The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has ordered the suspension of automobile shipments resulting from a problem wherein the car producer Daihatsu Motor Corporation fraudulently obtained nationwide certification, however on account of affirmation assessments, it was confirmed that 5 automobile fashions adjust to the requirements. As a outcome, the order to cease shipments has been lifted.
Former LDP Secretary-General Nikai intends to disband Nikai faction over political funding incident | NHK
In response to the incident surrounding the political funding occasion of a faction of the Liberal Democratic Party, Nikai Nikai, the chairman of the Nikai faction, held a press convention and introduced his intention to dissolve the faction.
JR Tokaido Line resumes operation in some sections | NHK
The JR Tokaido Line had suspended operations on the up and down traces between Tokyo Station and Atami Station resulting from an accident involving individuals, however operations resumed in some sections at 3:21 p.m. Both the inbound and outbound traces proceed to be suspended between Shinagawa Station and Yokohama Station. The complete Shonan-Shinjuku Line resumed operations at 3:30 p.m.
Idol’s First Foray into Glamour Photography: Celebrating Graduation with a Special Photo Book
TOKYO, Jan 19 (News On Japan) –
Rin Okabe, a well-liked member of AKB48 who has been chosen for the group’s singles 12 occasions, has introduced the discharge of her first photobook on March twenty seventh to commemorate her commencement from the group.
The photobook, which is but to be titled, contains a assortment of pictures taken in her hometown of Hitachi City in Ibaraki Prefecture, the place she serves because the “Ibaraki Ambassador,” in addition to in Okinawa Prefecture.
The theme of the photobook is “a journey of reset and restart,” starting with a location personally significant to Okabe—the realm in entrance of JR Joban Line’s Hitachi Station. For the primary time, she took on the problem of a full-fledged gravure shoot, together with swimsuit and lingerie scenes, which she talked about she had virtually no expertise with earlier than.
Okabe, who was nominated for “The 100 Most Beautiful Faces in the World” in each 2022 and 2023, retains the allure and delicacy that has captivated followers over her ten-year idol profession. However, this photobook additionally contains many photographs that overturn the standard picture of “Rin Okabe,” showcasing her from a number of views.
Reflecting on the chance to publish a photobook, Okabe mentioned, “I had never thought about releasing a photobook, so I hesitated at first when the idea was presented to me. But when I heard that the photographer Kazutaka Nakamura, whom I’ve long admired and who has taken many of my favorite photographs and photobooks, would be in charge of the shooting, I was instantly motivated. From that day on, I started walking two hours every morning and did everything I could to prepare for the shoot. I felt so attached to the project that I experienced a sense of loss after returning from the location shoot. I believe it has turned out to be the best photobook, and I definitely want as many people as possible to get their hands on it!”
Source: MDPR
News On Japan – Jan 19
Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is getting ready for a precision lunar touchdown with its unmanned explorer “SLIM” within the early hours of January 20, turning into Japan’s first moon touchdown if profitable.
News On Japan – Jan 19
An 87-year-old girl’s beloved canine, Muumu, was saved from the rubble of her collapsed residence virtually 3 days after the huge earthquake hit her city on New Year’s Day.
News On Japan – Jan 19
Police investigating a pair of their fifties discovered lifeless three days in the past beneath the ground of their home in Adachi, Tokyo, have arrested a 30-year-old girl of Filipino nationality, an acquaintance of the couple, on suspicion of abandoning the our bodies.
NHK – Jan 19
Japan’s Defense Ministry has signed a contract to buy as much as 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States.
News On Japan – Jan 18
In a case the place executives of Japan’s largest scout group, centered in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho district, have been arrested and indicted for critically injuring a male member, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested 5 further members on suspicion of confinement and indecent assault leading to harm.
News On Japan – Jan 18
Tomoko Tamura, a member of the House of Councillors, is ready to take the helm as the primary feminine chief of the Communist Party, elevating questions whether or not the appointment might function a turning level for the occasion, which has seen a droop in recognition.
News On Japan – Jan 18
The U.S. Forces stationed in Japan have commenced catastrophe reduction operations to help these affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake.
News On Japan – Jan 17
A quake survivor who managed to name for assist whereas trapped beneath his partially collapsed home, recorded his ordeal on his cellphone for 38 seconds, whereas he was buried alive.
News On Japan – Jan 17
Mitsuko Tottori, a former cabin attendant, shall be promoted to the following president of Japan Airlines, turning into the primary girl to carry the place of highest-ranking govt within the firm.
