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Japan condemns Yemen's Houthi rebels hijack of cargo ship in Red Sea

TOKYO, Nov 21 (CNA) - Japan has condemned the seizure of a Japanese-operated cargo ship by Yemen's Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, south of Israel.

The Iran-backed group is supporting Hamas and has said it is prepared to target any vessels associated with Israeli companies. The Galaxy Leader, which was heading to India, is owned by a British firm whose parent company belongs to an Israeli businessman. There are around 25 crew on board, hailing from countries including the Philippines, Ukraine and Mexico.

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A massive outbreak of insects is causing serious problems at the Osaka-Kansai Expo site, prompting alarm both on the ground and online.

A passenger jet arriving from Hokkaido made an unexpected stop on Wednesday after entering a restricted construction area at Hiroshima Airport, running over a concrete base and coming to a halt on the taxiway.

"I was stabbed in the chest with cooking chopsticks." That’s how A, a man in his 40s living in Shikoku, describes the abuse he endured from his ex-wife about 15 years ago. "Things like that happened all the time. It felt like hell," he recalls.

The Israeli military has fired warning shots at a diplomatic delegation visiting the West Bank, including a Japanese official, during a tour of the Jenin refugee camp on May 21st. Although no one was injured in the incident, the move has drawn sharp criticism from several countries.

A seven-year-old mare named Padmarwat, based at Saga Racecourse, extended her losing streak to 114 races on May 18th, setting a new national record for consecutive defeats in Japanese horse racing.

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The Israeli military has fired warning shots at a diplomatic delegation visiting the West Bank, including a Japanese official, during a tour of the Jenin refugee camp on May 21st. Although no one was injured in the incident, the move has drawn sharp criticism from several countries.

Following intense criticism over a delayed response to growing political pressure, Prime Minister Ishiba dismissed Agriculture Minister Eto and appointed Koizumi as his successor in an effort to regain control of his administration.

Although the government released 210,000 tons of reserve rice into the market, only about 10 percent has reached supermarkets and restaurants, equivalent to the nation’s average daily rice consumption.

Following a wave of disturbing cases in which women were emotionally manipulated into debt and coerced into prostitution through exploitative tactics used by hosts, the revised Entertainment Business Act aimed at cracking down on abusive host club practices passed Japan's Lower House on Tuesday.

Agriculture Minister Taketaka Eto of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party stated during a speech in Saga City on May 18th that he has never purchased rice, explaining, "I receive a lot from supporters—enough that I could practically sell it. That's how much is in my household pantry."

A peace march calling for the reduction of the burden caused by U.S. military bases was held in Okinawa on May 17th, marking 53 years since the prefecture's reversion to Japan.

The government approved a long-awaited pension reform bill in a cabinet meeting on May 16th, aiming to eliminate the so-called "1.06 million yen barrier" that has prevented many part-time workers from enrolling in the welfare pension system.

Japan has launched its new "security clearance" system, which restricts access to sensitive economic security information to individuals deemed suitable through a national screening process. The program, which began operation on May 15th, is intended to enhance international collaboration by aligning Japan’s information handling standards with those of key allies.