In this week’s news roundup we have the latest on the general election as opinion polls suggest the LDP is at risk of losing its majority. Six days ago, the party was under threat after a man attacked its headquarters with Molotov cocktails. Also this week, we report on the German tourist missing in Wakayama. An American visitor is arrested for starting seven fires in Tokyo’s Chuo and Sumida wards. And actor Junya Ikeda posts a controversial letter after being sentenced to three years in prison. In sport, Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are set to play in their first World Series this weekend as the Los Angeles Dodgers face the New York Yankees. And in the Japan Series, it’s Yokohama DeNA BayStars versus the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
CDPJ Threaten Ruling LDP’s Majority
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has held a majority in the lower house of parliament since 2012. According to latest opinion polls, however, the party is at risk of losing that majority. Currently, the LDP holds 247 seats in the 465-seat chamber, while its junior ruling coalition partner, Komeito, has 32. A nationwide survey conducted over the weekend by the Asahi Shimbun, revealed that the LDP could lose as many as 50 seats and Komeito’s numbers could slip below 30, putting the coalition’s numbers lower than the 233 required for a majority.
In contrast, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), run by former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, is forecast to make significant gains. It currently holds 98 seats, but could see that figure rise by almost 50, according to the poll. Nippon Ishin, meanwhile, could see its number of seats drop below 40. The party’s leader, Nobuyuki Baba, has not ruled out working with the LDP after the election. In a Kyodo News survey, 22.6% of respondents said they planned to vote for the LDP, with 14.1% opting for the CDPJ. The election takes place on Sunday.
Man Arrested for Throwing Molotov Cocktails at LDP Headquarters
Police arrested a 49-year-old man on Saturday morning after he threw Molotov cocktails at the headquarters of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The suspect — identified as Atsunobu Usuda from Saitama Prefecture — also crashed his van into the fence outside the prime minister’s office. He then threw what appeared to be a smoke bomb toward a police officer guarding the office. Fortunately, no civilians were injured, though three officers reported throat irritation. Usuda was arrested on the spot and was later charged with obstructing the performance of official duties. Additional charges can be added later.
Brought in for questioning, Usuda has thus far refused to reveal the motive behind the attack. In the past, he expressed dissatisfaction at Japan’s electoral system and filed a lawsuit calling for the abolition of the hefty deposit required to run for election. He also reportedly took part in several anti-nuclear power plant demonstrations. Usuda cut off ties with his friends around five years ago. During that period, he hardly spoke to his father, who revealed that his son was abused by his second wife — Usuda’s stepmother. The father only found out years later.
German Tourist Claudio Worm Missing in Japan
Wakayama Prefectural Police this week announced that Claudio Worm, a 21-year-old tourist from Germany who arrived in Japan a month ago, has gone missing. He reportedly entered Japan on September 21, spending the first few days in Tokyo. On September 30, he moved to Wakayama Prefecture, where he had accommodation booked until October 10. His last contact with his family was also on October 10. At around 5 a.m., he sent pictures of his travels to his mother via a social media site. He hasn’t been heard from since then.
The evening after Worm messaged his mother, security camera footage captured a man matching his appearance walking near Nankai Electric Railway’s Wakayamashi Station. He is approximately 172 centimeters tall with blond hair and was last seen wearing whitish pants, a black long-sleeved shirt and white sneakers. Around 40 items belonging to him were found near a public restroom, including his passport and wallet. On October 15, an acquaintance of Worm’s father informed Wakayama Prefectural Police that he was missing. Worm was due to restart classes at his university in Germany on October 12.
Persons with information on his whereabouts are asked to call the Wakayama Prefectural Police Personal Safety Division at 073-423-0110 or the Nishi Police Station at 073-424-0110.
American Teen Arrested for Starting Seven Fires in Tokyo
An 18-year-old American on holiday with his parents was arrested for arson at seven different locations across two wards in Tokyo on Wednesday. He had been due to return to the States with his family that same day. In the early hours of Monday, seven fires broke out in Tokyo’s Chuo and Sumida wards, all within a radius of approximately two kilometers. The teenage tourist was arrested on suspicion of starting a fire in a trash can located near the entrance of a condominium building in Nihonbashi Kakigaracho. Police suspect he was responsible for the other six as well.
The 18-year-old, who had visited Tokyo Disneyland, Akihabara and Asakusa with his family, is quoted as telling the police that he doesn’t “remember anything.” Many Japanese commentators on social media expressed their annoyance. One X user proposed putting a cap on the number of foreign travelers that Japan admits to the country. “There are so many low-life foreigners now that we can’t control,” the tweet read. Last week, a Chilean influencer caused a stir in Japan after she posted footage of herself doing a pull-up on a Shinto shrine gate.
Gokaiger Star Junya Ikeda Sends Controversial Letter After Receiving Three-Year Prison Sentence
Actor Junya Ikeda, who rose to fame in the 2011 television series Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger, is set to spend three years in jail. That, though, hasn’t stopped him reaching out to fans. On his X page, two letters were recently posted, in which he requested fans to get in touch. He revealed the address of the Tokyo detention house where he’s imprisoned, adding, “Visits are also accepted.” Many X users criticized the letters, with one posting, “This guy only writes about his fans in his letters, but does he understand that he tried to ruin a person’s life…?
Ikeda was arrested on October 26, 2023, for defrauding a man in his 60s. Conspiring with others, he allegedly persuaded the man to part with his three cash cards after posing as a police officer. He was then arrested again the following month for withdrawing ¥1.5 million from the victim’s bank accounts. Ikeda’s contract with his agency was terminated, and his voice was removed from the anime shows, Ensemble Stars! and The Kingdoms of Ruin. Earlier this month, he was found guilty of fraud and sentenced to three years in prison.
Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto Set for First World Series
Japanese baseball fans are gearing up for a big weekend of action with both the World Series and Japan Series taking place. The former begins on Friday night (Saturday morning Japan time) as the Los Angeles Dodgers take on the New York Yankees. It’s a first World Series for Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani, whose 50-50 ball was recently sold at auction for a record-breaking $4.4 million. His compatriot and teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been selected as the starting pitcher for the second game. The Japan Series starts on Saturday evening, with Yokohama DeNA BayStars facing the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
In European soccer, Takumi Minamino bagged a brace as Monaco thumped Red Star Belgrade 5-1 in the Champions League. Ayase Ueda also scored in the competition as Feyenoord defeated Benfica 3-1, adding to his goal against Go Ahead Eagles on the weekend. Other Japanese players on target this week included Celtic pair Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate. Keisuke Goto hit two for RSCA Futures and Keito Nakamura scored his fifth goal in five games for Reims. Yu Hirakawa netted his first for Bristol City, Tomoki Iwata struck again for Birmingham and Ko Itakura was on target for Borussia Mönchengladbach.
