theTokyoBill Japan news brief

theTokyoBill Japan news brief, November 11 2024

In this episode: Princess Akiko cuts trip short: Princess Mikasa’s health worsens; Policeman leaves behind notebook with suspect, sensitive data posted online; UK okays progression of next 6th generation fighter joint-development; Global warming negatively impacting Japan’s ski resorts; Automakers bringing in Indian-made vehicles to save on costs

Duration:: 4m
Broadcast on:: 11 Nov 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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A short news brief on recent events in and around Japan. A follow up to a recent story, Princess Akiko returned from Britain on Saturday due to her grandmother's recent condition. 101-year-old Princess Mikasa, widow of Prince Mikasa, is in deteriorated condition. She was hospitalized in March for a stroke and pneumonia, currently being treated in a private room since September. Recent tests showed declines in heart and kidney functions. Princess Mikasa is the oldest living member of the Imperial household since the late 19th century. The Imperial Household Agency states that Princess Mikasa is conscious, but her deteriorating health is apparently of concern to the family. A police officer investigating a drug offense in Tochigi Prefecture left behind a notepad containing personal details of 46 people at a suspect's house. The notepad included information such as addresses, occupations, dates of birth and telephone numbers. The suspect found the notepad and images from it were shared on social media. The suspect was later arrested for violating the Stimulance Control Act and for "investlement of lost property," a charge he denies. The police department apologized for the leak of personal information and stated they would take measures to prevent a recurrence such as refraining from taking unnecessary notepads to crime scenes. The United Kingdom, Japan, and Italy have approved the next-generation Global Combat Air Program, CGAP, potentially unveiling the world's second-sixth-generation aircraft. The program merges the Tempest and FX Fighter programs of the UK and Japan, respectively, with plans to establish the GCAP International Government Organization. The GCAP aims to develop cutting-edge technology to enhance defense capabilities against rivals like China, Russia, and North Korea. Industry partners are already working on platforms and technologies, including unmanned adjuncts, advanced sensors, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. The GCAP's program future was unclear until a meeting last week where the British Prime Minister approved development. Global warming appears to be having an impact on Japan's ski and snowboard industry. Temperature and humidity changes affect snow-crystal formation and quality, with resorts in Northern Japan experiencing lesser snowfall and poorer quality snow, a trend noticed since the 1960s. In 2023, seven resorts went bankrupt due to a lack of snow, others postponing opening dates. Olympics, ski-jumping medalists, Sarah Takanashi lamented that skiing may become a summer sport if snow continues to decline. Considering that the Beijing Winter Olympics used artificial snow due to a lack of natural snow, skiers may just have to say goodbye to natural conditions. Japanese automakers are importing vehicles from India to sell in their home market due to lower labor costs, with Suzuki Motor recently starting to sell its India-made SUV in Japan. The model is competitively priced and comes with safety functions expected by Japanese drivers. Previous attempts with a compact car in Japan ended due to slow sales, but this time Suzuki believes the SUV will be accepted in Japan. Since March this year, Honda Motor has been selling a small SUV made in India in Japan. Both companies benefitting financially from lower labor costs and sourcing more parts locally in India. This has been the Tokyo Build. These stories and more you can read at thetokyobuild.com, I think and remain Tokyo Build. Thank you for listening and take care. [Music] (upbeat music) (upbeat music)