Society

Tax revenue hits record high

Jun 27 (NHK) - Japan's tax revenue for the fiscal year that ended in March hit an all-time high of over 560 billion dollars.

The figure exceeded an earlier official estimate. Sources close to government say revenue broke the previous record posted in fiscal 1990 during the economic bubble.

The figure presently stands at 60.4 trillion yen, or about 562 billion dollars.

Higher revenue from income tax was cited as a key factor. Strong corporate earnings pushed up income levels.

Government revenue is likely to climb even higher for the current fiscal year.

That's because of the planned consumption tax hike in October, from the current 8 percent to 10 percent.

Ishiba Shigeru elected LDP leader

Ishiba Shigeru has been elected leader of Japan's main ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The former LDP Secretary-General is now virtually assured of becoming the next prime minister. (NHK)

Hakamada Case Ends With Acquittal After 58 Years

The Hakamada case, a decades-long legal struggle, ended with an acquittal for Iwao Hakamada (88), who, along with his sister Hideko, fought for 58 years. Hakamada was suspected of the 1966 murder of a miso company executive’s family.

Japan launches information-gathering satellite on H2A rocket

A Japanese government information-gathering satellite has successfully been put into a planned orbit around Earth. (NHK)

New Red Lights for Japan's Police Cars

Japan's National Police Agency is introducing new patrol cars equipped with red lights designed to assist people with hearing impairments, flashing differently depending on whether the vehicle is on an emergency run or a routine patrol.

Over 300 New Geoglyphs Discovered by Yamagata University in Nazca

Yamagata University, which has been conducting research on the Nazca geoglyphs in Peru, announced the discovery of over 300 new geoglyphs, depicting a variety of subjects, including humans and animals.

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