A short (3-5 min.) English language news brief; stories from in and around Japan.
Music is Motivate by Wavecont, care of Pixabay.com.
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theTokyoBill Japan news brief
theTokyoBill Japan news brief, October 7 2024
[Music] Welcome to the Tokyo Bill, a short news brief on recent events in and around Japan. [Music] The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly has passed a new ordinance banning customer harassment, a move hailed by workers facing unreasonable demands. The challenge now is to implement the law effectively without dismissing valid customer complaints. Service industry workers, particularly in hotels, often endure verbal abuse and threats over minor issues. A survey by Labor Union UA Zenson revealed that almost half of its 33,000 members experienced harassment in the last two years, leading to severe health consequences and even suicide. The Tokyo government plans to define customer harassment and offer support in businesses in preventing such incidents, sparking similar efforts nationwide and in private sectors to combat the issue. [Music] Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has launched the Choge, the fifth Taipei-class submarine for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. The 3,000 metric ton submarine is equipped with new Kawasaki diesel engines, female-only compartments, lithium-ion batteries, a new combat management system, enhanced snorkel system, and a new generation sonar system. It will be armed with type 18 torpedoes and long-range stand-up cruise missiles. The Ministry of Defense is investing in developing new systems for future submarines such as a vertical launch system and advanced weaponry. Construction costs for the Taipei-class submarines have unfortunately been rising due to material prices and currency fluctuations. Japanese police arrested 12 men returning from Cambodia for allegedly running phone scams following reports of forced labor while working at a Cambodian casino. They are alleged to have swindled one woman from Toyota of two million yen by pretending to be police officers. Believed to have fallen for a fake social media job ads promising easy work and good pay. The suspects, including at least one teenager, were involved in scam calls and sought help from the Japanese embassy. Similar cases of Japanese scam groups from Southeast Asia have come to light with 25 Japanese men deported from Cambodia last year for operating a phone scam ring. Japan plans to expand its quasi-Zine or Michibiki satellite network from four to eleven satellites in order to provide a more reliable global positioning system. By 2026 the system will operate with seven Michibiki satellites reducing reliance on foreign systems like GPS. The expansion aims to address concerns of potential GPS access restrictions by the United States ensuring uninterrupted service. The government also plans to develop new satellites to replace aging ones with a focus on improving receiver accessibility for various applications such as driving, drones, and maritime navigation. Vandals spray-painted graffiti on the Kurosoue Yodore mausoleum, a site for Ryukyu Kingdom royalty in Okinawa. The tomb, built by King Asao in the 13th century and renovated in the 17th century, is located in the Urosoue Castle Ruins designated a National Historic Site in 1989. Security footage, viewable online, captured individuals defacing the tomb on October 3rd, a significant piece of Ryukyu Kingdom history that ruled until Japan's sovereignty in 1879. The graffiti was reported to the Urosoue Police Station for investigation under the cultural assets preservation law. This has been the Tokyo Bill. These stories and more you can read at thetokyobill.com I've been and remain Tokyo Bill. Thank you for listening and take care.
In this episode: Tokyo introduces customer service protection policies; Fifth Taigei-class submarine put into service; Phone scammers return from Cambodia, arrested; Japan to increase satellite fleet; Royal Okinawan mausoleum spraypainted