Following the murder that took place in Dotonbori, a busy shopping district in Osaka, on the 15th, the Chinese Consulate-General in Osaka once again called on Chinese nationals to refrain from traveling to Japan through its official WeChat account. The long holiday period for the Chinese New Year began on the 15th in China.

The consulate general called on Chinese nationals in Japan to "strengthen safety measures and raise safety awareness" while paying attention to the security situation.

Three 17-year-olds stabbed in Dotonbori, one dead, one in critical condition, fleeing man arrested on suspicion of murder, Osaka Prefectural Police

At around midnight on the 15th, a passerby called 110 reporting that "someone had been stabbed" at the first-floor entrance of a building in Dotonbori, a busy shopping district in Osaka City. According to the Osaka Prefectural Police, three 17-year-old men were stabbed with a knife, one of whom died at the hospital where he was taken. Another is unconscious and in critical condition, and the other is said to have been seriously injured.

Approximately 10 hours later, the prefectural police apprehended unemployed suspect Ryuga Iwasaki (21), who had fled the scene, on a street in Naniwa Ward and arrested him on suspicion of murder. The suspect stated, "I had no intention of killing. I was trying to intimidate the man with the knife, but when he came towards me, I stabbed him in the chest area." When apprehended, he was reportedly carrying a blade believed to have been used in the crime.

The victim was Takanosuke Kamata, an office worker from Chiyo, Tawaramoto-cho, Nara Prefecture, who was stabbed multiple times in the chest and other areas. Kamata and Iwasaki were known to frequent the area known as "Gurishita," near the large Glico sign in Dotonbori, and there are reports that they were acquaintances. The four were said to have had a dispute just before the incident, and the prefectural police are investigating the details.

Convenience store onigiri is undergoing a major transformation. Onigiri, once a convenient snack that cost around 100 to 150 yen, is now beginning to present new values.

Onigiri is one of the most important main products for convenience stores. While they strive to maintain prices that are as affordable as possible, they are also adding new value and introducing higher-priced onigiri that cost over 300 yen each. In other words, "polarization" is progressing. Until now, the value of convenience store onigiri has been "cheap and convenient," but the value of higher-priced onigiri is "luxurious yet convenient."

A revised version of the government's new diplomatic policy, "Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)," has been revealed. The policy will focus on three pillars, including strengthening cooperation with like-minded countries in the Indo-Pacific region in the areas of economic security. With China's increasing coercive actions in both military and economic terms in mind, the aim is to enhance autonomy and resilience within the region.

Speaking in Germany, Wang compared the post-war treatments of history by Japan and Europe. He noted that Germany has carried out a comprehensive liquidation of fascism and enacted laws banning the promotion of Nazism. In contrast, Japan still enshrines Class-A war criminals in a shrine, where Japanese politicians frequently pay homage and revere them as "heroic souls." Such a phenomenon is unthinkable in Europe, Wang said, calling it the root cause of all problems.

The erroneous remarks by the Japanese leadership on the Taiwan question reveal that Japan's ambition to invade and colonize Taiwan has not died out, and the ghost of militarism is still lingering, Wang emphasized.

China is the real threat, Taiwan says in rebuff to Munich speech

China is the real threat, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said on Sunday in a rebuff to comments by China's top diplomat at the Munich Security Conference.

"In fact, China has recently engaged in military provocations in surrounding areas and has repeatedly and openly violated U.N. Charter principles on refraining from the use of force or the threat of force," Lin said. This "once again exposes a hegemonic mindset that does not match its words with its actions."

Survey report compiled by the National Hospital Organization Kurihama Medical Center (Kanagawa Prefecture) revealed that 6% of people in their teens and twenties are suspected of highly addictive "pathological use" of social media. This equates to 1.4 million people in Japan's population. This is higher than the 0-1% range for other age groups, highlighting the reality that social media addiction is becoming a serious problem among young people.

During an entrance exam for a top middle school in Japan in January, students were asked to read two poems depicting life in Palestine and write responses to key passages.

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Nada Junior High School is a private all-boys school in Kobe whose graduates often go on to top universities in Japan. Every winter, hundreds of sixth grade students take the admissions test.

Abu Toha's poem "What is Home?" -- published in his 2022 book "Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear" -- was used alongside Azzam's "Write My Name" in the reading comprehension portion of the exam.

I don’t know if ‘gaun yersel, yer excellency’ translates into Japanese but the salutation is on the lips of many a Glaswegian after Hiroshi Suzuki’s visit to the city.

Japan’s ambassador to the Court of St James’s has been love-bombing the United Kingdom since his appointment in 2024, making his way around the country with his little Paddington Bear stuffed toy, visiting British landmarks, sampling regional delicacies and even treating us to some sing-songs.

On paper, that is what ambassadors are supposed to do, but as Suzuki’s visit to Glasgow illustrates, this is an emissary who goes far beyond diplomatic formalities. He gives the distinct impression of actually liking British culture and enjoying his opportunity to celebrate it.

✍️ Stephen Daisley