theTokyoBill Japan news brief

theTokyoBill Japan news brief, September 27 2024

In this episode: Japanese citizenship to be restored to octogenarian sisters; Counterfeit earphones prompts Meiji to call for import block; Japanese warship marks first passage through Taiwan strait; New Zealand joins in on Taiwan strait crossing; Guam construction project set for Marine relocation; Sinkhole appears in Hiroshima, buildings damaged

Broadcast on:: 27 Sep 2024
Audio Format:: other

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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[Music] Welcome to the Tokyo Bill, a short news brief on recent events in and around Japan. Two stateless sisters in their 80s of Japanese descent in the Philippines are set to restore their Japanese citizenships after losing them due to turmoil post-World War II. Esperanza Maureen Cabrios, 86, and Lydia Maureen Galahan, 84, were granted permission by the Naha family court in Japan's Okinawa Prefecture to establish a new family register. Their father, a Japanese citizen who moved to the Philippines to work as a fisherman, passed away during the war in 1945. The sisters have received support from a toko-based group and have expressed interest in visiting Japan. Japanese food company Meiji blocked the import of counterfeit earphones resembling its Kino-ko-no-yama chocolate snack. The wireless earphones created in collaboration with Michiru sold out quickly at 29,800 yen each. However, knock-offs, lacking certification, and real-time translation capabilities were found on e-commerce platforms. Meiji took action by filing a petition with customs authorities to stop the import of fake products. The unique shape of Kino-ko-no-yama received a three-dimensional trademark in 2018, making it crucial for Meiji to protect its brand value. A Meiji spokesperson emphasized the importance of safeguarding the snack's identity as they expand globally. Japanese worship cruised through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday to assert freedom of navigation, angering Beijing. This comes just a week after China's Lao-Ning aircraft carrier and accompanying destroyers sailed between two Japanese islands near Taiwan. Tokyo called that incident "totally unacceptable" and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed the Taiwan Strait journey in response. Beijing sees Taiwan as a renegade province and claims jurisdiction over the region. The United States and other countries cite freedom of navigation for their voyages in the area. Also on Wednesday, New Zealand's Navy sailed an auxiliary military vessel through the Taiwan Strait for their first time in seven years, further challenging China's claim on the contested waterway. The HMNZ-S-Aotearoa and an Australian guided missile destroyer HMAS Sydney sailed through asserting freedom of navigation. New Zealand, with trade ties to China, has avoided exercises in the Taiwan Strait but is now aligning more with traditional allies like the US, UK and Australia. New Zealand also condemned China's recent intercontinental ballistic missile test and a cyber-attack linked to a state-sponsored Chinese group. Plans are underway to revamp defense forces and potentially join Aokus' efforts for advanced military technology. A joint venture between construction firms Granite and Obayashi has secured a $113 US million contract for a project at US Marine Corps Base Camp Blas in Guam. The project will involve constructing new facilities to support the Marine Expeditionary Force, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, including an auto-organization shop, an electrical communications maintenance shop, a vehicle lay-down area and other reinforced low-rise buildings. The project is set to begin in October and is expected to be completed by January 2027, supporting the relocation of Marines from Okinawa to Guam. Japanese police responded to a sinkhole emergency in Hitoshima on Thursday, where a road caved in due to a burst water pipe. The uplifted road led to water seeping out, causing parts of the asphalt to peel away and tap water to turn murky and yellow. Nearby buildings developed cracks and some leaned dangerously in towards the sinkhole, causing doors to jam and trapping residents, needing rescue by the fire department. Authorities are advising the evacuation due to the risk of building collapse. This has been the Tokyo Bill. These stories and more you can read at thetokobill.com, I've been and remain Tokyo Bill. Thank you for listening and take care. (upbeat music) [MUSIC PLAYING]