An LNG tanker operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines has passed through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains effectively blockaded, marking the first such transit by a Japan-related vessel since the Iranian attack.
The Japanese government approved a bill to revise the Civil Code on April 3rd, paving the way for wills to be created using computers and smartphones instead of requiring handwritten documents.
A coalition of more than 40 countries, including the United Kingdom and Japan, issued a joint statement regarding the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively blocked, calling for the restoration of stable maritime operations along one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes.
Prime Minister Takaichi announced that a task force has been established under Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Akazawa, who has been appointed minister in charge of securing the stable supply of critical materials, as Japan moves to respond to the worsening situation in the Middle East.
The government approved a basic policy at a Cabinet meeting on March 31st aimed at securing shelters for residents in the event of armed attacks, with a focus on promoting the use of private underground facilities such as shopping malls and parking areas, which are considered to offer high levels of safety.
Former Ito mayor Maki Takubo was indicted while remaining out of custody over an academic credentials fraud scandal in Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
The Kobe District Public Prosecutors Office decided not to indict Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito and two others who had been criminally accused of violating the Local Public Service Act over the leak of private information belonging to a former prefectural bureau chief, concluding that there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations.
China’s Foreign Ministry said on March 26 via social media that public safety conditions in Japan are unstable, claiming that crimes targeting Chinese nationals have been occurring frequently, as tensions rise following an incident involving a member of Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force.