In this week’s news roundup we report on Naomi Osaka who lost her US Open semifinal to Amanda Anisimova after winning the first set. Takeshi Niinami steps down as Suntory CEO despite insisting he broke no laws. A South Korean man is arrested at Haneda Airport on suspicion of killing his girlfriend in Tokyo. The revised Wildlife Protection, Control and Hunting Management Act goes into effect. A Japanese man claims to have forgotten who he is after waking up in the Shimane mountains. And the Australian Embassy issues a warning after streamer Lochie Jones desecrates a grave in Japan.
Naomi Osaka Loses to Amanda Anisimova in US Open Semifinal
Naomi Osaka lost 7-6 6-7 3-6 to America’s Amanda Anisimova in a dramatic, error-strewn US Open semifinal on Thursday night. It was a disappointing end to the tournament for the Japanese player after she won the first set. Osaka was aiming to reach her first Grand Slam final since winning the Australian Open four years ago. Anisimova will now face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus, who defeated Jessica Pegula of the United States in the other semifinal.
Despite the defeat, it’s been an encouraging tournament for Osaka. The four-time Grand Slam champion had been in a slump since her Australian Open triumph in 2021. She seems to have benefited from the change in coach. After Wimbledon, she parted ways with Patrick Mouratoglou, who worked with 23-time major champion Serena Williams. Osaka subsequently hired Poland’s Tomasz Wiktorowski, who helped guide his compatriot Iga Świątek to several Grand Slam titles.
Headquarters of Suntory Holdings Ltd.
Scandal at Suntory: CEO Takeshi Niinami Resigns Following Probe Over Illegal Supplements
Suntory Holdings held a press conference on Tuesday to announce that its CEO and chairman, Takeshi Niinami, is stepping down. President Nobuhiro Torii and other executives revealed that he was subjected to a police investigation on August 22, with Fukuoka prefectural police searching his Tokyo home. One of Japan’s best-known business leaders is allegedly suspected of purchasing supplements containing illegal substances from an acquaintance overseas. According to Niinami, he purchased the supplements believing they were legal.
Speaking on Wednesday, Niinami said, “I bought it in the US, entrusted it to an acquaintance, and had it shipped to Japan.” He added: “I understood it was not illegal and that there was no issue bringing it into Japan. I purchased it believing it to be unproblematic.” However, the former Suntory CEO did apologize for the trouble he caused the drinks conglomerate. “Having police investigate (me) is disgraceful for a company involved in supplement sales,” he said.
South Korean Man Arrested After Girlfriend Is Killed in Tokyo
A 40-year-old South Korean woman was killed in Tokyo’s Setagaya ward on Monday afternoon. She was found covered in blood by a bystander shortly after 1:30 p.m. Her throat had been slashed. Transported to a hospital, she was pronounced dead approximately 90 minutes later. A South Korean man aged 30, believed to have been her boyfriend, was apprehended by the police at Haneda Airport on Monday evening. He was seen fleeing the scene by witnesses.
The suspect is accused of stabbing the victim at an office building where she was going to work. According to NHK, he started dating the woman in April. After she suggested they break up, he allegedly assaulted her. The woman reported the assault to the police, who moved her to what they considered a safe place. They also gave the man a verbal warning and told him to return to South Korea.
New ‘Emergency Shooting’ Law Enacted as Bear Sightings Spike in Tokyo
On Monday, the revised Wildlife Protection, Control and Hunting Management Act went into effect in Japan as bear attacks and sightings continue to rise in populated regions here. The new ruling allows for the “emergency shootings” of bears and other potentially dangerous animals in populated areas under certain conditions. In the past, animal shootings were generally banned in public spaces. Licensed hunters were allowed to fire their guns only after the approval of a police officer.
Under the amended legislation, a weapon can be used on a threatening animal more freely if a city or town mayor deems it “necessary.” While most bear attacks and sightings in Japan are concentrated in the Tohoku and Hokkaido regions, there has been a significant increase in Tokyo and surrounding areas in recent years. The metropolitan government, which recently started displaying a map of bears found within its jurisdiction, is urging its citizens to remain vigilant.
Man Claims To Have Forgotten Who He Is After Waking Up in Shimane Mountains
A Japanese man appeared in a TV interview this week to appeal for information regarding his identity. Around two months ago, he woke up with a severe headache in a shrub along a national highway in the mountains of Okuizumo town in Shimane Prefecture. He had no idea who he was or how he got there. Nearby were several items, including a wallet that was completely empty and a designer bag with ¥600,000 in it.
The man, who doesn’t remember his real name, has been calling himself Hajime Tanaka. He spent some time in the wild before heading to Osaka as he had some fragmented memories of the Glico sign in Dotonbori. The morning after the interview, more than 300 calls and mails had been received from people believed to be family members and former colleagues, linking his real identity with that of a man in his 40s from Tokyo.
Australian Embassy Issues Warning After Streamer Steals Booze From Burial Site in Japan
The Australian Embassy in Japan issued a warning to its citizens on Tuesday, urging them to behave when visiting Japan. Though no specific incident was mentioned, it’s believed to be in response to a video posted by Australian Lochie Jones in August. The wannabe influencer visited a graveyard in Aokigahara, where he stole and then chugged a can of Kirin chuhai that had been placed on a headstone as an offering.
The Australian embassy responded by saying that it “works closely with Japanese authorities to ensure that Australian travellers respect and observe local laws and rules. We encourage appropriate behaviour when visiting Japan. We take these matters seriously, acting in cooperation with relevant authorities.” On Wednesday, Lochie posted two “Apology” videos on his Instagram page. Though he did say sorry in the second one, his main purpose was to rant about Japanese culture and the country’s “group mindset.”
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