TOKYO, Jan 18 (News On Japan) –
The a hundred and seventieth Akutagawa Prize choice assembly was held in Tokyo on the seventeenth, the place Rie Kudan’s “Tokyo Metropolitan Tower of Sympathy” was chosen for the award. The Naoki Prize choice continues to be ongoing.

Rie Kudan is a 33-year-old from Saitama Prefecture. After graduating from college, she labored as a analysis assistant and made her debut as a novelist in 2021 by profitable a newcomer’s award in a literary journal along with her work “Bad Music”. This is her second nomination for the Akutagawa Prize, following “Schoolgirl” within the 166th choice two years in the past, and it has now introduced her the distinguished award.

Her profitable work, “Tokyo Metropolitan Tower of Sympathy”, is about in a future Japan the place a high-rise tower, designed as a snug detention facility for criminals primarily based on the notion that “criminals are people who deserve sympathy”, is inbuilt a park in Shinjuku. The story portrays a feminine architect who designed the tower as she experiences discomfort with the excessively tolerant society and the pervasive presence of generative AI, and regardless of her struggles, she lives her life with power.

Source: NHK

TOKYO, Jan 18 (News On Japan) –
Morning Musume.’24’s nationwide tour “Morning Musume.’24 Concert Tour Spring MOTTO MORNING MUSUME.” is ready to be held from March to May.

As the primary solo tour because the new formation, “MOTTO MORNING MUSUME.” will kick off with a efficiency at Tokyo’s J:COM Hall Hachioji on March 16, and can tour by way of Osaka, Aichi, Hokkaido, Miyagi, Nagano, Niigata, Fukuoka, Ehime, Hiroshima, Okayama, Gunma, and Tochigi, totaling 31 performances. The Hello! Project official fan membership is accepting advance ticket reservations till 17:00 on January 25.

The live performance tour schedule for Morning Musume.’24 consists of two components for every day, with completely different opening and beginning instances. For instance, the Tokyo performances at J:COM Hall Hachioji on March 16 (Saturday) can have the primary half opening at 13:00 and beginning at 14:00, and the second half opening at 17:00 and beginning at 18:00. The tour continues with related schedules throughout varied prefectures, concluding with performances in Gunma and Tochigi on May 18 and 19, respectively.

On the primary day of the tour, is has been revealed that the final single of Mizuki Fukumura will probably be launched, described as a track “that has never been seen in history.”

Source: Natalie

FUKUSHIMA, Jan 18 (News On Japan) –
The nori fishing business in Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture, is flourishing as efforts proceed to get well manufacturing ranges that declined following the Great East Japan Earthquake and nuclear catastrophe.

This season’s nori fishing in Matsukawa-ura, Soma City, started in the midst of final month. On the morning of the seventeenth, fishers boarded their boats earlier than 6:30 AM and headed to the nori cabinets used for cultivation. Upon arrival, they started harvesting the nori swiftly utilizing specialised equipment.

Matsukawa-ura in Soma City was as soon as among the many high nori producing areas within the nation. However, as a result of injury to aquaculture services attributable to the earthquake and nuclear catastrophe 13 years in the past, manufacturing volumes have remained low, with the manufacturing quantity two years in the past being solely 15% of the pre-disaster ranges.

According to Hiroyuki Yamashita, a director of the Soma Futaba Fisheries Cooperative who engages in nori fishing, this season has seen the perfect progress for the reason that resumption of fishing, as there have been no impacts from heavy rain or typhoons.

Additionally, Soma City’s nori was exported to Europe for the primary time for the reason that catastrophe final November, and there are plans to develop gross sales channels, together with exports to Asia and different abroad markets. Mr. Yamashita stated, “Its appealing feature is the strong scent of the shore. We conduct inspections to ensure safety before shipping, so I would like everyone to try it.”

Source: NHK

TOKYO, Jan 18 (News On Japan) –
Thirteen workers have been arrested for working unlawful males’s esthetic salons in over 30 rooms of a condominium close to Tokyo’s Nakano Station, with gross sales exceeding 1 billion yen in a yr.

Yusuke Fujiwara (47) and twelve others are suspected of offering unlawful sexual providers to shoppers in a condominium room in Nakano Ward final October.

