Front page. Two Maritime Self-Defense Force SH60K patrol helicopters crashed during a training exercise in the waters east of Karasujima in the Izu Islands, killing one person. On the 22nd, interviews with related parties revealed that the company was not connected to the system called for. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force believes there is a high possibility that the two aircraft collided, and is carefully investigating the causal relationship with the accident.
Second page. [Taipei] According to the Taiwan Meteorological Authority and the eastern Hualien Prefecture offshore and inland areas, at around 2:30 a.m. on the 23rd (3:30 a.m. Japan time), there were earthquakes of magnitude (M) 6.0 and 6.3. Both times, a seismic intensity of lower 5 was observed in Hualien County, and the shaking was felt throughout Taiwan. According to the Hualien County Government, two buildings in Hualien City, Hualien Prefecture that were damaged by the eastern coast of the Earthquake on the 3rd have tilted significantly. No one was inside the building and no one was injured.
The Japan Meteorological Agency says there is a possibility of slight sea level changes along the coast of Japan, but there is no fear of damage. A magnitude 5.8 earthquake occurred just after 8 a.m., with a seismic intensity of 5+ being observed in Hualien County.
Third page. In September 2022, at Kawasaki Kindergarten, a certified childcare center in Makinohara City, Shizuoka Prefecture, a child, China Kawamoto (age 3), was left on a bus and died of heatstroke, resulting in a case of professional negligence. On the 23rd, former kindergarten director Tatsuyoshi Okada (74) and former class teacher Ako Nishihara (48), who were charged with capital murder, admitted to the charges at the Shizuoka District Court (presiding judge Tsunashi Kunii). During questioning, the defendant said, “I would like to apologize to Mr. and Mrs. Kawamoto for causing the loss of China-chan. I believe it is my responsibility.”
Fourth page. On the 22nd, the Ministry of Finance announced that the percentage of small and medium-sized enterprises that achieved a loan increase rate of “5% or more” in fiscal 2024, which combines the pace of raising the base salary (pair) and regular salary increases, was 24.4%. This was discovered through a survey. For large companies, the difference is 53.3%, and the gap is still quite large. 50.2% of medium-sized and small-to-medium-sized enterprises are unable to pass on labor costs to prices, and there are no indications that they are securing funds for loans.
Kaiun-Suisan front page. The 23rd marks two years since the accident in which a tourist boat sank off the coast of Shiretoko, Hokkaido in 2022. Yuya Kudo (42), a social worker from Kanagawa Prefecture and co-representative of the passenger family association, responded to an interview with Kyodo News by the 23rd, expressing concern about the accident being forgotten and saying, “It’s my responsibility to talk about it. I think so,” he said.
KS second page. [Manila] On the 22nd, the Philippine military held a ceremony to begin the regular joint exercise “Balikatan” with the U.S. military at Aguinaldo Base in Manila. It mobilized approximately 17,000 people, the largest ever. As China increases its coercion in the South China Sea, two Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessels provided by Japan will participate in a maritime exercise for the first time in the South China Sea with four warships from the United States, France, and the Philippines. It is inevitable that this will provoke China. Balikatan will be held around the Philippines until May 10th. In addition to Australia, which has a Visiting Forces Agreement with the Philippines, France is participating for the first time. Over a dozen countries, including Japan, will also participate as observers.
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