Society

Google launches news content service in Japan

Sep 17 (NHK) - US information technology giant Google has launched its News Showcase service in Japan, enabling users to view news content provided by more than 40 publishers in the country.

Unlike news content that appears through Google searches, the News Showcase portal shows content selected by the news outlets and Google pays fees to them. Users will, case by case, be allowed to view paid articles for free.

News organizations have demanded that Google pay fees for the use of their content as they have struggled with declining advertisement revenues, while Google has generated massive ad revenues.

Google has not disclosed how much it pays to each of the publishers.

But the tech giant said last year that it planned to pay 1 billion dollars to its media partners over the next three years.

Besides Japanese media firms, more than 1,000 news outlets in at least 12 countries, including Britain, France, Germany, Brazil, and India, have joined the Google project.

University of Tokyo Raises Tuition Fees for First Time in 20 Years

The University of Tokyo has officially decided to increase tuition by approximately 110,000 yen for incoming undergraduate students starting next academic year, bringing the total to 642,960 yen.

Japanese Ambassador Visits Dalian Following Student Death

Following the tragic stabbing and death of a child attending a Japanese school in China, Japanese Ambassador to China, Kenji Kanasugi, visited a local city to urge the Chinese government to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals residing in the area, as concerns grew among the local Japanese community.

Flooding Hits Temporary Housing in Quake-Stricken Wajima

Flooding has reached the temporary housing in Wajima City, built for earthquake victims, and volunteers have begun clearing the mud starting on September 24.

Russian military plane intrudes into Japanese airspace, Tokyo lodges protest

A Japanese government spokesperson says a Russian military airplane entered Japanese airspace three times on Monday. (NHK)

Kishida vows in meeting with Zelenskyy continued support for Ukraine

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has conveyed his country's intention to maintain support for Ukraine to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. (NHK)

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