According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, Fujiwara and others rented 33 rooms in a condominium close to JR Nakano Station for his or her operations. The case got here to gentle after residents of the condominium grew to become suspicious of various males coming into and leaving the rooms day by day and contacted the police.

The salon provided extra choices like turning into revealing outfits that hinted at sexual providers, in addition to the essential price.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police imagine the salon generated over 1 billion yen in gross sales in roughly one yr.

Source: ANNnewsCH

Kanazawa, Jan 22 (News On Japan) –
A 19-year-old man from Kanazawa was arrested Saturday on suspicion of indecent assault for allegedly touching the physique of a teenage lady who had taken refuge in a automobile after the Noto Peninsula earthquake.

The arrested particular person is a 19-year-old self-proclaimed part-time employee residing in Kanazawa City. Between January 1st and third, whereas the automobile was parked in Wajima City, it’s alleged that he touched the physique of a teenage lady a number of instances over her clothes.

According to the police, the lady had been returning dwelling together with her household and had allowed the unfamiliar man to trip within the automobile because of the chaos following the earthquake.

Upon receiving a grievance from the lady’s household, the person was arrested yesterday. He is reported to have admitted to the allegations in the course of the investigation.

The police state that that is the primary occasion of a sexual crime being uncovered within the earthquake-affected areas of the Noto Peninsula.

Source: TBS

TOKYO, Jan 22 (News On Japan) –
A person was rushed to hospital on Sunday afternoon after being discovered collapsed and bleeding close to Shibuya’s Hachiko statue after stabbing himself within the thigh.

Shortly after 3:00 PM, a report was made to emergency companies by a passerby in entrance of JR Shibuya Station, stating {that a} man in his 20s to 30s was stabbing his thigh with a knife.

When the police arrived on the scene, they discovered a person in his 20s collapsed, bleeding from his thigh, and he was subsequently transported to the hospital.

The man remained aware and knowledgeable the responding cops that he had stabbed himself within the thigh.

The incident came about close to Hachiko Plaza at Shibuya Station, and for a short interval, the realm surrounding the scene was in a state of commotion.

Source: FNN

KYOTO, Jan 22 (News On Japan) –
A monkey was caught on video Saturday in Kyoto’s bustling downtown space of Shijo-Kawaramachi amid a number of stories of “monkey sightings”.

According to Kyoto Prefectural Police, between roughly 10 AM and 4 PM on January 20, there have been six stories from pedestrians in Kyoto’s downtown space stating that there have been monkeys roaming.

These stories prolonged from Sanjo to Shijo alongside Kawaramachi in Kyoto, and there have been additionally sightings reported from Teramachi Street’s Kyogoku purchasing arcade, standard amongst vacationers.

One witness who noticed a monkey close to Shijo-Kawaramachi mentioned, “It climbed up a traffic signal, then onto the roof of Takashimaya department store, crossed the pedestrian crossing, and disappeared onto the sidewalk. It seemed quite casual.”

There have been no stories of any injury brought on by the monkeys, however police are urging warning, stating, “Please be careful as monkeys were seen in the area.”

Source: YOMIURI

TOKYO, Jan 18 (News On Japan) –
In response to considerations over copyright infringement related to the event and use of generative AI, Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs has introduced plans to hunt public feedback throughout January on a draft proposal titled “Perspectives on AI and Copyright.”

This draft was ready by a subcommittee of the Council for Cultural Affairs. With the fast unfold of generative AI use and rising considerations from creators about copyright infringement by way of AI’s information studying and technology processes, the Agency for Cultural Affairs has been discussing what actions utilizing generative AI may represent copyright infringement.

A draft created on January fifteenth outlines Article 30-4 of the Copyright Law, which usually permits the training of copyrighted works by AI with out consent, however contains caveats for instances that “exceed the necessary limits” or “unfairly harm the interests of the copyright holder.” It means that actions similar to concentrating the training course of on particular creators’ works or utilizing information from web sites with search restrictions for studying might doubtlessly infringe on copyright. The Agency for Cultural Affairs intends to conduct a public remark interval on this draft inside January and compile a report by the tip of the fiscal 12 months.

Source: NHK