Navigation Report 1185-1195

Kyodo News 40853, Kaiun-Suisan News 15911

Horse racing notice as in No. 40850.

Front page. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical announced on the 28th that it had newly confirmed the deaths of two people who took supplements containing Benikoji. Both families contacted them on the 27th. One person died after developing symptoms of kidney disease after taking the supplement, and the other had been using the supplement since 2021. Including the two people who were previously known to have died, the total number of deaths is four.

Second page. At the House of Councilors Budget Committee on the 28th, Prime Minister Kishida mentioned the possibility of questioning former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, who was involved in the scandal involving a political party involved in a faction of the Liberal Democratic Party. “He can be included because he is one of the people involved and is necessary to clarify political responsibility.” Asked whether the LDP’s additional hearings had yielded any evidence showing Mori’s involvement in the repatriation of funds, he simply said, “I will not reveal the details at this stage.”

Third page. Despite the Cabinet Office calling on local governments in 2018 to designate areas with a high risk of damage from electrical fires during earthquakes and strengthen countermeasures, as of March this year, zero cases have been designated. This was revealed in an interview with the Cabinet Office on the 27th. The large fire that occurred around the Wajima Morning Market following the Noto Peninsula earthquake also appears to have been caused by short circuits in electrical wiring. Efforts are urgently needed, but the issue is the lack of financial resources for local governments.

Fourth page. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare on the 27th announced annual employment of people with disabilities of 2023. According to a recent survey, an estimated 1,107,000 people with disabilities work in private companies (with 5 or more employees) nationwide, the highest number ever. The number of people increased by 256,000 compared to the previous survey in 2018, exceeding 1 million people for the first time. The average number of years of employment and income are also increasing, and it can be said that an environment is being created in which people with disabilities can work stably, with job opportunities expanding and working toward the realization of a cohesive society.

Kaiun-Suisan front page. [Washington] U.S. Secretary of Transportation Buttigieg held a press conference at the White House on the 27th, stating that “recovery from the bridge collapse in Baltimore, Eastern Maryland is not easy,” and predicted that it would be a long-term disaster. As ships are unable to enter and exit the Port of Poltimore, he expressed his intention to do everything in his power to prevent disruption to the supply chain.

KS second page. Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. and Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. announced on the 27th that they will consolidate their ethylene production facilities in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, by 2027. Ethylene is used as a raw material for plastics and other products. Due to a decline in demand for petrochemical products in Japan and an increase in supply in China, the petrochemical industry is struggling. Optimize production volume by consolidating equipment.

Kyodo News 40852, Sports, Kaiun-Suisan News 15910, Navigation Report 1159-1184

Now, this is a rare and unusual fax. Why? Simply, the Morning Edition is usually broadacst first, then Navigation Report is repeated and then Kaiun-Suisan follows. However, this one has different order, albeit small one: the newspaper first, then the Kaiun-Suisan and only after that the Navigation Report. Interesting, is it just a temporary glitch?

Horse racing notice as in No. 40850.

Front page. As part of strengthening its defense capabilities, the government has decided to designate a total of 16 locations in seven prefectures, including Hokkaido and Okinawa, as “specific use airports and ports” to be developed for use by the Self-Defense Forces and Japan Coast Guard in the event of an emergency. Hardened. Secure bases for troop deployment, civil protection operations, and training. A decision will be made at a related ministerial meeting soon, and the development project will begin in fiscal 2024. The budget for the first year is expected to be around 35 billion yen. This was announced by government officials on the 27th.

Second page. On the 27th, in response to the slush money incident involving a faction’s political party, the Liberal Democratic Party held separate interviews at a hotel in Tokyo from Yasutoshi Nishimura, who served as Secretary-General of Abe, and Hiroshige Seko, who was chairman of the House of Councilors. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida himself appears to have confirmed the circumstances surrounding the reinstatement of fund repatriation at a meeting between faction leaders in August 2022. The prime minister told reporters, “I would like to continue the necessary investigation by dividing it up among the executive departments, rather than ending it today,” emphasizing his stance to continue clarifying the matter.

