In this week’s news roundup, we have the latest on Shiori Ito’s Oscar-nominated film, Black Box Diaries, which still hasn’t been distributed in Japan. Three hotel workers are found dead after going missing in the Fukushima mountains. Fumio Kishida’s pipe bomb attacker is sentenced to 10 years in prison. Foreign visitors continue to flock to Japan in record numbers. Two Kick streamers are attacked in Hokkaido. And the new season of the J-League begins with an Osaka derby. 

Shiori Ito Making ‘Necessary Changes’ to Black Box Diaries Film  

Last month, Black Box Diaries became the first ever movie created by a Japanese director to be nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Documentary Feature Film category. A first-person feature by Shiori Ito about her rape case, it has been distributed in over 50 countries around the world. Yet in Japan, where the alleged crime took place, it still can’t be seen. The reason, according to lawyers, is that Ito broke a pledge to protect sources by using unauthorized footage and audio.

Ito released a statement through the Foreign Correspondents’ Club on Thursday, in which she apologized for “causing harm.” She admitted to using security camera footage that was provided solely for use in the trial and including conversations with a taxi driver and a detective, without getting their approval. She’s now reediting the film. “In the latest version, all efforts have been made to ensure that individuals cannot be identified,” she said. “I will do everything I can to make the necessary changes for future screenings abroad.” 

Three Men Found Dead in Snowy Mountains Near Hot Spring Resort 

Three men were found dead in the snowy mountains of the Takayu Onsen area near the city of Fukushima on Tuesday. The three of them — a hotel manager in his 60s and two hotel employees in their 50s and 60s — had gone out for a routine maintenance check of the accommodation’s hot spring’s source on Monday afternoon. When they failed to return, a hotel employee called the emergency services. That was just after 8 p.m. The search, involving around 20 firefighters and police officers, began the following morning.

The task was made more difficult due to high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, a hazardous byproduct of volcanic hot springs, in the area. Oxygen tanks were subsequently deployed to conduct the search. The three men were found collapsed around 100 meters from the mountain trail entrance before noon on Tuesday. A doctor at the scene confirmed they had died. Though the official cause of death is still being investigated, authorities suspect they may have inhaled high levels of hydrogen sulfide. 

Fumio Kishida

Kishida Pipe Bomb Attacker Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

On Wednesday, Ryuji Kimura, 25, who in 2023 threw a pipe bomb in the direction of the then prime minister, Fumio Kishida, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempted murder. The point of contention in the trial was whether the defendant had intended to kill. According to his defense, he only wanted public attention and did not expect the bomb to cause injuries, so he shouldn’t have had to face a charge of attempted murder. They felt a three-year sentence would be reasonable. 

The Wakayama District Court, however, disagreed, stating that Kimura knew the explosives were powerful enough to cause fatal damage. Prosecutors had sought a 15-year term, arguing that it was a “malicious terror act.” The incident occurred on April 15, 2023, at the Saikazaki Fishing Harbor in Wakayama city. The prime minister was minutes away from giving a stump speech when a loud explosion rang out. He was standing around a meter away from where the cylindrical object landed, before being pushed away from the scene, uninjured.  

crowded kyoto street in japan

Foreign Visitors Continue To Flock to Japan in Record Numbers

Last year, a record 36.87 million people visited Japan from abroad. Early indications, though, suggest that record could be broken again in 2025. On Wednesday, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) revealed that the country welcomed 3.78 million foreign visitors in January. It’s the first time for the figure to surpass the 3.7 million mark and almost 300,000 more than the previous best recorded in December 2024. It’s also a 40.6% increase from the same month a year earlier. 

The rise in the number of tourists is good news for the Japanese government, which has set an ambitious target of attracting 60 million foreign visitors annually by 2030. Many, though, are worried about overtourism as visitors often flock to the same cities and sites. The biggest complaints among locals are related to congestion and manners. Efforts, though, are being made to encourage visitors to the country to explore beyond the “Golden Route,” which focuses on Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Mount Fuji. 

Kick Streamers Attacked in Hokkaido After Bar Altercation

Two Kick streamers were attacked in Susukino, Sapporo, after an altercation at a bar. The men, known on their channels as GaganTV and LordHitowere chatting with a woman, when the former suggested going to a love hotel. After another person at the bar said she was his girlfriend, things started to turn ugly as someone tried to grab GaganTV’s phone. The streamers left the bar, but were then followed by a man holding an empty bottle. He chased them down the icy road as they attempted to escape. 

video of the incident shared on X has been viewed more than 7 million times. There was little sympathy for the streamers in the comments. One person on X wrote that Japanese people were running out of patience” with foreign streamers. GaganTV, however, defended himself on the site, stating that he did nothing to provoke the assault. What other people do as streamers does not define me,” he commented. I am my own individual, and grouping us together to justify such assaults is simply not fair.” 

J-League Kicks Off With Osaka Derby 

The new season of the J-League kicked off last Friday with the Osaka derby. Former Man Utd playmaker Shinji Kagawa was on the scoresheet for Cerezo, who defeated Gamba 5-2. The following day, reigning champions Vissel Kobe drew 0-0 with Urawa Reds. They then lost 4-2 to Shanghai Shenhua in the Asian Champions League. The result didn’t matter, though, as they were already through to the next round. They finished third in the group behind fellow J-League sides, Yokohama F. Marinos and Kawasaki Frontale. 

In Europe, Kaoru Mitoma scored one of the goals of the season as Brighton beat Chelsea 3-0. Koki Saito and Yuito Suzuki netted for QPR and Brøndby respectively. In Belgium, Tsuyoshi Watanabe (Gent) and Isa Sakamoto (Westerlo) both scored, while Keisuke Goto bagged a brace for RSCA Futures. The other Japanese scorer in Europe last weekend was Takumi Minamino for Monaco. He also stuck in the UEFA Champions League, but his side were knocked out by Benfica. In the Europa League, Seiya Maikuma scored for AZ Alkmaar, who eliminated Galatasaray.  

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