News On Japan – Jan 17
The wing of a passenger plane being towed at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido clipped one other parked aircraft at round 5:30 PM on Tuesday, with no experiences of accidents among the many 289 passengers and crew.
News On Japan – Jan 17
The Tokyo District Prosecutor’s Office has determined to not prosecute the person generally known as ‘Rengoku Koroaki,’ a YouTuber specializing in citizen’s arrests, who was arrested final yr for unlawfully detaining one other man.
News On Japan – Jan 17
With roads nonetheless blocked as a result of landslides following the Noto Peninsula earthquake, making it not possible for autos to move, drones are being utilized to ship important provides in disaster-stricken areas.
News On Japan – Jan 16
Japan police have issued a nationwide warrant for a yakuza boss suspected of fatally capturing of man in Starbucks in Ehime on Sunday.
News On Japan – Jan 16
In response to the Noto Peninsula earthquake, the Ishikawa Veterinary Association has launched an initiative to help evacuees with pets by providing free pet care at greater than 40 animal hospitals throughout the prefecture for one month.
News On Japan – Jan 16
Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka made her return to Grand Slam tennis on the Australian Open following the delivery of her first baby final July, however exiting the stage in straight units to French participant Caroline Garcia, ranked nineteenth on the planet.
News On Japan – Jan 16
Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) is on the point of tighten the screws on Sompo Japan by issuing a enterprise enchancment order inside this month following the insurance coverage fraud scandal involving false claims by used automotive vendor Big Motor.
Representative Yaichi Tanigawa, who left the Liberal Democratic Party, solidifies his intention to resign; Representative Yasumasa Ohno additionally leaves the occasion | NHK
Yaichi Tanikawa, a member of the House of Representatives who left the Liberal Democratic Party after being summarily indicted on prices of constructing false statements in violation of the Political Funds Control Act in an incident involving a political funding occasion of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Abe faction, has confirmed his intention to resign.
Yasumasa Ohno, a member of the House of Councilors who was additionally indicted, left the Liberal Democratic Party.
Japan Spacecraft Set for Historic Moon Landing Before Dawn Tomorrow
Last yr, a touchdown craft from a Japanese enterprise firm tried to land on the moon however failed after crashing onto the lunar floor.
“SLIM” is an unmanned exploration craft developed by JAXA, standing 2.4 meters tall and weighing round 200 kilograms, excluding gas. By using “image recognition” expertise, the craft goals to determine lunar terrain options corresponding to craters and land inside 100 meters of its goal level.
Launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture in September final yr, it has been flying in direction of the moon, which is about 380,000 kilometers away, for roughly 4 months. After altering its orbital altitude round 10:40 PM on January 19, it’s scheduled to start out descending in direction of the touchdown at round 0:00 AM on January 20, planning to land in about 20 minutes.
At the beginning of its descent, “SLIM” shall be touring at a pace roughly seven instances that of an plane, at round 6,400 kilometers per hour. It will purpose for the touchdown website about 800 kilometers away whereas decelerating sharply by firing its thrusters in the other way of journey. As it approaches the touchdown website, it’ll extract shapes of craters and different options from pictures of the lunar floor taken by its onboard digicam, matching them with map knowledge to estimate the craft’s place and proper any deviations, utilizing an “image matching navigation” technique to method extra precisely. As it will get nearer to the touchdown website above, it’ll proceed to descend whereas checking altitude and obstacles from an altitude of about 3.5 kilometers. As it nears the lunar floor, it plans to separate two small robots earlier than touchdown.
The lunar floor is complicated, with options corresponding to craters. Landing in locations with steep slopes or tough terrain will increase the issue, so historically, landings have been made in flat areas with fewer obstacles. The deliberate touchdown website for “SLIM” is close to a crater known as “SHIOLI,” on a slope with an inclination of about 15 levels. For touchdown on a slope, it’ll try a brand new approach known as the “two-stage landing method.”
The “two-stage landing method” entails utilizing brief touchdown legs outfitted with shock-absorbing supplies. The craft will first tilt ahead as the principle legs contact the lunar floor, then fall over and stabilize by touchdown on auxiliary legs, a technique designed for protected touchdown even on sloped terrain.
Sakai Shinichiro, Project Manager of the “SLIM” Project “Previous landings were like standing up while spreading the legs to avoid falling, but with ‘SLIM,’ we intentionally fall over and touch down without tumbling, like putting knees or hands down. To my knowledge, there are no other examples like this; it’s a quite unique method,” explains Sakai Shinichiro, “SLIM” venture supervisor.