Third page. Public medical insurance premiums paid by people aged 75 and over will rise from April. Approximately 5.4 million people with pension income exceeding 2.11 million yen per year will be eligible. As medical costs are increasing due to the aging of the population, we ask people to pay according to their financial ability. In the field of nursing care, insurance premiums will increase for people aged 65 or older with a total income of 4.2 million yen or more from pensions and salaries.

Fourth page. On the 27th, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced that “Sendai Seri” in Miyagi Prefecture, “Ishiri Ishiru” in Ishikawa Prefecture, and Shiga Prefecture will be subject to the Geographical Indication (GI) protection system that protects regional agricultural, forestry, and fishery products and food brands. It has been announced that seven domestic items have been added, including the prefecture’s “Mizuguchi Kanpyo.” With this registration, G1 now has a total of 150 products (including 5 products from overseas).

Other additional items include “Choshu Kurokashiwa” from Yamaguchi Prefecture, “Yamae Chestnut” from Kumamoto Prefecture, “Tanegoshima Leather Leaf Fan” from Kagoshima Prefecture, and “Nakagusukujima Carrot” from Okinawa Prefecture.

Navigation Report 1159-1184

Kyodo News 40851, Kaiun-Suisan News 15910

Breaking News. Yen, lowest in 34 years. Temporarily around 151 yen and 97 sen.

In the foreign exchange market on the 27th, the yen fell against the dollar, at one point reaching around 151.97 yen to the dollar, the weakest level in about 34 years since July 1990, at the end of the bubble economy. The Bank of Japan has raised its policy interest rate for the first time in 17 years, but has made it clear that it will continue to maintain an accommodative monetary environment. The difference between the high level of US interest rates and the US interest rate was seen as a trading material, and there was a movement to sell the yen and buy the dollar, which was more profitable.

The price has hit a new low of 151.94 yen in October 2022, when the government and the Bank of Japan carried out foreign exchange intervention to buy the yen and sell the dollar, and there is a possibility that the market is wary of intervention.

Horse racing notice as in No. 40850.

Front page. At the Tokyo foreign exchange market on the 27th, the yen fell against the dollar, temporarily reaching around 151.97 yen to the dollar, indicating a bubble economy. The yen was at its lowest level in about 34 years since July 1990, at the end of the financial crisis. The Bank of Japan has raised its policy interest rate for the first time in 17 years, but has made it clear that it will continue to maintain an accommodative monetary environment. A speech on the 27th by Naoki Tamura, a member of the Bank of Japan’s Council, spurred speculation that easing should be maintained. The difference between the high level of US interest rates and the US interest rate was seen as a trading material, and there was a movement to sell the yen and buy the dollar, which was more profitable.

Second page. [Jerusalem] On the 26th, Akihiro Tsukuda, Director-General of Health of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UN RWA), was in Gaza, the Palestinian Autonomous Region, where fighting between Israel and the Islamic organization Hamas continues, and was inspecting the situation on the ground, according to Kyodo News on the 26th. In Gaza, attacks by the Israeli military have not only destroyed buildings, but also “broken the hearts of the people,” he said, highlighting the plight of the residents who are forced to live a harsh life in the face of serious food shortages.

Third page. Mori Prefecture Recycling Fuel Storage (RFS), which operates an interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel, announced on the 27th that it will deliver spent nuclear fuel from Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant (Niigata Prefecture) between July and September, and will begin an interim storage project. The plan to begin was reported to Aomori Prefecture Governor Soichiro Miyashita. One special metal container containing 69 used material assemblies will be placed. Intermediate storage of spent nuclear fuel outside the nuclear power plant site is expected to begin for the first time in Japan.

Fourth page. This month, five students graduated with degrees from Nihon Keizai University in Dazaifu, Fukuoka Prefecture, which hosted many evacuated students from Ukraine after the ruzzian invasion. Even after two years had passed since the start of the invasion, there was no end in sight to the end of the war, and all of them decided to find employment in Japan. Liliya Skorokhodova (21), who has been working in Tokyo since April, said of her aspirations: “I want to become a working adult in Japan and expand my (future) options.” Liliya, who evacuated to Japan in March 2022 immediately after the invasion, proudly received her certificate of completion at a ceremony held at the university on the 15th. She majored in Japanese at Kyiv National Linguistic University in the capital, took classes online even after evacuating, and graduated in June last year.

