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, September 20 2024
In this episode: Consumption tax exemption abuse costing Japan billions of yen; Bullet train link decouples during ride; Nintendo and Pokemon sue for copyright infringement; Ohtani breaks new record, Japan proud; Chinese-Japanese boy attacked in Shenzhen, dies
- Broadcast on:
- 20 Sep 2024
- Audio Format:
- other
[Music] Welcome to the Tokyo Bill, a short news brief on recent events in and around Japan. [Music] In July, Japan saw a record high of 3.3 million foreign visitors, leading to an increase in visitor spending. However, there was a growing concern about tax evasion through abuse of the consumption tax exemption system. Cases of tax evasion were investigated at Narita International Airport, including one involving a man who purchased over 10 million yen, about $70,000 of goods at duty-free stores, but failed to take them out of the country as required. The suspicion being that he resold the goods which would require his paying consumption tax. Customs officials are unable to collect taxes from travelers who refuse inspections, resulting in billions of yen in unpaid taxes in fiscal 2022. The National Tax Agency admitted that the issue may be more widespread than reported. A Shinkansen train in Japan made an emergency stop on Thursday after its two linked trains uncoupled for the first time while in motion. The incident affected 45,000 passengers and led to 72 train cancellations and 35 delays on multiple Shinkansen lines. Despite the uncoupling, there were no injuries or derailments reported. All bullet-trained services between Tokyo and Shin Al Mote were temporarily halted for inspection, but were later resumed. The cause of the incident is under investigation but no abnormalities have been found on the coupler which joined the Comachi and Hayabusa trains. JR East is the only operator in Japan that connects trains of different designs for Shinkansen services. Nintendo and the Pokémon Company are suing the developer of the game "Pow World" for patent infringement. The "Pow World" which has been likened to Pokémon with guns gained popularity quickly after its release earlier this year. Both companies are investigating the claims against "Pow World" with the developer PocketPair Inc., issuing an apology to fans. The game has already attracted over 25 million players, resembling gameplay from the Pokémon franchise. Nintendo is known for protecting its intellectual property and aims to stop infringement through this lawsuit. PocketPair has vowed to investigate further into the alleged patent infringement. Shohei Otani has enjoyed an oppressive career in both Japan and the United States. Japan celebrated with a mix of incredulity and pride as the 30-year-old player from the Los Angeles Dodgers made history on Friday by becoming the first major league baseball player to achieve 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. The achievement was widely covered in Japanese media with special newspaper editions and displays in his hometown of Iwate. Otani's performance was seen as a source of national pride in Japan with fans amazed by his superhuman abilities. Local Chinese police in Shenzhen believed the fatal stabbing of a 10-year-old schoolboy was an isolated incident, with the perpetrator acting alone. The motive of the attack remains undisclosed as authorities aim to prevent any potential strain in relations with Japan. The suspect, an unemployed 44-year-old man with a criminal history, admitted to injuring the boy 200 meters from the gate of his school, who later died from his injuries. The incident has sparked speculation, but officials maintain that the boy was not targeted due to having a Japanese father, or attending a Japanese school. On Tokyo's request, additional security measures have been implemented at the school. This has been the Tokyo Bill. These stories and more you can read at thetokilbill.com. I've been, and remain, Tokyo Bill. Thank you for listening, and take care. (upbeat music) [MUSIC PLAYING]
In this episode: Consumption tax exemption abuse costing Japan billions of yen; Bullet train link decouples during ride; Nintendo and Pokemon sue for copyright infringement; Ohtani breaks new record, Japan proud; Chinese-Japanese boy attacked in Shenzhen, dies