Society

Chinese man found guilty of throwing ink on drape at Yasukuni shrine

Dec 24 (Kyodo) - A court sentenced a Chinese man on Monday to 14 months in prison, suspended for three years, for intruding into war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo and damaging a drape by throwing ink on it earlier this year.

Hu Daping, a 54-year-old self-proclaimed writer, had sought acquittal at the Tokyo District Court, with his defense lawyers saying he had intended to protest against the shrine and it was an act of expression ensured under the Constitution.

But Presiding Judge Toshikazu Ishida rejected the claim, saying the defendant significantly damaged an important object at the shrine and "it cannot be tolerated even under freedom of expression."

The defense filed for an appeal the same day.

According to the ruling, Hu went into the shrine on Aug. 19 and put black ink over a white drape hung at the worship hall, causing damage worth 340,000 yen ($3,100).

What Is Sanaenomics?

The economic policy bannered by Prime Minister Takaichi as “Sanaenomics” is beginning to take shape, with expectations centering on lower gasoline prices and the restart of electricity and gas subsidies even as critics say the program’s substance remains unclear and insufficiently developed; framed as a successor to Abenomics with greater emphasis on growth strategy, the plan raises questions about what will change in people’s daily lives and how the administration intends to run policy behind the scenes.

Crimes by U.S. Military Personnel Hit Record High in Okinawa

The number of U.S. military personnel arrested for criminal offenses in Okinawa has reached 77 so far this year, already surpassing the record total for all of 2024 as of the end of September.

Japan to Tighten Visa Rules on Foreigners Behind on Health Insurance

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New Typhoon is Forming, Okinawa Could Be Affected Next Week

As of November 4th, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced that a tropical depression near the Caroline Islands is expected to develop into a typhoon within the next 24 hours. The system is separate from Typhoon No. 25 (Haiyan) currently near the Philippines and is projected to move northwestward once it intensifies.

Akita Woman Becomes 13th Bear Victim

Japan’s record-breaking bear crisis has entered a new and deadly phase, with authorities confirming that a 79-year-old woman missing in Akita Prefecture was found dead in the mountains, believed to be the 13th fatality from bear attacks this year.

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