 Shinji Hamasaki (1st, 3rd, and 7th photos), Takeo Yuzuna (4th photo), Kazuhiko Nakamura (6th photo)

 In this issue of Playback, we look back at what we reported 10, 20, and 30 years ago. In this issue, we introduce a report on the disaster-stricken areas one month after the Great East Japan Flood of September 2003. Despite the lack of progress in recovery, people were looking forward to the future.

Playback &#8217;15] Deep Scars of the Disaster&#8230; Walking in the Disaster Area One Month after the Great East Japan Floods

 Hideki Asai

 Kyodo News

 The Takaichi Administration is "tightening" the system for foreigners. But the future of the "labor shortage of 11 million people" looms. Convenience stores and nursing care services can't operate...?　What are the barriers to "coexistence" with Japanese society?

The Future of the &#8220;Stricter System&#8221; for Foreigners under the Takaichi Administration and the &#8220;Labor Shortage of 11 Million&#8221;&#8230; What is Really Needed for &#8220;Coexistence&#8221;?

 Which is the "strongest cup yakisoba" that is cheap and tasty? The "three wise men", Mr. Takero Kanda, a home-made ramen researcher, Mr. Takayuki Oishi, a cup noodle researcher, and Mr. Ichiro Yamato, an instant noodle hunter, debated and came to a conclusion!

Three people who have eaten all kinds of instant noodles discuss thoroughly! The three men discuss the best cup yakisoba noodles in a ranking format!

 Takeshi Kinugawa

 The cabinet of Sanae Takaichi was born after a "difficult birth" due to the withdrawal of the New Komeito Party from the coalition. In the midst of such a situation, a "letter of instruction" given to all ministers has become a topic of conversation. Moreover, it has been "leaked" to some of the mass media. ......

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi&#8217;s &#8220;directive&#8221; to all her ministers reveals her &#8220;strong arm&#8221; in her &#8220;daring to release to the media&#8230;

 Which is the "best cup yakisoba" that is cheap and tasty? The "three wise men", Mr. Takero Kanda, a home-made ramen researcher, Mr. Takayuki Oishi, a cup noodle researcher, and Mr. Ichiro Yamato, an instant noodle hunter, debated and came to a conclusion!

This is the cheapest and tastiest &#8220;strongest cup yakisoba&#8221;&#8230; Three people who have eaten all the instant noodles thoroughly discuss it!

 Two of the seven men accused of robbery, assaulting and injuring a business partner during a three-month period of confinement were held for the first time at the Tokyo District Court, where their gruesome lynching was revealed.

I&#8217;ll go to your parents. I&#8217;ll go to your parents, I&#8217;ll kill your parents&#8230; The defendant, in his 20s, laughed in court.

 Company employee and writer. A corporate employee and writer who eats Chinese food in Tokyo. Studied abroad at Fudan University in Shanghai for a year while in college and fell in love with Chinese food. Currently, while working for an IT company, he eats at newly opened Chinese restaurants around Tokyo. ■Blog: https://chuka.tokyo/ ■X : https://x.com/iam_asheng ■Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/asheng_chuka/

 Asei

 The Gen Z craze for ma la tan has evolved into something new! Combined with bean curd, Singaporean-style baksa, and the deliciously spicy soupless "hot and sour pot". Here are three "evolved ma lattangs" that are at the forefront of the boom, and that are sure to make the most serious Chinese food experts swoon.

Why Food Experts Are Buzzing About Japan’s Next-Gen Málàtàng Movement

 Kei Kato

 The Osaka Expo drew to a successful conclusion, with the total number of visitors topping 25 million. On the final day of the Expo, former Chairman Hiroshi Osaki, the former "Don" of Yoshimoto who discovered "Downtown," made an appearance.

After 17 FRIDAY Encounters, Yoshimoto’s Kingpin Finally Speaks on Osaka Expo’s Results

 The not-so-rosy future for a female prime minister: In the wake of her falling out with the New Komeito, she has accepted the Restoration Party's proposal to reduce the number of Diet members.

 President Takaichi has successfully won the position of the first female prime minister in the history of constitutional government, and within a little more than a week the "Liberal Democratic Party- Restoration Party coalition government" was born, but the party has been subject to a wave of criticism from within its ranks for its heavy-handed steering. However, she has been criticized by many within the party for her forceful leadership.

Japan’s New Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi Faces a Rocky Start — Experts Predict a Short Reign

 Midori Shirakami

 Shinji Hasuo

 A bar owner in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, was arrested on suspicion of violating the Entertainment Business Act by allowing his female employees to entertain customers without a license. At the time of the arrest, a 16-year-old girl was entertaining customers at the bar. What is the "dark side" of the nightlife district where young girls casually get involved in the nightlife business?

Girls’ Bar Raid Reveals How the Nightlife Business Preys on Teenagers

 Hiroyuki Sasaki (Entertainment Journalist)

 Yoshio Tsunoda/Afro (Tachibana), Takeshi Kinugawa (Takaichi)

Behind the Formation of the Sanae Takaichi Administration: How NHK Party’s Kenichiro Saito Could Impact the LDP

 On October 20, the Nishi-Arai Police Station of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department arrested three women and a man acting as an instructor who executed the crime for violating the Customs Law by attempting to smuggle 8 kg of gold sand hidden inside their underwear. A man enters the police station and looks unsuitable under the flash of a camera.