The objective is a “pinpoint” touchdown, holding the error distance between the deliberate and precise touchdown websites inside 100 meters. In distinction to the error margin of a number of kilometers in earlier explorations by numerous international locations, this might be a touchdown of a lot greater precision. According to JAXA, whether or not the lunar touchdown is profitable shall be clear by the daybreak, however whether or not the “pinpoint landing” inside 100 meters was achieved shall be introduced a few month later after knowledge evaluation.
Related article: Japan’s First Lunar Landing Mission: SLIM Enters Moon’s Circular Orbit at 600 km Altitude
Source: NHK
Accounting officer of Abe faction/Nikai faction Case filed in opposition to former accounting officer of Kishida faction | NHK
In a case involving a celebration for political funds held by a faction of the Liberal Democratic Party, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Department indicted the accounting managers of the Abe faction and the Nikai faction on costs of constructing false statements in violation of the Political Funds Control Act, and indicted the previous accounting director of the Kishida faction. was formally indicted. Additionally, House of Councilors member Yasumasa Ohno, who is alleged to have obtained over 50 million yen in kickbacks from the Abe faction, was indicted at dwelling, and House of Representatives members Yaichi Tanikawa and others have been indicted on a abstract foundation. On the opposite hand, it was determined to not file costs in opposition to seven Abe faction executives and former secretary common Nikai, because it can’t be accepted that they colluded with the accounting officer.
A Three-Day Broadcast Homage to a Comedy Legend
The first night time’s program, “Yoshimoto’s Chaplin, Sakata Toshio,” will characteristic a historical past of Sakata’s work, together with his traditional gags that captivated audiences with comedy, his comedic exchanges with Kanpei Hazama, and performances from his time as a part of the manzai duo Comedy No.1.
The second night time will air the November 23, 2014, efficiency of Sakata Toshio’s Fiftieth-anniversary celebration held at Namba Grand Kagetsu in Osaka, titled “Thank You for Being Silly – Thank You~san!!”
The third night time will characteristic the second a part of “Gratitude Messages to Master Sakata Toshio – Thank You~san,” which was initially broadcasted on January 5. Nineteen pairs of entertainers who admired Sakata will ship their messages of thanks. Sakata Toshio, who debuted in 1964, fashioned the manzai duo Comedy No.1 with the late Goro Maeda in 1967 and received quite a few awards. He was identified for his signature gags, similar to “Thank You~san” and “You’re silly, ohoho~,” and was affectionately known as “Silly Sakata” by TV audiences. His 1972 report “Silly Sakata” was an enormous hit. After disbanding Comedy No.1 in 2009, he continued to carry out in “Sakata Toshio’s Special Skits” on levels similar to Namba Grand Kagetsu in Osaka and Yoshimoto Gion Kagetsu in Kyoto.
The tribute program “Three Nights of Special Broadcasts in Memory of Sakata Toshio” on BS Yoshimoto will characteristic many outstanding figures within the comedy world, together with Sakata Toshio himself, Kiyoshi Nishikawa, Helen Nishikawa, Midori Wakai, Katsura Kobunshi, Kazuo Shimada, The Bonchi, Akashiya Sanma, All Hanshin Giants, Medaka Ikeno, Hibiki Oki, Tommy’s Ken, Yasushi Ishida, Kenichi Nakajo, Think Tank, Maki Maeda, Ai Sakai, Tadashi Nishikawa, and Kanpei Hazama.
Source: Natalie
Liberal Democratic Party member Yaichi Tanikawa solidifies his intention to resign, abstract indictment over political funding | NHK
Yaichi Tanikawa, a member of the House of Representatives who left the Liberal Democratic Party after being summarily indicted on costs of constructing false statements in violation of the Political Funds Control Act in an incident involving a political funding occasion of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Abe faction, has confirmed his intention to resign.
YouTube Vigilantes Busted for Alleged Extortion
TOKYO, Jan 19 (News On Japan) –
Two YouTubers referred to as ‘R Detectives (R探偵)’, who concentrate on recording movies the place they apprehend people they think of illicit actions like voyeurism, had been arrested on Tuesday for making an attempt to extort money from an alleged voyeur.
Masaaki Sato (34) and Takahito Takai (33), who posted a video on YouTube capturing their try to detain the person they accused of voyeurism, now face authorized repercussions.
