theTokyoBill Japan news brief

theTokyoBill Japan news brief, September 18 2024

In this episode: Call for passport issuance for younger Japanese; Pokemon wins lawsuit against Chinese knockoff company; Nutria rodents becoming common sight in Nara area; Woman pressured for providing homes for criminal element; Gang rumble outside Apple store in Omotesando

Broadcast on:: 18 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 Build, a short news brief on recent events in and around Japan. [Music] The head of a travel industry group in Japan suggested offering free passports to 18-year-olds to boost international travel among young people. Only 17% of Japanese citizens' whole passports limiting opportunities for youth to travel abroad. The chairman of the Japan Association of Travel Agents expressed concern about the decline in overseas travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He plans to propose the idea of giving new adults five-year passports and providing passports to those finishing junior high school. Increasing outbound travelers is crucial to attracting more inbound tourists to Japan and stimulating international flights to and from the country. The Pokemon Company has successfully won a $50 million lawsuit against the Chinese company for using Pokemon characters in its game, Pocket Monster Reissue. The game allegedly features characters like Ash Ketchum and Pikachu, leading to a lawsuit that culminated in damages of $50 million. Despite appearing popular and earning around $42 million per year, the game faced legal action due to copyright infringement. The Pokemon Company has a history of protecting its intellectual property, even targeting fan projects that cross certain boundaries. Despite some controversy, the company has demonstrated willingness to take legal action against unauthorized Pokemon projects. Settings of Nutria, large rodents from South America considered alien species in Japan, are increasing in Nara Prefecture along the Yamato River. They were first spotted in 2019 in Oji near Osaka and have since expanded to the Southeastern Nara Basin. The Sakurai Municipal Government has noted a sharp increase in sightings this year and issued a warning to people to not feed nutrias. Reports of nutria sightings are being collected to track their spread in the area. Nutrias have also been seen in other rivers in Nara Prefecture, indicating a continuous expansion of their habitat in the region. A 77-year-old woman is accused of hating a Yakuza members escape, known for her Yakuza apartments, due to having tenants with criminal ties. Despite receiving a suspended prison sentence, she continues to show compassion for those in need, even those with criminal backgrounds, who find accommodations difficult to obtain. She has asked Yakuza related tenants to leave her properties following the incident, but her daughter praises her caring nature. The woman remains committed to helping vulnerable individuals despite legal consequences, receiving support from her tenants who value her guidance and assistance. Seven individuals, including members of the loosely organized crime group, Chinese Dragon, were arrested for causing a disturbance and interfering with business outside an Apple store in Tokyo. Those suspects, including Kajiro, Shirai, and Chinese National Song, Guo King, were accused of forcibly obstructing the store's business by shouting angrily at each other and causing disruptions. The dispute between the two groups, reportedly within Chinese Dragon, stemmed from disagreements over resales of the latest iPhone models. The Metropolitan Police Department attributes their conflict to member transfers within the groups, and has not confirmed whether the suspects admitted to the allegations. This has been the Tokyo Bill. These stories and more you can read at thetokobill.com, now I've been and remain Tokyo Bill. Thank you for listening and take care. [MUSIC]