月: 2024年10月

1. In Major League Baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers have beaten the New York Yankees 7 to 6 in Game 5 to win the best-of-seven World Series. It’s the Dodgers’ eighth World Series title and their first in four years.
2. Executives of Japan’s main governing Liberal Democratic Party and the opposition Democratic Party for the People have agreed to discussions on economic measures and other issues on a policy-by-policy basis.
3. A Ukrainian government official has told NHK that Kyiv will use leaflets to urge North Korean soldiers in Russia to surrender if they are sent to the frontline to fight against Ukraine.

1. Japan’s ruling parties plan to hold talks with the opposition Democratic Party for the People. It’s part of their effort to maintain their coalition government with Ishiba Shigeru as Prime Minister. The main ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior partner, Komeito, failed to secure a majority in the Lower House in Sunday’s election. As a consequence, they will seek cooperation from opposition parties on a policy-by-policy basis to steadily implement economic and other measures.
2. Covers have been placed over an iconic dog statue outside Tokyo’s Shibuya Station to deter Halloween revelers from gathering in the area. The statue of Hachiko, modeled after a loyal Akita dog, is a popular meeting place in the busy Shibuya district. Officials in Shibuya Ward are urging people, including foreign tourists, not to come to Shibuya to celebrate Halloween. But they remain concerned that large crowds of revelers may flock to the area, posing the risk of a crowd crush or problems related to drinking. 3. Democratic US presidential candidate Kamala Harris has blasted her Republican rival Donald Trump for fanning division, one week before Election Day. Vice President Harris held a rally in central Washington on Tuesday. She spoke at the same venue where, in January 2021, then-president Trump addressed supporters before they stormed the US Congress. Harris accused Trump of sending “an armed mob to the United States Capital to overturn the will of the people in a free and fair election,” despite knowing he lost.

1. Political parties in Japan are jockeying to form a majority in the Diet following an election that dealt a severe blow to the ruling coalition. A vote to name the prime minister is due to take place in the legislature in a few weeks. Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, who heads the LDP, has indicated that he will remain in his post and maintain the coalition government. He said national politics should not be allowed to stall for a single moment, and that he hopes to fulfill his duties.
2. US space agency NASA has chosen nine candidates regions of the moon for a potential manned landing. A landing is targeted for September 2026 under the Artemis mission, a US-led international lunar exploration project. NASA announced the nine regions on Monday. All are near the lunar South Pole. It says the sites were chosen based on their potential for the discovery of resources, and the likelihood of a safe landing. 3. An advisory panel for Japan’s finance minister has held a meeting to discuss public works projects and defense spending. This comes as the government compiles its national budget plan for the next fiscal year.

1. Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru says his party’s coalition will seek to stay in power, despite suffering a crushing blow in the Lower House election. Ishiba said: “We have received an exceptionally harsh judgement from the public. It is deeply regrettable that our LDP, along with our coalition partner Komeito, has lost many valued members. We must humbly and solemnly accept this outcome, reflect sincerely, and work toward a complete renewal of our party. 2. Japan’s ruling coalition lost its Lowe House majority in Sunday’s general election, with the opposition seeing significant gains. Financial markets in Tokyo on Monday reacted sharply to the results. The yen weakened against the dollar while stocks popped. Investors sold off the Japanese currency, believing that political uncertainty may slow interest rate hikes. 3. The Chairman of the Japan Business Federation urged Japan’s political parties to focus on policies to help the economy grow and overcome current challenges. Tokura Masakazu, head of the group known as Keidanren says voters showed their dissatisfaction with Liberal Democratic Party following slush fund scandal. He says the party should sincerely accept the result. However, he added that the party and its coalition partner Komeito must help ensure the continuation of stable policies to guide the economy.

