Welcome to NHK Newsline. I'm Morishita Erika in Tokyo.
Police have arrested a man on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with a brutal attack in southwestern Japan last weekend. Two teenagers were stabbed inside a fast food restaurant. One victim was later pronounced dead.
Cameras caught the moment officers arrived at the police station in a vehicle believed to be carrying the suspect. He's been identified as 43-year-old Hirabaru Masanori, who reportedly lives near the scene. Investigators say he's admitted to the attack.
It took about five days from when this incident happened until today. During that time, many people, not just elementary and junior high school students, had to live in fear. Finally, we have arrested the suspect.
Investigators say security camera footage played a crucial role in identifying the alleged assailant. The arrest brings some closure to a shocked community.
I was scared to go out because I have a small child. I hope something like this never happens again. On Saturday, two junior high school students were stopped while waiting in line at the McDonald's. Police say the attack happened in less than 30 seconds. A male student survived with serious injuries. He says the suspect was a complete stranger. 15-year-old Nakashima Saaya died of her wounds. It is not known whether she knew the killer.
France's highest court has upheld a conviction against former President Nicolas Sarkozy for corruption and influence peddling. French media outlets say Sarkozy will be placed under house arrest for one year and will be required to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet. This is the first time such punishment has been handed down to a former French head of state.
Sarkozy was accused of offering to secure a job for a judge in return for information about the probe into suspected illegal donations. The alleged handouts were made to his 2007 presidential campaign.
The former president pleaded not guilty by the Paris court and then an appeals court convicted him. He was sentenced to three years in prison, with the first two years suspended.
Sarkozy appealed to France's highest court for civil and criminal cases.
The top court on Wednesday dismissed his appeal. On the same day, Sarkozy said on social media that he is innocent.
The former president faces another trial in a separate case. He's suspected of having accepted illegal campaign funds from the late Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi.
Some students at the school in the Russian Far East are learning about the state ideology of North Korea. This appears to be another sign of deepening ties.
The students are members of a school club in the city of Khabarovsk. They're learning about Chuchae. That's an ideology developed by North Korea's founder, Kim Il-sung, to be the country's guiding principle.
Earlier this week, the students also discussed how ties with North Korea have become more important since Russia invaded Ukraine and broke with the West.
A display in the classroom includes photos of the Russian and North Korean leaders.
Learning about politics and economics is fun. I came to learn about North Korea because it's like an ally to Russia and because it's our neighbor.
This teacher began the club with support from a North Korean diplomatic mission in the city.
If Russia and North Korea become united,and if we make our alliance even stronger, we will be able to stand up to countries in the West.
Next, 2024 is said to be a record year for Japan's tourism industry. As of November, over 33 million visitors are believed to have come from abroad with so many making repeat trips, some are looking for a more niche experience.
Hello!
This group traveled over an hour outside Tokyo to try something unique.
At this former Japanese school, they get to be high school students for a day.
That includes donning the iconic student uniform.
Is this the first time you've ever done this?
No, like a hundred times. But this is the first time we get to like be students.
The organizers say many are fans of Japanese anime, which often depict a high school setting. It's made many curious about Japanese student life.
The tour tries to recreate an authentic school experience, that includes making sure they change into their indoor shoes before heading to homeroom. The day starts with a traditional morning greeting.
First period is Japanese calligraphy. But a school day wouldn't be complete without an earthquake drill. The would-be students practice putting on protective hoods and ducking under their desks. It's a common practice given the frequent natural disasters in Japan.
Japanese curry.
After morning classes, it's time to eat. They get a taste of a traditional school lunch. Japanese curry and deep fried sugary bread.
When I was young, I watched Japanese series a lot. So it's this feeling. Yeah, it's fun that we can eat together and the same food.
Since the tour began in February, it's gained traction on social media.
Despite its distance from Tokyo, more and more people are traveling to give student life a try.
I think like this is by far the most amazing thing I could think of because it's kind of, it's it's impossible for, you know, if you don't live in Japan, you're not like a student, you can never experience this kind of thing.
But that's not the only niche experience tourists are going for. Japanese toilets have long been popular with foreigners, not only for their features, but for their designs. For example, This public restroom gained attention worldwide for its transparent walls. They turn opaque when the door is locked.