Three Women Smuggle 8 Kilos of Pure Gold Sewn Into Underwear — Mastermind Arrested With a Defiant Stare

 Nakahira Ryo

 The trial of a man accused of kidnapping a minor and other crimes for carrying around a 15-year-old (at the time of the incident) high school girl who was suicidal. In his third closing argument, the prosecutor cut to the heart of the defendant's claim that he was in a romantic relationship with the victim.

A Chilling Case of Exploitation — and the Prosecutor Who Refused to Stay Silent

 Izumi Nakagawa

 Nightmare of "500 mm heavy rain" to hit the Tokyo metropolitan area. Experts warn that "a typhoon of a level never experienced before is coming. There is a danger of flooding of the Arakawa and Tama Rivers due to abnormal sea temperatures in the waters around Japan. Is your town really safe?

Tokyo Faces a 500mm Rainfall Nightmare — Experts Warn of Rain Like We’ve Never Experienced Before

 Yasuko Funamoto

 The Takaichi cabinet was formed as a result of the political realignment following the withdrawal of the New Kōmeitō party from the coalition. Going forward, there are many issues to be addressed, including the reduction of Diet members and consumption tax cuts, which were thrust upon the government by the Restoration Party. ......

Takaichi’s Premiership Could Be Overshadowed by Aso and Fiscal Hawks

 The Consumer Affairs Agency has been alerted to a "side job scam" by a criminal organization, and now we have a clearer picture of the sophisticated tactics used by the organization. There are "closers" and "lawyer blockers," among other fraud schemes. We interviewed a lawyer specializing in this field.

Anatomy of a Fraud: How Professional Groups Run Side-Job Scams with Closers and Lawyer Blockers

 Shikama Aki

 Kyodo News (1st photo)

 Was the Kansai Expo a success or a failure?　Trouble after trouble: "No lines" and "no connection"... Why visitors still say it was "the best Expo yet"?

 Why did the much-criticized Osaka Expo generate so much enthusiasm that it caused "Expo loss"? We reveal the reasons for the V-shaped recovery from the headwinds before the opening and the hidden challenges faced by the management of the Expo.

Osaka–Kansai Expo’s V-Shaped Comeback

 North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un's daughter Jue has been missing for more than a month. Jooe is said to be Kim Jong-Un's successor, but she has been absent from important events. On the other hand, there is a woman whose presence is increasing. This article looks at the power struggle between women in North Korea, which is a cause for concern.

Kim Jong Un’s Daughter Ju Ae Missing for Over a Month — Mystery Deepens as Unknown Woman Rides Beside Him in Limousine

 blank green

 From May to July of this year, the managers of a girls' bar in Ikebukuro were arrested for having their female employee stand in Okubo Park and engage in prostitution. We interviewed them in the Okubo Park area in search of information about her.

Beauty, Control, and Scandal — Okubo Park Workers Speak Out on the GPS Prostitution Case

 Takuma Arimura

 On October 13, 2013, the Osaka-Kansai Expo, which had been held for 184 days and was full of various topics, came to a close. On the night of the closing, an "All Night Expo" event was held at the venue for those involved in the event. We covered the "Last Night of the Expo.

After the Expo Ends, Organizers Throw All-Night Festival Event

 Ryo Nakahira

 On October 7, the second trial was held at the Saitama District Court for a man who sexually assaulted a high school girl in a mini-car by saying, "I'll give you pocket money. What was the defendant's motive for committing the crime, and what was the defendant's attitude that riled the judge?

78-Year-Old Defendant Shows Little Remorse in High School Girl Assault Case

 Motoko Abegawa is a freelance writer mainly for the web. She is also involved in the production of books and corporate PR magazines. She does not specialize in any particular field, but rather works on a wide range of subjects that intrigue her, including history, comedy, health, beauty, travel, gourmet food, and nursing care.

 Motoko Abekawa

 Why can't we stop eating "sweet and sour"?　One of the factors is stress. A doctor explains the science behind the taste that captivates the brain and the secret to enjoying it in a healthy way.

Why Sweet and Salty Hooks Us — and How to Break Free Smartly

 Sota Shima

 Mayor Akira Ogawa of Maebashi City has unexpectedly announced that he will continue to serve as mayor. Since the uproar, he has been absent from official events, but he is said to be holding "secret meetings" with his corporate sponsors. The latest developments in Mayor Ogawa's love affair with the seat of power can be found at .......

Maebashi Mayor Ogawa Shocks Citizens with Re-election Announcement Amid Reports of Secret Meetings with Sponsors

 On October 14, a man accused of sexually assaulting five girls was sentenced. What did the man think when he heard the suffering of the victims described one after another by their guardians in the past trials? And what was the verdict?

News

Playback ’15] Deep Scars of the Disaster… Walking in the Disaster Area One Month after the Great East Japan Floods

The Future of the “Stricter System” for Foreigners under the Takaichi Administration and the “Labor Shortage of 11 Million”… What is Really Needed for “Coexistence”?