In this week’s news roundup we have the latest on the LDP leadership race ahead of Saturday’s election. Shinjiro Koizumi and Sanae Takaichi lead the way in the polls despite the former being involved in a stealth marketing scandal. The five candidates have been staking their claims over the past couple of weeks, with each one calling for stricter policies on foreigners.
Also this week, the Earthquake Research Committee announces that it’s revising its long-term forecast for a Nankai Trough megaquake. Ashiya Mayor Ryosuke Takashima is included in the “Time100 Next 2025” list. Voice actors Kaito Ishikawa and Maaya Uchida announce that they are getting married. In sports news, Shohei Ohtani hits two home runs in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series. And Onosato wins his fifth sumo championship.
LDP Presidential Candidates Discuss How To Deal With Foreigners
Voting and ballot-counting will take place on Saturday to decide the next leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). According to officials, results for the first round are expected at around 2:10 p.m. If it goes to a runoff, the announcement of the person to succeed Shigeru Ishiba will be at approximately 3:20 p.m. According to a recent survey by Kyodo News, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) supporters see Sanae Takaichi as the most suitable candidate to become Japan’s next prime minister. However, a recent Jiji Press survey revealed that Shinjiro Koizumi has the most support among LDP lawmakers, slightly ahead of Yoshimasa Hayashi.
One of the key issues during the LDP Presidential election campaign has been how to deal with foreigners in Japan. Takaichi kicked things off by speaking about people from overseas who “kick” and “punch” deer at Nara Park. Local workers, however, claimed they hadn’t seen such behavior. Takaichi also blasted tourists who use torii gates like monkey bars and called for an increase in the number of immigration officers. Takayuki Kobayashi, meanwhile, feels a system needs to be established to decrease the country’s dependency on foreigners. Toshimitsu Motegi is aiming for zero illegal foreigners. Koizumi intends to develop an action plan within the year. And Hayashi wants to control total inflow gradually over time.
Source image: Wikimedia
Shinjiro Koizumi Leadership Bid Rocked by Stealth Marketing Scandal
Koizumi is bidding to become Japan’s youngest postwar prime minister. His leadership bid, however, has been rocked this week due to a stealth marketing scandal. Tabloid magazine Shukan Bunshun reported that senior campaign official Karen Makishima encouraged members of Koizumi’s team and supporters to post messages of praise for him on the video-sharing site, Niconico. Makishima subsequently resigned. Koizumi revealed that she was subjected to slander and even bomb threats directed at her office. He added that he was “responsible for what happened within the campaign.” During a debate on Saturday, none of the other candidates pushed Koizumi on it, as he had already apologized.
The debate titled, “A Night with Hiroyuki,” was hosted by Hiroyuki Nishimura, founder of the message board 2channel, who asked the five candidates what kind of country they would like Japan to become. He requested that they reply in English if possible, but added that it wasn’t necessary. Koizumi spoke in Japanese because he wanted to “respond accurately.” Kobayashi and Takaichi did the same, though the latter finished with the words, “Japan is back.” Hayashi and Motegi both answered in English. People online were surprised that Koizumi and Kobayashi, who were educated at Columbia University and Harvard Kennedy School respectively, answered in Japanese.
Nankai Trough Megaquake: Why Japan’s Latest Forecast Is Causing Confusion
On September 26, the Earthquake Research Committee announced that it was revising its long-term forecast for a Nankai Trough megaquake. Yet rather than giving one clear forecast, it presented two ranges of probability: “60 to 90% or more” and “20 to 50%.” This caused confusion among the public and local governments. “There is a big discrepancy between the probability of occurrence calculated using the two methods, making it difficult for citizens to understand, and extremely confusing,” said Takashi Namba, the mayor of Shizuoka city. He also asked the national government to “provide a more understandable explanation in the future.”
Megaquakes have occurred along the Nankai Trough once every 90 to 150 years. The last one, which measured between 8.1 and 8.4 on the moment magnitude scale, struck on December 21, 1946. In 2013, the panel put the probability of another one occurring there within 30 years “between 60% and 70%.” Five years later, it became “between 70% and 80%.” In January of this year, it reached around 80%. These estimates are based on what’s known as a “time-predictable model.” This model, however, is considered inaccurate by some seismologists due to scientific concerns about its methodology.
Japan’s Youngest Mayor Ever Included in ‘Time100 Next 2025′ List
On Tuesday, Time magazine released its “Time100 Next 2025” list, honoring people from around the world who are shaping the future and defining the next generation of leadership. Included among them was Ryosuke Takashima, who was elected to lead the city of Ashiya in Hyogo Prefecture two years ago at the age of 26 and 2 months, making him Japan’s youngest ever mayor. A year earlier, Takashima graduated from Harvard University with a degree in environmental engineering. He also leads a non-profit organization called the Ryugaku Fellowship, which offers Japanese high school students information and advice about going to college overseas.
After his election triumph in April 2023, Takashima said, “What matters is what I’ll achieve, not my age. But my youth means I have more energy to be more active than anyone else.” He broke the record of Kotaro Shishida, who was elected as the mayor of Musashimurayama in western Tokyo at the age of 27 in 1994. While campaigning, Takashima vowed to provide more support for young families, free medical care for people 18 and younger and improved English education programs. He won with more than 46% of the vote, ahead of the incumbent and two other rivals.
Voice Actors Kaito Ishikawa and Maaya Uchida Announce Marriage
Prominent Japanese voice actors Kaito Ishikawa and Maaya Uchida announced their marriage on Tuesday through their respective social media accounts. “This is a sudden announcement, but we, Maaya Uchida and Kaito Ishikawa, have gotten married,” read the joint statement. “We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all our fans and colleagues who have supported us, as it is thanks to your continued support we have been able to continue our careers in entertainment up to now. We have been able to get to this day thanks to the warm support we have received from everyone.”
Ishikawa and Uchida both received Best Rookie gongs at the 8th Seiyu Awards in 2014 for Tokyo Ravens and Gatchaman Crowds respectively. They have featured together in several anime series, including, The Rising of the Shield Hero, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai and Onmyo Kaiten Re:Birth Verse. Ishikawa is best known for voicing characters such as Genos in One-Punch Man and Tenya Iida in My Hero Academia. Some of Uchida’s most famous roles include Fischl in Genshin Impact and Rikka Takanashi in Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions. Her brother, Yuma Uchida, is also an acclaimed voice actor.
Ohtani To Make His Postseason Pitching Debut Against the Phillies
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed on Wednesday that Shohei Ohtani will make his postseason pitching debut in Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday. The two-way superstar has recorded a 2.87 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 47 innings this season. He’s also continued to impress with the bat. Last weekend, he hit his 55th homer of the campaign, breaking his own Dodgers record. He followed that up with two home runs in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Cincinnati Reds. The Dodgers won the game 10-5 and then completed the sweep with an 8-4 victory the following day.
In other sports news, Onosato won his fifth sumo title on Sunday. He defeated fellow yokozuna Hoshoryu in what was the first play-off between grand champions in 16 years. The latter went into the final day one win behind, but then defeated Onosato to set up the highly anticipated winner-take-all playoff. In the rematch, the Japanese man forced his rival out of the ring with a powerful frontal crush-out. The closely fought encounter required a judges’ conference. The last two yokozuna to face off in a playoff were Hoshoryu’s uncle, Asashoryu, and Hakuho in 2009. “Both of us, as East and West yokozuna, were able to carry the tournament forward and excite the fans,” said Onosato.
Related Posts
Discover Tokyo, Every Week
Get the city’s best stories, under-the-radar spots and exclusive invites delivered straight to your inbox.
