 Yoshio Tsunoda/Afro

 The Sangseito increased its number of seats in the Diet from two before the announcement of the election to 15. However, the Sangseito was not invited to the National Assembly established by Prime Minister Takaichi, and the representative of the Sangseito, Munehide Kamiya, is outraged. ......

The Sanseitō Party Excluded from the National Council—A Lone Actor Holding the Key to Election Interference Countermeasures

 Shinji Hasuo

 On February 17, the Higashimurayama Police Department of the Metropolitan Police Department arrested a cab driver on suspicion of growing marijuana plants in his room. The incident was discovered by coincidence, when a fire, possibly caused by an electrical leak, broke out in a room of the man's apartment.

Discovered by Chance in an Apartment Fire—Why a 50-Something Taxi Driver Was Growing Cannabis

 Akira Ikoma

 In the early 2000s, the "purification operation" destroyed all storefront establishments without registration, but there was only one area where a high concentration of storefront establishments survived. Akashi Ikoma traces the history of image play as a part of the culture of adult entertainment in this second part of a series of three articles.

The Cultural History of Image Clubs③ (Part 2) — Surviving Image Club Hotspots Amid Nationwide Closures

 Akira Ikoma traces the history of image play in the adult entertainment industry. The unregistered, storefront sex clubs that flourished until the early '00s were all caught and destroyed in a cleanup operation. This led to the blossoming of the cosplay culture.

The Cultural History of Image Clubs③ (Part 1) — How Purification Operations Sparked a Niche Cosplay Boom in the Mid-2000s

 Nakahira

 A day-care worker who was arrested on February 4 for indecent assault of a male child during a camp for school children was arrested again on February 24 for indecent assault. The man was arrested again on February 24 on the charge of indecent assault.

Nursery Teacher Arrested Again for Sexual Misconduct During Camp Night — The Dark Reality of Male Child Victimization

 On February 19, Tenta Kato, an affiliate of the designated crime syndicate Inagawa-kai, was arrested on suspicion of attempted theft. Although the charge itself is a "minor offense," experts say the aim is to "destroy the gang's source of funding.

A Yakuza-Linked Man Glares at Reporters—Why Authorities Crack Down Even on Minor Offenses

 Blank green paper

 On January 29, gold soared to an all-time high of 30,248 yen per gram. The price of gold has soared tremendously since last summer due to geopolitical risks and other factors, and people who have their eyes on gold have been making a fortune with unexpected "treasures" in the market.

₱3M Windfall? January Gold Surge Sparks Hunt for Surprising Hidden Treasures

 Nakahira Ryo

 On February 16, the Chiba District Court held the first trial of a man accused of three counts of non-consensual obscenity. The details of his despicable crimes were revealed at the trial.

Chilling Crimes: Suspect Used Death Threats and Sleeping Drugs to Target Three Women

 Takeshi Kinugawa

 The LDP won the House of Representatives election. In such a situation, The Japan Innovation Party, which forms a coalition with the LDP, is seen by some as having lost some of its value. However, Yoshimura, the leader of the Japan Restoration Party, is eager to develop a "metropolitan government" for his hometown of Osaka. ......

Hirofumi Yoshimura Pulls Every Lever to Push Osaka Metropolis Plan, Leaning on Takaichi Surge

 White Paper Green

 On February 17, "God's Esthetic," a men's esthetic salon with 10 salons in Tokyo and about 30 salons in the Kanto area, was busted and 15 men and women, including the manager, were arrested on suspicion of violating the Entertainment Establishments Control Law. What were the services offered at the salon, which was known for its extreme services?

Raided God’s Esthetic Salon Accused of Offering Shockingly Extreme Services

 On February 13, the sentencing hearing was held for a man accused of kidnapping a minor and aiding suicide by taking a high school girl to the Aokigahara Sea of Trees to die. What was the sentence handed down to the man who suddenly became afraid of death and fled the scene, leaving the high school girl behind?

Court Issues Verdict in Shocking Case of Man Who Left a High School Girl to Die in the Suicide Forest

 Kaori Takagi

 Kyodo News

 On February 23, His Majesty the Emperor celebrated his 66th birthday. The author, an expert on the Imperial Family, brings back to life the tense situation before and after His Majesty's burial from a vast amount of documents. This is a real-life document of the Imperial Family, with the press, Ministry of the Imperial Household Ministry officials, and doctors scrambling to get to the bottom of the situation.

The birth of the Emperor: “When will he be born?” “We won’t make the evening edition!” — a tense February 23

 AP/Afro Xinhua/Afro Kyodo News

 Kenji Minemura (Senior Fellow, Canon Institute for Global Studies)

 Kenji Minemura, Senior Fellow and Director of the China Research Center at the Canon Institute for Global Studies, says that a Taiwan contingency has already begun. What is the basis for this? We present details of the plan for reunification of the motherland uncovered in internal Chinese documents.

