theTokyoBill Japan news brief

theTokyoBill Japan news brief, October 23 2024

In this episode: Belongings of missing German student found; Survey: ‘dogeza’ apologies insisted upon by high number of customers; AI used to fight dishonest sellers; Voice actors grumble about non-authorized AI use of their voices; Decades on, convicted killer gets a retrial

Broadcast on:: 23 Oct 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. Missing German student, Claudio Worm, was last seen in Wakayama Prefecture on October 10, arriving in the area two weeks earlier. Reported by police this week, a woman found his smartphone October 12 on a bridge over the river, and 40 personal items including his passport were discovered in a nearby public washroom. Security camera footage shows a person resembling worm near Nankai Wakamayashi Station the previous evening. The 21-year-old student is described as "blonde" with a medium build, around 172 cm tall, wearing whitish pants and a black long-sleeved shirt carrying a black backpack. When with information is asked to contact the Wakayama Prefecture police. A recent survey found that nearly half of companies in Japan have been pressured by clients to make employees apologize in a kowtowing on their knees manner, with 70% reportedly complying. The survey, by after-call Mavi Corporation, also revealed that many companies compromised this way to quickly resolve customer harassment incidents. Tokyo recently enacted an ordinance to prevent customer harassment, but challenges remain in determining what exactly constitutes harassment and ensuring effective enforcement. The survey highlighted the need for clearer standards and continual training for employees to respond consistently. The counterfeit items on resale apps, especially luxury brands, are a major concern. Online marketplaces like Rakuten Rakama are using artificial intelligence to detect fake mercury mice like handbags and watches. The AI system analyzes product images, materials and seems to compare against known fakes. Directed items are then inspected by staff, 400 brands now require this service. E-commerce giant Mercari also uses AI to check products with seller consent. The finance ministry reported over 30,000 seizures of imported counterfeit items last year, the second highest since 1987. A group of voice actors in Japan, including well-known figures like Koichi, Yamadara and Yuki Kaji, are calling for regulations on the use of generative artificial intelligence to create audio and visual content mimicking their voices without permission. The Japan Actors Union has reported cases of AI-generated content being used without consent, including popular animation characters singing songs, not part of the original works. The group of voice actors plans to release campaign videos to "raise awareness" and "advocate for guidelines to establish boundaries between acceptable and unacceptable use of synthesized voices." The Japanese High Court has ordered a new trial for Shoshi Mayakawa, who was convicted of killing a junior high school girl in 1986. Mayakawa, who has maintained his innocence, served seven years in prison after being sentenced by a higher court. The ruling on Wednesday stated that witness accounts of Mayakawa wearing blood-stained clothing were not credible, raising questions about the investigation's validity. Previous attempts at a retrial were overturned on appeal, but the latest ruling allows for a fresh examination of the case. [music]