1. Russian President Vladimir Putin has not denied reports that North Korean troops are in his country. When asked about satellite images showing the troops were in Russia, Putin said, “If there are images, then they are reflecting something.”
2. Japan’s top government spokesperson has expressed deep concerns about reports that North Korean troops are in Russia. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa’s remarks to reporters on Friday came after a senior US official said North Korean soldiers are being trained in eastern Russia, possibly to fight against Ukraine.
3. Former US President Barack Obama has joined Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris at a campaign rally with less than two weeks to go before Election Day. Obama said some men seem to think that the behavior of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is a sign of strength or machismo. He said that is not real strength. He said, “Real strength is about working hard and taking responsibility and telling the truth even when it’s inconvenient.” Referring to Vice President Harris, Obama said, “We’ve got a candidate to vote for in this election who demonstrates that kind of character, who knows what real strength looks like.”

1. The BRICS emerging economies have adopted a joint communique that calls for the elimination of unilateral coercive measures, including economic sanctions, that are contrary to international law. Russian President Vladimir Putin said more than 30 countries have expressed a desire to strengthen ties with the BRICS economies.
2. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby says at least 3,000 North Korean soldiers are now being trained in facilities in eastern Russia, possibly to fight for Russia. Kirby told reporters on Wednesday, “We assess that between early to mid-October, North Korea moved at least 3,000 soldiers into eastern Russia.”
3. The leaders of China and India have vowed to strengthen communication and improve bilateral ties that were damaged by a military clash in a border region in 2020. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met on Wednesday on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Russia for the first formal talks between the two countries in five years.

1. A Japanese high court has ordered a fresh trial for a man who was convicted of killing a junior high school girl 38 years ago and subsequently served his term. The Kanazawa branch of the Nagoya High Court handed down the ruling on Wednesday in response to a request made in 2022 by Maekawa Shoshi, who is 59 years old.
2. With two weeks to go before the US presidential race, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and her Republican rival Donald Trump courted Hispanic voters on Tuesday. Both campaigns are strengthening their efforts to win the support of Hispanic voters, who are a key constituency in the upcoming presidential election.
3. An employee of the Tokyo Stock Exchange is under investigation for suspected insider trading. The TSE’s parent company, the Japan Exchange Group, says it is fully cooperating with authorities. Sources say the TSE employee is suspected of providing undisclosed corporate takeover information to family earlier this year. The employee had advance access to company details that firms disclose to investors

1. Cases of mycoplasma pneumonia in Japan have marked a record high for the third straight week. Mycoplasma pneumonia is a respiratory disease caused by bacteria. Children are more likely to become infected.
2. The average price of new condominiums in the Tokyo area that went on sale in the April-to-September period hit a record high. A research firm cites high construction costs due to rising material prices and wages as a major factor.
3. The Japanese government plans to introduce numerical targets to improve working conditions for truck drivers while addressing a decline in the capacity of the trucking industry.

1. US Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris celebrated her 60th birthday on Sunday while on the campaign trail for the election in November. Harris has been appealing to voters by emphasizing her relative youth compared with 78-year-old Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. On her birthday, Harris attended a Sunday service at a church in the southern state of Georgia, Churchgoers sang “Happy Birthday” when she appeared on the stage. Earlier this month, Harris released a statement from her doctor that said, “She possesses the physical and mental resiliency required to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency.
2. US entrepreneur Elon Musk has stirred controversy by announcing a plan to give one million dollars a day to a voter who signs his petition. Musk is carrying out the campaign through a group he set up to support Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in the November 5 election. Musk aims to collect signatures for the petition to protect freedom of speech and the right to bear arms guaranteed by the Constitution. 3. Japan’s empress Emerita Michiko turned 90 years old on Sunday, and attended celebrations at her residence. Her birthday events were downsized as part of preventive measures against infectious diseases. But she received more guests than last year.

1. China’s economy grew by 4.6 percent in the July-to-September period from a year earlier, slowing slightly as a result of weak consumption. A major factor behind the slowdown was sluggish domestic demand.
2. A United Nations committee has reviewed efforts by the Japanese government to achieve gender equality, especially Japan’s legal requirement for married couples to use the same surname. 3. The Japanese embassy in Turkey says six Japanese tourists were hospitalized with injuries on Thursday after their bus was involved in an accident in western Turkey.