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Tokyo experienced significant disruptions in January, with a major power outage halting the Yamanote train line for eight hours during the morning rush. Concurrently, police are investigating two high-value violent robberies, one in the Ueno area involving approximately 4 billion yen and a similar attack at Haneda Airport. In Osaka, a public service video aimed at preventing illegal gambling was released but faced such strong public criticism that officials paused its distribution for review. Separately, Osaka police are handling an internal misconduct case involving an inspector referred to prosecutors for a false report and six other officers facing discipline over a videotaped violent incident.
Other domestic developments included the resignation of the University of Tokyo Hospital head following staff scandals and the initiation of public road testing for a self-driving bus. NHK World-Japan aired several educational features on topics ranging from inclusivity in esports and dinosaur research to the link between extreme snowfall and global warming, reflecting its focus on explanatory journalism.
Japanese media maintained a presence in Southeast Asia, with the news program 'Newsroom Tokyo' broadcasting live from Bangkok, Thailand, on multiple dates in January, indicating coverage of developing events in the Thai capital. In Tokyo, Waymo, the self-driving car company, proceeded with quiet testing of its robotaxi service on city streets. Separately, a United Nations university based in Tokyo is not expected to be impacted by the United States' decision to withdraw from the institution.
3 topics | 71 sources
A power outage caused major train lines in central Tokyo, including the busy Yamanote loop line, to stop running for about eight hours during the morning rush. The stoppage affected hundreds of thousands of commuters before service was fully restored. Separately, Tokyo police are investigating two similar assaults where men carrying large amounts of cash were robbed. One incident involved about 4 billion yen stolen near Ueno Station, and a second, possibly related attack happened at Haneda Airport.
The Osaka prefectural government created and released a video intended to warn people about the dangers of illegal gambling. The video received significant public criticism, leading officials to temporarily stop distributing it. Separately, a police inspector in Osaka is being referred to prosecutors on suspicion of making a false report. The report was related to a video of an assault that was part of an ongoing search.
NHK World-Japan, Japan's public broadcaster, has published several feature stories on its international service. One story covers Japan's efforts to make competitive video gaming, or esports, more inclusive and accessible to a wider range of people. Another feature is an interview with paleontologist Kobayashi Yoshitsugu, a professor at Hokkaido University, who discusses what studying dinosaurs can teach us about the future. A third report examines how extreme snowfall events can be an effect of global warming.
2 topics | 16 sources
Jan 25
Waymo is testing its self-driving taxis on the streets of TokyoWaymo, the self-driving car company, is quietly running its autonomous taxis on public roads in Tokyo as part of ongoing testing. The tests are happening while a separate, unrelated development is occurring in the city, as the U.N. University in Tokyo is expected to continue its operations despite the United States' planned withdrawal from the organization.