Key words : appeals court unconstitutional
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240314_19/
Japanese appeals court: Denial of same-sex marriage is unconstitutional
An appeals court in Japan has upheld a lower court ruling that says it is unconstitutional that same-sex marriage is not legally recognized in the country. The court has rejected the plaintiffs' claims for compensation.
The lawsuit before the Sapporo High Court on Thursday was brought by three same-sex couples in Hokkaido. They are suing the government for compensation.
The plaintiffs claim that Japan's civil law, which does not recognize same-sex marriage, violates the Constitution. They say the Constitution stipulates freedom of marriage as well as equality under the law.
In 2021, the district court in Sapporo determined that denial of same-sex marriage is discriminatory and violates the Constitutional guarantee of equality under the law. However, the court rejected the plaintiffs' claims for compensation. They appealed.
During the proceedings at the Sapporo High Court, the plaintiffs argued it is clear that there is doubt about the rationale for the provisions in the civil law.
The government argued that Article 24 of the Constitution stipulates that "marriage shall be based on the mutual consent of parties of both sexes," and therefore does not encompass same-sex marriage.
Similar lawsuits have been filed in four other districts by same-sex couples. This is the first time that an appeals court has ruled it is unconstitutional for Japanese law to not recognize same-sex marriage.
A total of seven rulings have been issued in lawsuits brought by same-sex couples at five jurisdictions in different parts of Japan over the past several years.
Three of the rulings, including the one at the Sapporo High Court on Thursday, have stated that it is unconstitutional that same-sex marriage is not legally recognized in Japan.
Three other rulings have said that the lack of legal recognition of same-sex marriage in the country is in a "state of unconstitutionality."
Only one ruling has said it is constitutional.
Key words : us military resume decision
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240314_10/
Osprey aircraft resumes flights at US base in Okinawa
An Osprey transport aircraft has resumed flights at a US base in Japan's southern prefecture of Okinawa for the first time since they were grounded after a deadly crash last November.
US forces and Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force grounded their fleet of Ospreys after one of the tilt-rotor aircraft crashed off the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima, killing all eight US military personnel on board.
Japan's Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that the aircraft would resume flights in Japan in phases from Thursday, after maintenance and crew training are completed.
Shortly before 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, an Osprey was seen hovering over the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station, and was confirmed to be gaining altitude.
The US 1st Marine Aircraft Wing announced that it had resumed flights of the MV-22 Osprey at Futenma.
Okinawa Prefecture has criticized the decision to put the aircraft back in the air so soon after the flight ban was lifted. There has also been criticism of the US side's failure to disclose details of what caused the November crash.
Okinawa and Kagoshima prefectures are demanding disclosure of more detailed information.
Key words : ruling coalition agree restriction
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240314_06/
Japan's ruling parties expected to reach agreement on fighter jet exports
Japan's ruling coalition parties are expected to reach a broad agreement on a framework that would allow the export of next-generation fighter jets co-developed with Britain and Italy.
The main governing Liberal Democratic Party is in favor of partially relaxing the country's strict regulations on the transfer of defense equipment. But its junior coalition partner, Komeito, has been cautious, saying it could not allow exports without certain restrictions.
The parties have been discussing setting strict conditions on exports.
Prime Minister Kishida Fumio presented a plan on the matter at an Upper House budget committee meeting on Wednesday.
He said that cabinet approval would be required to allow fighter jets to be transferred to a third country as part of a strict decision-making process.
Kishida also said the framework would only apply to the next-generation fighter jets, and that they would only be transferred to countries with which Japan has signed a treaty on the export of defense equipment.
Komeito's policy chief, Takagi Yosuke, said the prime minister addressed the matter carefully in the Diet. Takagi also said requiring cabinet approval would call for deliberations by the ruling parties and would make the process strict.
The policy chiefs of the LDP and Komeito will meet on Friday to discuss the plan presented by Kishida. The ruling parties are expected to reach a broad agreement soon.
Key words : youtuber
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240314_18/
Ex-lawmaker GaaSyy given suspended sentence for online intimidation
A court in Japan has given a suspended sentence to former YouTuber-turned-lawmaker GaaSyy for repeatedly intimidating celebrities and others online.
The Tokyo District Court on Thursday sentenced GaaSyy, whose real name is Higashitani Yoshikazu, to three years in prison, suspended for five years.
Presiding Judge Saeki Koji said GaaSyy's act of slandering victims while remaining in a safe zone was despicable and malicious. The judge recognized that the intimidation was habitual.