Kaiun-Suisan front page. Empowering women as a new force in the fishing industry!” In mid-February, in Kesen City, Miyagi Prefecture, which has long been prosperous in shipbuilding and marine products processing, we will discuss city development with an eye to 2040, when the declining birthrate and aging population will reach its peak, focusing on gender and digital perspectives. The “Future Workshop” was held for two days. Opinions were exchanged about how to envision the future of the “seaside town of Kesennuma.”

KS second page. On the 26th, the Kekikinroren, which is affiliated with the Rengo and is made up of labor unions from steel and heavy industry manufacturers, announced on the 26th that the average amount of wage improvement equivalent to a base increase in this spring labor union was 10,715.7 yen. It was announced that it was the best since then. Improvement rate Average improvement rate is 6%. Of the 107 unions that received responses from management as of 2015, 65, or 60%, received responses that were at least the full amount. Twelve unions received responses that exceeded the requested amount.

Kyodo News 40850, Sports, Navigation Report 1152-1158, Kaiun-Suisan News 15909

Notice. The race order and race results for the Osaka Cup horse racing race (31st) will be sent around the following date and time (JST).

Front page. A man whose same-sex partner, with whom he had lived for over 20 years, was murdered in an incident received “Crime Victim Benefits” as his spouse. On the 26th, the Supreme Court’s Third Petty Bench (Presiding Judge Hayashidotoki) ruled on the 26th in a case in which the issue of whether or not the person was eligible to receive the payment was based on the following: The court made the first judgment that same-sex partners can also fall under the category of “persons who have experienced the same circumstances.” The court then overturned the Nagoya High Court’s second-instance ruling that excluded same-sex partners from receiving benefits, and remanded the case for further consideration.

Second page. [Beijing] On the 26th, Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korean General Secretary Kim Jong Un and deputy director of the North Korean Workers’ Party, spoke out against the Japanese government, which does not accept North Korea’s position that the abduction issue has been resolved. “We will ignore and refuse any contact or negotiations.” Regarding Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s desire to hold a Japan-North Korea summit, he dismissed the matter as “not our concern.” The Korean Central News Agency reported.

Third page. The official land prices announced by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on the 26th (as of January 1st) increased by 2.3% year on year on average for all uses, 2.0% for residential land, and 3.1% for commercial land. Both figures have been positive for three consecutive years, and the rate of increase has expanded. The growth rate for all uses is the largest since the bubble economy period. In regions other than the four major cities of Sapporo, Sendai, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka, the percentage of rising points exceeded the falling points for the first time in 32 years since 1992. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism analyzed, “The upward trend is strengthening due to the gradual economic recovery.Except for some local films, nationwide, prices have returned to pre-COVID-19 levels.”

Fourth page. Visual observation, in which staff members look at the sky and determine the weather, ended on the 26th at meteorological observatories across the country other than Tokyo and Osaka. Weather will be automated using radar and satellites, but observation items such as “clear skies”, “slightly cloudy”, and “rainbow” will no longer be available.

A representative from the Japan Meteorological Agency said, “Technology has progressed and it is now possible to perform sufficient automatic observations.Compared to people who experience fluctuations, we have the advantage of being able to obtain uniform data.”

Navigation Report 1152-1158

Kyodo News 40849, Kaiun-Suisan News 15909

Front page. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. announced on the 26th that a person who appears to have been taking red koji supplements for about three years, which could be harmful to health, died in February from kidney disease. Although the person’s place of residence, gender, and age have not been disclosed, the person regularly purchased the supplement “Kouzetsu Choleste Herb,” manufactured by the same company, through mail order between April 2021 and February 2024, amounting to 35 bags in total. . A causal relationship between ingestion and death is suspected and will be investigated. This is the first time that a case has been discovered in which a series of problems may have led to death.

