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A large-scale anti-disaster drill is conducted at Tokyo’s Haneda airport on Oct. 24, 2024, simulating a passenger plane catching fire after a failed landing that has left many passengers injured. About 1,000 people, including firefighters, police officer and airport officials, took part in the drill, which followed a Japan Airlines plane collision with a Japan Coast Guard aircraft on a runway of the airport on Jan. 2. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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G20 vows to resist protectionism ahead of U.S. presidential election
WASHINGTON – Finance chiefs from the Group of 20 major economies pledged Thursday to resist protectionism, just days ahead of the U.S. presidential election, amid the stabilization of global growth despite increased geopolitical risks.
Following a two-day meeting in Washington, the finance ministers and central bank governors of the leading developed and emerging economies said they see “good prospects” for a soft landing of the global economy, citing positive developments such as inflation declining from elevated levels in many parts of the world.
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Rice prices hit record rise as inflation key issue in Japan election
TOKYO – Tokyo rice prices in October soared a record 62.3 percent from a year ago, government data showed Friday, as rising living costs have become a key issue in Japan’s general election being held this weekend.
The surge in prices in the Japanese staple food, the largest since comparable data became available in 1971, is driven by farmers passing rising labor and fertilizer costs on to consumers, already burdened by inflation largely due to the yen’s sharp depreciation.
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1 Japanese tourist killed in Malaysia bus accident
KUALA LUMPUR – A bus carrying Japanese tourists crashed into a trailer in the western state of Perak in Malaysia on Thursday afternoon, killing one of them, Japanese embassy and local officials said Friday.
The fatality is believed to be a 73-year-old Japanese woman, according to local authorities. The bus was carrying 13 people — 11 Japanese tourists, a local driver and tour guide — at the time of the crash.
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Ex-chief Osaka public prosecutor pleads guilty to rape of colleague
OSAKA – A former chief of the Osaka District Public Prosecutors Office on Friday pleaded guilty to raping a female subordinate prosecutor in 2018 while she was drunk.
Kentaro Kitagawa, a 65-year-old lawyer, said he does “not contest” the sexual assault accusation against him, saying, “I inflicted serious damage against the victim and I am deeply remorseful,” in the first hearing for the case at the Osaka District Court.
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Izakaya operator Watami buys Subway Japan in diversification push
TOKYO – Major Japanese-style pub operator Watami Co. said Friday it has acquired the Japanese unit of the Subway sandwich chain for an undisclosed amount in an effort to diversify its business.
The Tokyo-based operator of the namesake izakaya pub chain said the deal includes a franchise contract with Subway International B.V., based in Amsterdam, to operate Subway stores in Japan for the next 10 years.
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Tokyo couple face new murder charge after arrest over 2 kin deaths
TOKYO – A couple suspected of fatally poisoning their 4-year-old daughter and the husband’s sister were served fresh arrest warrants on Friday for allegedly killing the husband’s father six years ago, Tokyo police said.
The third arrest warrants for Kenichi Hosoya, 43, and his wife Shiho, 38, state they are suspected of murdering his 73-year-old father, Isamu Hosoya, by poisoning him at his home between August 2017 and June 2018 with ethylene glycol, a toxic substance found in antifreeze. He died in hospital of sepsis on June 5, 2018.
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Japanese man convicted of creating malware using generative AI
TOKYO – A Japanese court on Friday convicted a man for creating malware using generative conversational artificial intelligence.
The Tokyo District Court sentenced Ryuki Hayashi, 25, to three years imprisonment, suspended for four years, for producing code that could be used as ransomware in March 2023.
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Taiwan opposition chief’s ex-aide in Japan wanted over corruption
TAIPEI – A former aide to Ko Wen-je, the head of Taiwan’s second-largest opposition party, has been put on the wanted list for her alleged involvement in a corruption probe involving Ko, prosecutors said Friday, adding she is currently in Japan.
The Taipei District Prosecutors Office said Ko’s former secretary surnamed Hsu, who left for Japan on Aug. 29, has not responded to a request for questioning over the corruption case related to a shopping center development project during Ko’s tenure as Taipei mayor.
Video: A large-scale anti-disaster drill at Tokyo’s Haneda airport