The duo had been concerned in a scuffle with a person they accused of filming for YouTube close to Yokohama Station in August 2023. During the altercation, they allegedly demanded hush cash, claiming, “I hurt my wrist,” “We could go to the police, but you wouldn’t want that, would you?” and “How much will you pay for damages?”
While bringing one other man they accused of voyeurism to a police field in Kanagawa on Tuesday, Sato and Takai found that arrest warrants had been issued in opposition to them and had been arrested on the spot.
Social media has been vital of those ‘citizen’s arrest YouTubers’, with feedback like, “These guys aren’t just citizen’s arrest YouTubers, they’re extortionists greedy for money,” and “It seems more common for YouTubers to get arrested themselves rather than arrest others.”
Despite making an attempt to extort cash from the alleged voyeur, once they realized they wouldn’t succeed, Sato and Takai handed him over to the police and uploaded the video on YouTube, presumably for revenue.
In response to the investigation, Sato denied the allegations, stating, “I never demanded money from anyone.”
The police are investigating a number of different potential crimes related to these people.
Related articles:
Charges Against ‘Citizen’s Arrest’ YouTuber ‘Rengoku Koroaki’ Dropped
Citizen’s Arrest YouTuber Busted Defrauding Girlfriend of two.5 Million Yen by Faking Rare Disease
Ghost YouTubers busted for extorting haunted resort ‘company’
Source: FNN
News On Japan – Jan 19
A 31-year-old unemployed man, Naoki Urano, from Naniwa Ward, Osaka, has been arrested on suspicion of kidnapping a teenage lady for the aim of committing indecent acts, after allegedly luring the junior highschool pupil from Tokyo to his residence in Osaka in change for sleeping drugs.
News On Japan – Jan 19
Two YouTubers referred to as ‘R Detectives (R探偵)’, who concentrate on recording movies the place they apprehend people they think of illicit actions like voyeurism, had been arrested on Tuesday for making an attempt to extort money from an alleged voyeur.
NHK – Jan 19
A Japanese courtroom has sentenced a person to demise on expenses of homicide and arson dedicated when he was 19 years previous.
News On Japan – Jan 18
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutor’s Office has determined to not prosecute a taxi driver who was arrested for killing a pigeon on a avenue in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo.
News On Japan – Jan 18
Thirteen staff 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 12 months.
News On Japan – Jan 18
The one 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 remains to be ongoing.
News On Japan – Jan 18
The arrest of two managers of a males’s underground idol company brings to gentle the difficulty of “Oshikatsu” — followers turning into dedicated to their favourite idols.
News On Japan – Jan 18
A teenage lady was stabbed within the again whereas sleeping in her mattress at her residence in Miyakonojo, Miyazaki Prefecture, early Wednesday morning, with the perpetrator nonetheless on the run after the obvious tried homicide.
News On Japan – Jan 17
A quake survivor who managed to name for assist whereas trapped beneath his partially collapsed home, recorded his ordeal on his telephone for 38 seconds, whereas he was buried alive.
News On Japan – Jan 17
In Noda Village, Iwate Prefecture, the ‘Namomi,’ sporting demon masks, go from home to deal with, elevating their voices in a New Year’s custom. The occasion is held to wish for the wholesome development of youngsters and the protection of households.
News On Japan – Jan 17
The Tokyo District Prosecutor’s Office has determined to not prosecute the person referred to as ‘Rengoku Koroaki,’ a YouTuber specializing in citizen’s arrests, who was arrested final 12 months for unlawfully detaining one other man.
News On Japan – Jan 17
With roads nonetheless blocked because of landslides following the Noto Peninsula earthquake, making it unattainable for automobiles to go, drones are being utilized to ship important provides in disaster-stricken areas.
News On Japan – Jan 16
The president and an government of a expertise company have been arrested on suspicion of permitting a male ‘idol’ of contact the physique of a feminine fan.
News On Japan – Jan 16
A 25-year-old man suspected of fatally stabbing a 20-year-old lady final month at a karaoke parlor in Nagoya has been rearrested for the homicide of a lady with whom he was cohabiting in a condominium in Nagoya.
Japanese Comedian Meshida – Jan 16
Japan is thought for its big evening leisure trade. It stated there are virtually 10,000 grownup Disneylands in Japan.
News On Japan – Jan 16
For seven years, a photographer referred to as biggate4444 (@biggate43) has been capturing the charming sight of sparrows and sharing them on social media. During this chilly season, many of those birds puff up into cute spherical shapes to maintain heat, a phenomenon fondly known as “fukura suzume” (inflated sparrows).