Leaks show Xi Jinping’s secret plan for reunifying Taiwan has already begun

 A new type of reporting and information team consisting of people from the media, bureaucracy, and political circles. Their latest book, "Predation: The Dark Side of Natural, a Tokuryu-type Crime Group That Turns Desire into Money" (Kodansha), will be released on February 12.

 Nihonbashi Group*.

 Shinji Hasuo (1st) Jiji Press (2nd)

 In-Depth Scoop Report Part 1

 Hiroaki Obata, 40, the head of the illegal scout group "Natural," was arrested by the Anti-Gang Division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. We will look into Obata's mysterious past and true face, as well as the "Operation Summit," which was a show of force for the police.

Illegal Scouting Group &#8220;Natural&#8221; vs. Police Authorities &#8220;Blitzkrieg Summit Operation&#8221; and &#8220;The Real Face of Chairman Obata

 A new type of reporting and information team consisting of people from the media, bureaucracy, and political circles. Their latest book, "Predation: The Dark Side of the Tokuryu-Type Crime Group "Natural" That Turns Desire into Money" (Kodansha), will be released on February 12.

 Nihonbashi Group

 Hiroyuki Komatsu

 In-Depth Scoop Report, Part 2

 Hiroaki Obata, 40, the leader of the illegal scout group "Natural," was arrested by the Anti-Gang Division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. However, the group continues to operate in entertainment districts and continues to make money. The following is a detailed report on the organization's latest activities.

Illegal Scouting Group &#8220;Natural&#8221; vs. Police Authorities&#8217; &#8220;Endless Exposures&#8221;: Latest Developments after the Arrest of the Top Leaders

 Aida Garden

 In this issue of Playback, we look back at what we reported 10, 20, and 30 years ago. In 2003, "Bakubai" (explosive buying) by Chinese tourists became a buzzword of the year. The scene was a bit different in '16.

Playback &#8217;16] &#8220;The End of the Bomb Shopping&#8221;? &#8230;The impact of the bursting of the Chinese stock market bubble on the &#8220;Chinese New Year shopping spree&#8221; was discussed with the &#8220;Chinese New Year shopping spree&#8221; Chinese.

 There was the first trial of a man who allegedly stabbed an 18-year-old girlfriend to death and dumped her body. At the time of the incident, the man was married but separated; he was in love with the 18-year-old woman but she wanted to leave him. Here are the defendant's horrifying words and deeds.

Man, 33, Charged with Stabbing 18-Year-Old Girlfriend, Claims Wife Assault Incident

 Takehide Mizutani (nonfiction writer)

 Former professor of the Graduate School of Tokyo University was arrested and indicted on bribery charges after he was forced to "entertain at Yoshiwara soap operas", indulged in lavish entertainment with his research collaborators, and went on a bribery spree.

 It is probably fresh in your mind that a former professor of the Graduate School of Tokyo University has been arrested and indicted on bribery charges. This magazine independently obtained photos of "sexual entertainment on a business trip to Bangkok," which was the main cause of his arrest. We will now take a closer look at the whole story.

Prosecuted Tokyo University Professor’s Begging Behavior Traced to Bangkok Trip, Exclusive Photos Obtained

 Kyodo

 Maki Takubo, the former mayor of Ito City, became an "ordinary person" after losing a re-election. Her house was forcibly raided and five cardboard boxes were seized. ......

Takubo’s diploma controversy sparks police fury, celebrity aspirations in jeopardy

 Masayoshi Katayama (Journalist)

 Local Photo Report

 Lake Tsukui (Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture), where the water level has dropped extremely low due to record low rainfall. The lake has dried up, exposing its cracked bottom. Droughts at dams and lakes like this are occurring all over Japan, especially on the Pacific side.

Pacific Coast Lake Dries Up Amid Drought, Boat Shops Forced to Halt Operations

 The first trial of a 37-year-old defendant who allegedly murdered a 23-year-old woman took place on February 17. He asked the woman to film him having sex with her. After filming, he allegedly killed her and dumped her body. The incident took place in the COVID-19 crisis. An expert analyzes the background.

Defendant denies charges over alleged sexual filming with 23-year-old in villa basement

 Maki Takubo, the former mayor of Ito City, is now an "ordinary person" after losing a re-election in December. A forced search of her home resulted in the seizure of five cardboard boxes worth of materials. ......

Maki Takubo hit by forced home search after evidence refusal, expert warns of legal consequences

 The winter pressure pattern will return from the middle of this week, and the lowest temperatures in the city center will continue to be in the low single digits. Snow is forecasted to accumulate in mountainous areas, so it is too early to think that winter is over. The following is an alarming report on the fear of snowy mountains that the reporter has actually experienced.

Overconfidence leads to chaos in Hakone snowstorm — travelers stuck for 10 hours

 On January 12, a 36-year-old man was arrested on charges of demanding that a 14-year-old junior high school girl send him indecent images and having non-consensual sexual intercourse with her. He was the former vocalist of a visual-kei band.

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