The 52-year-old former Upper House member was charged with repeated intimidation of four people, including an actor.
He was also accused of trying to coerce two of them to withdraw their criminal complaints against him by threatening them in videos on social media, saying he would never forgive them.
GaaSyy's defense lawyers had denied that his actions amounted to habitual threats.
But Judge Saeki said the defendant had continued to release gossip videos online for a long period, making substantial profits and repeatedly engaging in acts of intimidation.
The judge also said the defendant deprived the victims of what they had built.
Key words : british government
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240314_09/
UK govt. introduces bill to quash wrongful Post Office convictions
The British government has proposed new legislation to clear the names of hundreds of Post Office branch managers and others who were wrongly convicted due to a flaw in an accounting system.
The bill submitted to parliament on Wednesday aims to overturn the majority of the convictions by the end of July.
The government says those who were wrongly convicted will be entitled to receive 600,000 pounds, or about 768,000 dollars, to rebuild their lives.
Between 1999 and 2015, more than 900 British Post Office branch managers and other employees were prosecuted for embezzlement and other charges. Officials had found gaps between cash at the counter and records in Fujitsu's Horizon accounting system.
In 2019, a British court ruled in favor of a group of postal managers who had filed a lawsuit claiming the system had a flaw. More than 100 of those people have already been cleared. But not all the victims have been compensated.
Under the proposed bill, convictions will be quashed without the need to bring a formal claim if certain criteria are met.
Convictions handed down between 1996 and 2018 will be automatically overturned for relevant offences, such as theft, fraud and false accounting.
Key words : kim most powerful
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240314_07/
Kim Jong Un inspects 'training match' of tanks amid US-S.Korea joint drills
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has inspected military training featuring tanks. The inspection comes as the United States and South Korea are wrapping up their regular joint military drills.
North Korea's ruling Workers' Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on Thursday that Kim observed a "training match" the previous day. Troops demonstrated their tank maneuvering skills under combat situations.
The newspaper carried photos of tanks firing simultaneously and others plunging through water.
A new type of main battle tank took part in the exercises. Kim boarded one of them and reportedly said his country's military is equipped with the most powerful tanks in the world.
The newspaper said that a unit with a history of occupying the South Korean capital during the Korean War won the so-called match.
Kim said last month that his country will occupy and annex South Korean territory in the event of war.
He has inspected military drills three times between March 6 and 13. This is apparently to counter the US and South Korea, which have been holding joint military drills through Thursday.
North Korea has not launched a ballistic missile so far during the joint drills.
A South Korean expert speculates that North Korea is putting effort into developing conventional weapons because they have made achievements in the development of ballistic missiles. There are also views that the North may be thinking of exporting weapons.
Key words : explosion china seven people
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240314_04/
Chinese police obstruct reporters covering deadly blast in Hebei
Following Wednesday's deadly explosion in the northern Chinese province of Hebei, near Beijing, state-run media correspondents reporting the incident came up against police interference.
The blast occurred at a restaurant in a shopping district in the city of Langfang. Seven people have so far been confirmed dead and 27 were injured.
A reporter from state-run China Central Television covering the incident live was seen being obstructed by local police.
Videos have also been posted on social media showing a reporter from a different state-run news organization surrounded by police.
It is rare for Chinese police to interfere with reports by state-run media.
On Wednesday night, a news reporters association under the umbrella of the Communist Party lodged a protest, saying its members have the right to conduct legitimate reporting.
China has recently seen a string of fires or explosions that each left more than 10 people dead. President Xi Jinping has issued an order that safety be ensured and responsibility for such incidents be pursued. Observers say the local police may have been nervous about the instruction.
Key words : putin ready nuclear
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20240314_03/
Putin: Russia ready to use nuclear weapons if statehood threatened
Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country is ready for nuclear war if its sovereignty is threatened. His comment apparently was meant as a threat against Western countries that are helping Ukraine defend itself from Russian aggression.
Russia's presidential office on Wednesday released an interview between Putin and state-run media.
Putin was asked whether Russia is prepared for a nuclear war. He said that from a military-technical viewpoint, his country is ready. He stressed that his country would be willing to use nuclear and all other weapons if its sovereignty and independence are threatened.
Putin said he has not faced the need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
Observers say Putin wanted to show himself as a strong leader to the Russian public before the presidential election from Friday through Sunday.
Key words : world weather Jonathan Oh
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