In our latest news roundup we pay our respects to Princess Yuriko who passed away on Friday aged 101. Also this week, Shigeru Ishiba enjoys a snooze in parliament before winning a runoff against Yoshihiko Noda to retain his post as prime minister. Yuichiro Tamaki, head of the DPFP, admits to an extramarital affair with a former gravure idol. A 65-year-old American man is arrested for defacing a torii gate at Meiji Jingu Shrine. Rupert Grint surprises Japanese fans with an appearance at Tokyo’s “Hogwarts in the Snow.” And Scotland’s newest independent bottling firm, Saltire Rare Malt Whisky, launches in Tokyo and Osaka.
Princess Yuriko, the Oldest Member of the Imperial Family, Passes Away
Born Yuriko Takagi on 4 June 1923, she married Prince Mikasa, the youngest brother of Emperor Hirohito, when she was 18. On October 22, 1916, the couple celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary in the prince’s hospital room. He died five days later with his wife by his side. They had five children: three sons, who have all passed away, and two daughters, who are still living, plus nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. During her life, Princess Yuriko was the honorary president of various charitable organizations and played an active role in the Japanese Red Cross Society.
Shigeru Ishiba Wins Prime Minister Runoff Vote Despite Sleeping
In an extraordinary parliamentary session on Monday afternoon, Shigeru Ishiba survived a runoff vote to remain in his post as prime minister. In the first round of voting in the Lower House, the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) garnered 221 votes, 70 ahead of Yoshihiko Noda of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ). It subsequently went to the first runoff in the chamber for three decades. Ishiba once again received 221 votes, which was enough to get him elected. However, while waiting for the vote count, video footage appeared to show him sleeping.
At a press conference later in the day, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi was questioned about Ishiba’s health. “The prime minister has been extremely busy working until late into the night, and I understand that he had a cold today and was taking cold medicine,” he said. Hayashi added that aside from the cold, “there are no problems with his health.” Ishiba checked into a hospital on Saturday and had a 30-minute examination at a healthcare facility on Wednesday. Speaking of the latter, Hayashi said, “I’ve heard it was a routine health check that had been scheduled before.”
Yuichiro Tamaki, Head of Japan’s DPFP, Admits to Affair
Prior to the runoff vote, it was Yuichiro Tamaki, head of the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP), making headlines. He admitted to an extramarital affair at a hastily arranged press conference on Monday morning. The admission came shortly after the tabloid website Smart Flash ran a story about the 55-year-old politician enjoying some drinks at a Shinjuku wine bar with Miyuki Koizumi, 39, a former gravure idol who serves as a tourism ambassador for Takamatsu city in Kagawa Prefecture. The article included a picture of Tamaki leaving the establishment in a gray hoodie. Koizumi reportedly left 20 minutes later.
“The contents of the report are largely true,” said Tamaki. “I would like to offer my sincere apologies not only to my family but also to the many people across the country who had high expectations for me.” He added, “My wife had told me, ‘You can’t protect the country if you can’t protect the person closest to you.’ I will etch those words in my mind once again, reflect on my actions and do my best to work in a way that is in the best interests of the country and to realize policies.”
Saltire Rare Malt Whisky Launches in Japan
Scotland’s newest independent bottling firm, Saltire Rare Malt Whisky, launched in Tokyo and Osaka this week. Based in the picturesque Scottish village of Falkland, the brand has proved very popular in European markets. It’s run by friends and entrepreneurs Nigel Heywood and Keith Rennie, with whisky experts Hans and Becky Offringa — known globally as “The Whisky Couple” — the official curators. At the launch in Tokyo, Hans said it was very rare for the couple to associate their name with one specific company, but they felt it was time to start as Saltire is such an exciting brand.
The highlight of Saltire’s collection is arguably its 17-year-old Glen Moray, which has a light taste and citrusy finish. Other releases include the 15-year-old whiskies, Tamnavulin and Macduff. The former is fruity and sweet, while the latter has a smooth, creamy taste. There’s also Aultmore, Ardmore, Benriach and Dailuaine, all at 14 years old, and a single malt Scotch with a distinctive 45% ABV that has been crafted exclusively for whisky highballs. The official Japanese distributor for Saltire is AndSpirits, led by Ai Kuroda, who this year became the first person from this country to be certified with a “Master of Scotch” qualification.
American Tourist Arrested for Vandalizing Meiji Jingu Shrine Gate
A 65-year-old American tourist was arrested on suspicion of vandalism on Wednesday for damaging a torii gate at Meiji Jingu Shrine in Tokyo’s Shibuya ward. The day before, at approximately 11:20 a.m., he allegedly carved the name of a family member onto the gate with his fingernails as a prank. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department identified the suspect as Steve Hayes. He arrived in Japan on Monday, November 11 with 4 family members for a holiday. Police were able to identify the suspect through security camera footage. After being found at his hotel, Hayes was detained. He admitted to the charges.
Two days before Hayes’ arrest, police launched an investigation after the kanji character for “death” was found written on two spots of a stone wall at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo’s Chiyoda ward. It’s not the first graffiti incident to occur at the controversial shrine this year. In June, a video was shared online of a Chinese man who appeared to urinate on a pillar at the shrine before writing “Toilet” in red paint. Around two and a half months later, the same pillar was defaced with words such as “Die,” “Militarism” and “Toilet.”
Image courtesy of https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/
Rupert Grint Makes Surprise Appearance at Tokyo’s ‘Hogwarts in the Snow’
Starting on November 9, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – the Making of Harry Potter, underwent a special makeover. Known as “Hogwarts in the Snow,” the sets are dressed for the festive season in a blanket of snow to showcase Harry’s Christmas in the first novel. If that wasn’t magical enough, yesterday, visitors got an extra surprise, with the appearance of Rupert Grint, 36, the actor who plays Ron Weasley in the famous film series. Unsurprisingly, fans went wild when they saw him. This was his first visit to Japan since 2019.
“Today is a very happy surprise for me. I love Japan, and I’m excited to set foot on this set,” he commented. Speaking about Japanese fans, he said, “They are special to me. They have shown their presence throughout the series and have cherished this work. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported me for so many years.” Godzilla Minus One star Minami Hamabe was also in attendance. “I can’t believe I got to meet him,” she said. “Combined with this set, it felt like I was watching a movie.”