Second page. On the 26th, the government decided at a cabinet meeting to lift the ban on the export of the next generation fighter aircraft, which will be jointly developed with the UK and Italy, to third countries. Based on this, the National Security Council (NSC) revised the operational guidelines for the Three Principles on Defense Equipment Transfer and established requirements. Export destinations will be limited to countries that have concluded “Defense Equipment and Technology Transfer Agreements” with Japan, and if exports are made to live pigs, each case will be reviewed and approved by the Cabinet. Development efforts are in full swing, with the aim of starting deployment by 2035.

Third page. [New York] On the 25th, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution calling for an immediate suspension of hostilities in the Palestinian autonomous region of Gaza during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan. Of the 15 council members, 14 countries, including Japan, voted in favor, while the United States abstained. This is the first time a resolution has been passed demanding the surrender of Israel and the Islamic news organization Hamas, and the international community has increased pressure to implement the resolution by around April 9, the end of Ramadan. Israel objected.

Fourth page. [Los Angeles] On the 25th, Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani spoke to the press for the first time regarding the illegal gambling issue of his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, and clearly denied that he was involved in gambling. Although his expression was stiff, he spoke clearly and explained the circumstances for about 12 minutes. There are times when he get confused when talking about his feelings.

Kaiun-Suisan front page. On the 25th, the Electricity Industry Promotion Organization (Kojo Organization), which includes electric power companies, compiled a basic plan for the development of submarine power lines. The energy will be sent from regions suitable for generating electricity from renewable energy to urban areas with high consumption, leading to effective utilization. A total of approximately 800 kilometers of new power lines will be constructed in the Sea of Japan, and power transmission lines in the Kanmon Strait will also be strengthened. Construction costs are expected to total up to approximately 2.2 trillion yen, with the aim of completion in 2030 or later.

KS second page. The 2024 Stockholm Water Prize, known as the “Nobel Prize for Water,” honors people and organizations that have contributed to the sustainable use and management of water. Professor Daiki Oki (59) was selected. Mr. Oki specializes in hydrology, which studies the water cycle on Earth. At a press conference on the 25th, he said, “I believe my role is to focus on educating the next generation and spreading the word about hydrology.”

Kyodo News 40848, Sports, Navigation Report 1144-1151, Kaiun-Suisan News 15908

Front page. On the 25th, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical announced that 20 people were newly hospitalized after taking Benikoji supplements, which the company is calling for a voluntary recall due to the risk of health problems such as kidney disease. At the time of the initial announcement on the 22nd, the number of people affected was 6, but the telephone line received a number of inquiries that suspected a causal relationship to Sabri intake. As of the 24th, a total of 26 people were confirmed hospitalized. Some people temporarily required artificial dialysis, but none of them had life-threatening conditions.

Second page. [Brussels] On the 25th, the European Union announced that it has begun investigating the three major US companies that use Meta (Facebook). This is the first formal investigation based on the DMA. Regulations on large IT companies are also being tightened in the United States and Japan, as they are seen as trying to use their dominant position to advance their oligopoly.

Third page. On the 25th, at the 96th Invitational High School Baseball Tournament being held at Koshien Stadium, Japan Airlines Ishikawa appeared in the first game and Seiryo appeared in the second game. At the Alps seats, cheering on both participating schools from Ishikawa Prefecture, which was affected by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, Japan Airlines Ishikawa captain Kazuyoshi Takarada’s father and others cheered on them. “I’m happy to see my son grow up,” he said, filled with emotion.

Fourth page. By the 25th, a national research team has estimated that the average life expectancy of people around the world has been shortened by 1.6 years in the two years between 2020 and 2021, when the new coronavirus spread worldwide. Published in The Lancet. For the past 70 years or so, life expectancies have tended to be longer worldwide, but due to epidemics, they have become shorter in 84% of countries and regions. The team’s researchers commented, “The coronavirus pandemic has had a more severe impact on adults around the world than any other event in the past half century, including conflicts and natural disasters.”

Navigation Report 1144-1151