Society

Shimane man arrested after threatening to 'spread' coronavirus at train station

Mar 15 (Japan Times) - A 44-year-old man in Shimane Prefecture has been arrested after he pretended to have contracted the novel coronavirus and threatened to spread it at a local train station, NHK reported.

The man, identified as Hitoshi Karino, allegedly told employees at JR Kisuki Station in the city of Unnan on Friday afternoon that he would spread the virus if they come within a 1-meter radius of him, the report said.

Karino also reportedly took issue with the fact that an information center within the station was closing for the day, saying, â€œis this closed because Iâ€™m infected with the coronavirus?â€ He made a show of coughing as he made these remarks, and was arrested on charges of fraudulently obstructing train station employees from performing their duties, the broadcaster said.

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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