In this week’s news roundup, we report on the collapse of the $60 billion merger plan between Honda and Nissan. Japan requests an exemption from President Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum exports. The truck cabin that was swallowed by the sinkhole in Saitama two weeks ago is located with what appears to be a human body inside. An Irish man is arrested in Hungary after his ex-wife — a Japanese national — is found dead in her apartment. And, a Ministry of Finance employee loses sensitive documents following a boozy night out.
Nissan Seeks New Partner After Merger Plan With Honda Collapses
It’s official: the merger between Honda and Nissan is off. On Thursday, the two companies confirmed that they would be terminating the memorandum of understanding (MOU) they signed on December 23 last year. Talks reportedly started to break down after Honda proposed that Nissan become its subsidiary. Speaking at a press conference on February 13, Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida said he couldn’t be confident that his company’s “autonomy would be ensured.” Japan’s third-largest automaker is now looking for a new partner.
“Honestly, it is difficult for our company to survive independently under the current management situation,” added Uchida. While Honda went into the negotiations in a strong position, the planned merger was seen as a lifeline for Nissan following years of slowing sales. In November, the multinational automobile manufacturer announced that it was planning to cut 9,000 jobs globally, while also reducing its global production capacity by 20%. That same month, a senior official reportedly told The Financial Times that the company had “12 or 14 months to survive.”
Japan Requests Exemption From Trump’s Steel and Aluminum Tariffs
On Monday, President Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum to the US, stating that there would be “no exemptions, no exceptions.” Tokyo, however, is hoping to change his mind. “We’ve requested the US government to exclude Japan from the scope of these measures,” said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi at a press conference on Wednesday. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba commented, “We will take necessary measures, including lobbying the United States for an exemption, while closely monitoring any possible impact on the Japanese economy.”
Later in the week, the US president signed a memorandum calling for “fair and reciprocal” trade tariffs on all major US trading partners. Japan’s trade minister, Yuji Muto, responded to this latest development at a press conference on Friday. “We need to find out the specifics as soon as possible, and we have to start by listening to the US government’s thinking on this,” he said. “We’ll respond appropriately so we can continue to develop the US-Japan economic relationship while also being in line with our national interest.”
Truck Cabin Located in Saitama Sinkhole After Two-Week Search
On Tuesday, Saitama Governor Motohiro Ono said researchers located what appears to be the cabin of a truck that was swallowed by a sinkhole in Yashio city two weeks ago. It was found by a drone inside a sewage pipe around 30 meters downstream from the hole. The image suggests that a human body is inside the cabin. A 74-year-old truck driver and his vehicle fell into the hole on January 28. The man was initially able to speak. However, communication with him was lost after a few hours.
Search teams are unable to enter the pipe due to high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide and the continuous flow of the sewage water, which is about 10 meters deep. The plan is to build a large bypass system upstream of the cabin that will allow the pipe’s water to flow away from the driver’s seat. Ono said the rescue operation will “take about three months.” Repair work for all the damage caused by the sinkhole, meanwhile, could last until the end of the year and cost around ¥4 billion.
Japanese Woman Killed in Hungary Filed DV Complaint in 2022
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya confirmed that the 43-year-old Japanese woman who was recently found dead in Budapest had filed a domestic violence complaint against her ex-husband to the Japanese embassy in Hungary two and a half years ago. According to Iwaya, the embassy encouraged her to consult with the police. She followed this advice, but the police refused to act. Iwaya described the death of the woman as “extremely painful,” but said that the embassy “provided the necessary support.”
The body of the woman — whose name hasn’t been disclosed — was discovered on January 29 after a fire broke out at her apartment in central Budapest. She resided there with her two children, who were at school at the time. Her ex-husband, a 43-year-old Irish national, was at the scene and called the police. He was arrested on Monday. They discovered that he had returned to the apartment in changed clothes after leaving with his children in the morning. He also wore a balaclava to conceal his face.
Ministry of Finance Employee Loses Sensitive Documents After Boozy Night
Japan’s Ministry of Finance announced this week that one of its employees lost documents containing the names and addresses of 187 people, including suspects in a drug smuggling case. The unnamed worker had a meeting at Yokohama’s customs office during the day on February 6 and then went for some drinks with customs officials. During a five-hour session, he reportedly drank nine glasses of beer before heading home on the train. He noticed his bag had gone when he arrived at Kinshicho Station.
The man works for the investigation division of the Customs Bureau of the Ministry of Finance. Inside his bag, there were nine administrative documents containing the names, addresses and case summaries of almost 200 people, in addition to a work laptop computer including his own information as well as the personal information of his team members. The ministry apologized, describing the incident as “a serious violation of the public’s trust.” It has vowed to take strict action against the employee who lost the documents.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki Expected To Pitch in Tokyo
Speaking on MLB Network this week, Los Angeles Dodgers coach Dave Roberts said he plans to start Japanese pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki in Games 1 and 2 against the Chicago Cubs next month. The two matches will take place in Tokyo on March 18 and 19. “The expectation for both those guys to pitch is real,” said Roberts. “You never know. Things can change, but I think at the outset that’s our anticipation.” Shohei Ohtani, Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga are also expected to play in the games.
In men’s soccer, Hiroki Ito finally made his competitive debut for Bayern Munich as they beat Celtic 2-1 in the UEFA Champions League. Daizen Maeda struck for the Hoops. It was his fourth goal of the week, following his hat-trick against Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup. In the FA Cup, Kaoru Mitoma scored the winner in Brighton’s 2-1 win over Chelsea. Tomoki Iwata struck one of the goals of the week in Birmingham‘s 3-2 loss to Newcastle. Takefusa Kubo’s goal was almost as good in Real Sociedad’s 2-1 victory against Midtjylland in the Europa League.
