Abe apologizes for mess over private English test

Nov 09, 2019 | News On Japan

Nov 09, 2019 (NHK) - The Japanese Prime Minister has apologized for the postponement of the planned introduction of private-sector English tests for university admission.

Shinzo Abe was responding to a question by the secretary general of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, Tetsuro Fukuyama, at the Upper House budget committee on Friday.

Fukuyama said that the plan to introduce private English tests as a part of standardized university exams has affected universities across Japan and been a source of anxiety for students.

He said that it is a serious issue which would normally result in the resignation of the education minister or the prime minister.

Abe said that the government is sorry for the trouble the postponement has caused to students who were preparing for the tests, and to officials concerned.

He said the government wants to fulfill its responsibility by making preparations that can satisfy test-takers.

He said that English is an important tool in globalizing Japan's workforce, and that the education ministry will look into the matter to solve the issues and come up with a university entrance exam system that will nurture such a workforce.

Meanwhile, Tomoko Tamura of the Japanese Communist Party asked Abe about an annual cherry blossom viewing party which the prime minister hosts.

Tamura noted that the number of guests and expenditure for the party have increased every year, and that spending this year was more than triple the budget.

She asked Abe if he had invited many supporters from his constituency.

Abe replied that he is not involved in the selection of guests, and only greets the

Typhoons No. 28 and 29 Bring High Waves to Japan's Pacific Coast

Two typhoons moving across the Pacific southeast of Japan are expected to remain well away from the Japanese mainland, but powerful swells could bring rough seas to a wide stretch of the country's Pacific coastline throughout the three-day holiday weekend, according to forecasts updated at 3 a.m. on October 10.

Cyberattacks Spread Across Japan

A series of cyberattacks has disrupted business operations and exposed millions of customer records across Japan, with a ransomware attack on a cloud service provider affecting 495 companies and local governments nationwide, while convenience store operator Lawson has disclosed a separate breach involving more than 2.15 million personal information records.

Japan's First 360-Degree Projection Mapping Opens in Osaka

Japan's first 360-degree projection mapping show will open at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts on October 10, transforming the historic building into an immersive world of light, music, and seasonal imagery, with organizers hoping the attraction will also help stimulate the city's nighttime economy.

Tokyo University Professor Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Tokyo University of Science professor emeritus Kenzo Soai has been awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with French chemist Henri B. Kagan for discoveries that transformed scientists' understanding of how chemical reactions can favor one of two mirror-image forms of a molecule.

US Military Halts All Okinawa Operations for 48 Hours

The US military suspended activities by all forces stationed in Okinawa for 48 hours from noon on October 7, an unusual measure following the arrest of a US Marine in connection with a robbery and murder case that has renewed scrutiny of crimes involving American service members.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Most Sightings of Fugitive Yoichi Hatta Reported in Kanto

Police in Oita Prefecture have revealed that the Kanto region accounts for the largest number of reported sightings of Yoichi Hatta, a fugitive wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run incident in Beppu in 2022, with authorities preparing to distribute new wanted posters nationwide from November as the search enters its fifth year.