To cash in on the attention, Tokyo's Shibuya Ward partnered with a private firm to create a public toilet tour.
And this is the toilet. Ohh You see?
Wow. That is amazing.
Participants visit several public restrooms designed by world-renowned architects. Each has its own style.
So cute. It's like a little... It's so cute! Toy house.
Like a little Swiss mountain chalet.
Many say they learned about the tour on social media. Others signed up after watching an award-winning film about a public restroom janitor. This American family said they were impressed by the small details in the Japanese toilet.
This is for putting your baby in there.
Yes, they have that in many places.
In America?
No, here. I've never seen it in America, though.
No, it's very thoughtful. It's very thoughtful.
A Japanese tourism expert says social media allows visitors to find activities off the beaten path. With so many being repeat visitors,She says this sort of niche tourism could be increasingly profitable.
As for the participants, it gives them a chance to see a side of Japan that for many only existed on screen.
Watanabe Tsuneo, one of the most influential figures in Japanese media, politics, and sports,has reportedly died. The major newspaper publisher, the Yomiuri Shimbun, where he served as editor-in-chief, broke the news Thursday morning.
Watanabe served as a politics reporter for the Yomiuri in post-war Japan. During his work, he grew close to former Japanese Prime Minister Nakasone Yasuhiro.
(Japanese)
After years of covering Japan's political leaders, Watanabe himself rose through the ranks at the Yomiuri, including becoming head of its editorial board.
He eventually became its chairman in 2004, and he spent four years chairing the Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association.
Watanabe was also a big figure in the sports world. He became owner of the Japanese baseball league team Yomiuri Giants in 1996.
Despite his age, the Yomiuri says its editor-in-chief remained an active figure in the office, coming in on a regular basis until the end of last month.
Watanabe was 98 years old.
♪
It's time now for a check on the world weather. Here is our meteorologist Jonathan Oh. Jonathan?
Hello. We started off Thursday morning in the greater Tokyo area with some places seeing some snow, flurries and some sleet as well. It wasn't a long lasting thing, but it was enough for bringing some smile to some folks faces during the morning hours. Of course, the main focal point of snow right now in Japan is up toward Hokkaido and that's going to be the case as we go throughout the day on Friday as well before things might be tapering off as a head toward the weekend.
Meanwhile, another system up toward the northeastern portions of China, bringing a chance for some snow north of Beijing. Otherwise it's going to be chilly, high of around 4 in Beijing for Friday's whole. We're also looking a high of 4 Tokyo seeing some clouds as well, 11 for the high and that's pretty normal for this time of year. Well, in Batar, you'll stay chilly here high of 16 degrees below zero. Yeah, as we go throughout the day on Friday.
Chilly temperatures also part of the storm up into Canada in places like Winnipeg as we have a system in the area that's going to bring some more snowfall as it pushes toward the east into the Great Lakes. And we talked, we're talking a possible lake effect snow as we head toward the latter part of Thursday into Friday and so more of a white weather type of pattern as we head throughout the next couple of days. Speaking of some snow, also back toward the West, we have another system coming in from the Pacific, and that's going to bring some rain to the Pacific Northwest in a place like Vancouver and Seattle with some snow into the higher elevations. Of course, Los Angeles, you're going to be seeing sunny skies, 27 degrees for the high as you go throughout the day on Thursday.
But from Winnipeg to Toronto, Chicago, all looking at some snow as you go throughout the day on a Thursday.
Let's look at what's happening across Europe. Snow also a part of the story up to the north into place like the Scandinavian Peninsula, also into western portions of Russia as we see a system pushing on through. Now we're looking at a warmer pattern though down toward the South as we see another front trying to move through. And so ahead of that we'll see a warm surge that's going to help bring temperatures up into the teens for daytime highs extending from places like Lisbon all the over into Berlin. And so it's going to be slightly warmer with some of the rain in the forecast as we go throughout the day on Thursday.
That's the forecast. Hope you have a good day wherever you are.
♫
So that's all for this edition of NHK Newsline. I'm Morishita Erika in Tokyo.
Thank you for watching on NHK World Japan.
