1. US President-elect Donald Trump has called for the release of the hostages being held in the Gaza Strip. He has also suggested that the people involved in their capture will pay a heavy price, if the hostages are not freed before he is inaugurated in January.
2. US President-elect Donald Trump reiterated that he will block the planned takeover of US Steel by Japan’s Nippon Steel. Trump said in a post on his Truth Social site on Monday that he is totally against “the once great and powerful US Steel” being bought by a foreign company. He also said he will make the American company strong and great again through a series of tax incentives and tariffs. Trump added that it will happen fast. 3. Two Japanese – a comedian and a plaintiff in a forced sterilization lawsuit – have made the BBC 100 Women 2024 list. The British public broadcaster describes comedian Watanabe Naomi as “one of Japan’s most famous influencers.” Suzuki Yumi, one of the plaintiffs who sued the Japanese government over forced sterilizations performed under the now-defunct Eugenic Protection Law, is also on the list.
月: 2024年12月
December 2, Monday, 2024
1. Princess Aiko, the daughter of Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, turned 23 on Sunday. The Princess graduated from Gakushuin University this spring. She has been working for the Japanese Red Cross Society. She also performs duties as a member of the Imperial family. 2. Consumers in Japan are set to be hit by another wave of price hikes on food that will drive up grocery bills. A research firm says food makers are set to raise prices on almost 4,000 items between January and April next year. The companies blame higher raw material costs.
3. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency says astronaut Onish Takuya will become the commander of the International Space Station during his mission scheduled for next year. Onishi will be the third Japanese ISS commander, following Wakata Koichi in 2014 and Hoshide Akihiko in 2021. The ISS commander is tasked with ensuring the safety of the crew and exercising leadership to accomplish their mission.