In this week’s news roundup we look at NHK’s response to one of its presenters referring to the disputed Senkaku Islands as “Chinese territory.” He went off script for around 20 seconds after reading a report about the discovery of anti-Japanese graffiti at Yasukuni Shrine. Also this week, we pay our respects to legendary artist Keiichi Tanaami and famed voice actor Atsuko Tanaka. A torrential downpour leads to flooding in parts of Tokyo. Dozens of flights are canceled after a pair of scissors go missing at an airport in Hokkaido. And in sport, golfer Hideki Matsuyama wins the FedEx St. Jude Championship while Kaoru Mitoma scores on his return to the Premier League.
Contract of NHK Presenter Terminated After ‘Senkaku’ Remark
On Thursday, NHK chief Nobuo Inaba apologized after one of the station’s presenters referred to the disputed Senkaku Islands as “Chinese territory.” The comment was made during a Chinese-language broadcast on Monday on the NHK World-Japan and Radio 2 channels. According to a report published on NHK’s official website, the Chinese national, who is in his 40s, went off-script for around 20 seconds. “The Diaoyu Islands and their associated islands have been Chinese territory since ancient times,” he said in his native language. “We protest against NHK’s historical revisionism and unprofessional work.”
He added in English, “Don’t forget the Nanjing Massacre. Don’t forget the comfort women. They were wartime sex slaves. Don’t forget Unit 731.” The person’s contract was terminated on Wednesday and the company is filing a claim for damages as well as considering criminal charges. Regarding measures to prevent a recurrence, the report stated that, “Chinese news on international radio broadcasting has been prerecorded and broadcast since August 20.” Moving forward, other languages will be prerecorded as well and the introduction of voices generated by AI is also being considered.
Yasukuni Shrine Sees Another Graffiti Incident
The presenter’s comments were made after he read a report about the discovery of anti-Japanese graffiti on a stone pillar near the entrance of Yasukuni Shrine. According to the police, a report was filed by a staff member at approximately 3:50 a.m. on Monday. Somebody used a black felt-tip pen to deface the pillar with words such as “Die,” “Militarism” and “Toilet.” A similar incident occurred at the same spot on May 31, when a video was shared online of a Chinese man who appeared to urinate on the pillar before writing “Toilet” in red paint.
On Tuesday, NHK reported that a surveillance camera at the shrine captured an image of a suspicious person climbing onto the pillar’s base before the incident. A picture of the graffiti was also posted on Chinese social media along with the words: “Leaving Japan.” In July, Chinese national Jiang Zhuojun, 29, was arrested “on suspicion of vandalism and disrespect for a place of worship,” He allegedly bought the red spray paint and played other roles in vandalizing the pillar. Arrest warrants were also issued for Dong Guangming, 36, and Xu Laiyu, 25. They were both placed on wanted lists.
Torrential Downpour Leads to Flooding in Parts of Tokyo
On Wednesday evening, Tokyo was hit by a torrential downpour, severely testing its urban infrastructure. The rainstorm caused severe flooding in parts of the capital, including at Ichigaya Station, which was like a swimming pool. It was a similar sight at other stations, such as Kokuritsu-Kyogijo, leading to several train lines being disrupted. At the Omoide Yokocho intersection in Shinjuku, water came gushing out of a manhole after the cover was dramatically blown off. A Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) official stated that the region was “experiencing unstable atmospheric conditions due to rising daytime temperatures and warm, humid air.”
Japan’s weather is growing more erratic every year. On Tuesday, the JMA released its three-month forecast with bad news for those who are tired of the heat as temperatures will most likely be higher than usual across the country in September and October. There’s also a possibility that eastern and western Japan will get more rainfall than normal and that the typhoon season will last longer. According to the JMA, Typhoon No. 10 (Shanshan) is slowly moving west–northwest toward Japan. It’s expected to strengthen and could directly hit western Japan on Monday, August 26.
Legendary Artist Keiichi Tanaami Passes Away Aged 88, Famed Voice Actor Atsuko Tanaka Dies Aged 61
Earlier this week, it was announced that legendary artist and graphic designer Keiichi Tanaami, who was renowned for his vivid pop style of painting that reflected his childhood memories of World War II, passed away on August 9 after a two-month battle with myelodysplastic syndrome (a rare blood cancer). He was 88. The first art director of the Japanese edition of Playboy magazine, he was seen as a leading figure in the country’s underground art scene and a forerunner of the Superflat movement. His funeral was held privately. A public farewell ceremony will be announced later.
Not long after the announcement of Tanaami’s death came the news that famed voice actor Atsuko Tanaka had passed away aged 61. Her son Hikaru, who’s also a voice actor, revealed that she had been suffering from an undisclosed illness for around 12 months. Tanaka was best known as the voice of Motoko Kusanagi in the Ghost in the Shell franchise. She also performed as several other iconic anime characters, including Lisa Lisa (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure) and Hanami (Jujutsu Kaisen). Another major role for Tanaka was as the dubbed voice of Angelina Jolie in the Tomb Raider franchise.
Dozens of Flights Canceled After Scissors Go Missing at Hokkaido Airport
A missing pair of scissors caused havoc at Hokkaido’s New Chitose Airport on Saturday morning, leading to security checks being suspended for around two hours. As a result, 36 flights were canceled and more than 200 were delayed. The scissors went missing from a shop near the boarding gates. It was a busy day at the airport as many people were returning home after the Bon holidays. Domestic flights were grounded and there were very long lines as several passengers were forced to retake security checks. Though the scissors were still missing, flights resumed later on Saturday.
Around 30 people were forced to spend the night at the airport. The scissors were eventually found by a store employee on Sunday. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism asked the airport to investigate the cause to prevent it from happening again. “We recognize that this occurred as a result of insufficient storage and management systems at the store,” a representative from the airport told the BBC. “We are aware that this is also an incident that could be linked to hijacking or terrorism, and will once again work to ensure thorough management awareness.”
Hideki Matsuyama |Photo by Stan Badz:PGA TOUR
Matsuyama Wins 10th PGA Tour Title
Hideki Matsuyama secured his 10th career PGA Tour title by winning the FedEx St. Jude Championship by two strokes on Sunday. The Paris Olympics bronze medalist gave up a five-shot overnight lead before recovering to claim victory with two birdies on the last two holes. He was playing without his regular caddie, Shota Hayafuji, whose passport had been stolen in London. Taiga Tabuchi stepped in to fill the void. Matsuyama’s coach, Mikihito Kuromiya, also had his passport stolen. Matsuyama lost his wallet. The trio were dining at a restaurant in London when Hayafuji realized his bag had disappeared.
In men’s soccer, several Japanese players found the net in Europe this week. Kaoru Mitoma scored the opener in Brighton’s 3-0 victory over Everton. It was his first Premier League game since injuring his back in February. In England’s second tier, Blackburn’s Yuki Ohashi grabbed his third goal in as many games. Takumi Minamino scored the only goal as Monaco defeated St Etienne in Ligue 1. Gil Vicente’s Kanya Fujimoto became the first Japanese player to hit a hat-trick in the Portuguese Primeira Liga. And Daizen Maeda bagged a brace for Celtic in the Scottish League Cup.
