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Memorial held for Japanese student fatally shot in US 30 years ago

NAGOYA, Oct 10 (NHK) - A Japanese student who was fatally shot in the United States 30 years ago was remembered in his home city, where his parents renewed their appeal for the world without gun crimes.

About 100 people took part in the ceremony for Hattori Yoshihiro in Nagoya City, central Japan, on Sunday.

The 16-year-old was studying in the US state of Louisiana in October 1992. He was on his way to a Halloween party when he went to the wrong house, whose owner mistook him for an invader and fatally shot him.

Hattori's parents have been campaigning for US gun control since their son's death.

The victim's mother, Hattori Mieko, said she has been trying to promote the cause so that her son's death would never be in vain.

The controversy over gun control is dividing the public in the US, which has been plagued by mass shootings. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first firearm regulation law in 28 years, was enacted in June.

But that same month, the US Supreme Court overturned a New York state law that restricted firearms carried outside the home. The ruling found that the law infringed on the constitutional right to possess guns. ...continue reading

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Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi and Chinese President Xi Jinping stood side by side before the cameras on October 31st at 5 p.m. for a moment that drew intense attention. “Hello, please this way,” said Xi as the two leaders exchanged a handshake lasting roughly 10 seconds in front of their national flags. Takaichi’s expression was stiff at first but softened slightly into a faint smile, while Xi’s face remained largely unchanged.

Bear attacks are reaching unprecedented levels across Japan, with a record 12 fatalities so far this year as sightings continue daily from mountain towns to city centers, disrupting schools and local institutions.

The Liberal Democratic Party, Nippon Ishin no Kai, and Komeito have reached an agreement on the framework for Japan’s new free high school tuition program, which will begin in fiscal 2026. Under the plan, tuition support for private full-time high schools will be capped at 457,000 yen, while correspondence courses will have an upper limit of 337,000 yen.

Bear sightings have surged across Japan, and in Gifu Prefecture’s Shirakawa Village—home to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Shirakawa-go—local authorities held a nighttime drill on October 28th to prepare for possible emergencies.

The Japan Mobility Show opened on October 29th, marking the start of Japan’s premier automotive exhibition, where foreign manufacturers are stepping up their entry into the country’s growing electric vehicle (EV) market.

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A man accused of killing and injuring four family members with a crossbow in Takarazuka City, Hyogo Prefecture, was sentenced to life in prison on October 31st, after the Kobe District Court rejected the prosecution’s demand for the death penalty.

Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward has installed barricades around the Hachiko statue in front of Shibuya Station as part of safety measures ahead of Halloween on October 31st.

The trial of Tetsuya Yamagami, the 45-year-old accused of fatally shooting former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, began on October 28th at the Nara District Court. While Yamagami has admitted to killing Abe, the central issue now lies in determining his sentence.

The traditional ritual of Paantu, in which masked gods covered in mud ward off evil spirits, took place on October 28th in Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture, filling the village with laughter and screams.

A passenger car crashed into a Nissan dealership in Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture, on October 29th, damaging a total of nine vehicles including those on display.

Emperor Naruhito met with former U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time in six years at the Imperial Palace on October 27th. The two exchanged greetings in English, with the Emperor saying, "I’m pleased to see you again," as he welcomed Trump to the Imperial residence around 6:30 p.m.

A 43-year-old former employee of Tsuda University has been re-arrested by Tokyo Metropolitan Police on suspicion of vandalism for spraying his bodily fluid on female students’ clothing on campus.

An elderly woman was found dead in a roadside ditch in Akita City on October 27th, with police investigating the possibility that she was attacked by a bear. A local resident discovered the woman lying face down in a drainage channel around 11 a.m. and called emergency services.