted a solo home run at his fifth at bat in the bottom of the ninth inning. This tied the score 5-5. Mookie Betts followed suit with a back-to-back homer, giving the Dodgers a 6-5 win. Ohtani also stole two bases in the game, extending his stolen base record of the season to 55. 3. Seven people are dead in the wake of torrential downpours in Japan’s central Ishikawa Prefecture that have caused rivers to flood and mudslides across the Noto region. Some people living in temporary shelters following the New Year’s Day earthquake are once again facing recovery efforts, this time from flooding.

1. Japan’s Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko has called for a review of safety measures for students commuting to Japanese schools in China.
2. The Bank of Japan decided to keep its interest rate unchanged at the end of its first policy meeting since it raised borrowing costs in July.
3. Ohtani Shohei of the Los Angeles Dodgers has become the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season.

1. East Japan Railway says services on the Tohoku Shinkansen line have resumed after two linked trains became uncoupled. The operator says a coupler on the 17-car Tokyo-bound train became unhinged while it was running between Furukawa and Sendai stations in Miyagi Prefecture at a speed of about 315 kilometers per hour shortly after 8:00 a.m. 2. The Hyogo prefectural assembly in western Japan has passed a non-confidence motion against the governor, Saito Motohiko, has been accused of power harassment and other misconduct. He’ll soon have to decide whether to dissolve the assembly or lose his job. All 86 prefectural assembly members, those from five political groups including the Liberal Democratic Party and Ishin no Kai as well as independents, unanimously have been demanding Saito’s immediate resignation.
3. A ten-year-old boy who was attacked on his way to a Japanese school in southern China has died of his injuries. The Japanese Consul-General in Guangzhou, Kijima Yoshiko, revealed early Thursday that the boy, who was Japanese, died before dawn at the hospital where he had been receiving treatment.

1. Japan’s defense ministry has responded to multiple launches of ballistic missiles from North Korea. The defense officials say they appear to have fallen near the country’s east coast. Details of the incident were under investigation.
2. Former US President Donald Trump rallied supporters at his first large-scale campaign event since the apparent assassination attempt against him on Sunday. Trump held a rally in the battleground state of Michigan on Tuesday, just two days after a man with a firearm was taken into custody near a golf course where he was playing.
3. Major electronics manufacturer Sharp has unveiled the concept model of its first electric vehicle. The move into EVs is part of the company’s efforts to develop new business fields. The van-type model taps into Sharp’s technologies and has a wider space in the rear of the vehicle that replicates a living room. It has a large LCD screen to allow passengers to watch movies.

1. The number of centenarians in Japan has topped 95,000, marking a record high for the 54th consecutive year. The health and welfare ministry announced the figure based on the Basic Resident Register as of September 1. It said there were 95,119 people aged 100 or older, a rise of 2,980 from last year. Women accounted for more than 88 percent of the total, at 83,958. There were 11,161 male centenarians.
2. Companies in Japan are increasingly reaching out to their former employees to cope with labor shortages and explore new business prospects. Employment information firm Mynavi Corporation held its first alumni networking event last week in Tokyo. About 200 people took part. Telecom giant NTT also established a group-wide alumni network this month. 3. The United States has decided on a foreign military sale to Taiwan of spare parts and related equipment for an estimated cost of 228 million dollars. The US government on Monday announced the return, repair and reshipment of spare parts for aircraft and related equipment to Taiwan, and that it notified Congress of the sale.