 Shirashi Midori

 Short videos are so popular that people can’t stop watching them, but a flood of content is circulating that consists of clips cut from overseas videos and mass-produced solely to rack up views. This has given rise to a “strange cycle” created by generative AI.

AI Creating for AI? Inside the Strange Cycle Emerging in Short Videos

 Kyodo

 Could a nurse—often called an “angel in white”—have committed such a heinous crime? The person arrested for mixing feces into a hospitalized patient’s IV drip, leading to the patient’s death from multiple organ failure caused by sepsis, was, surprisingly, a nurse…

The Nurse Behind the IV Contamination Scandal: What Those Close to Miyuki Furukawa Say About Her

 Financial Planner / Representative, Rapport Consulting Office.After graduating from the Faculty of Engineering at Nagoya University, he worked at a securities firm and an insurance agency before going independent. Through financial consultations and writing and supervising articles, he supports people in developing the ability to think for themselves and take action regarding their financial matters. He holds certifications as a Level 1 Financial Planning Specialist, CFP®, Real Estate Broker, and Sauna & Spa Professional.

 Hiroki Takekuni

 Afro

 The Best Defense Against Rising Prices Is “Lifestyle Protection” Shareholder Perks! We’ve carefully selected ultra-popular stocks—including Aeon, Bic Camera, and Muji, with August record dates—that help ease the strain on household budgets. Let’s weather inflation by smartly using these perks to save on shopping and dining out!

Love Shopping? These Popular Japanese Stocks Offer Shareholder Perks You Can Actually Use

 Financial Planner / Representative, Rapport Consulting Office.After graduating from the Faculty of Engineering at Nagoya University, he worked at a securities firm and an insurance agency before going independent. Through financial consultations and writing and supervising articles, he supports people in developing the ability to think for themselves and take action regarding their financial matters. He holds certifications as a Level 1 Financial Planning Specialist, CFP®, Real Estate Transaction Specialist, and Sauna & Spa Professional.

 We’ve carefully selected little-known, high-yield stocks from the August shareholder benefit offerings! We’ll introduce seven noteworthy stocks—including those with a total yield exceeding 10% and special-case stocks offering a one-time 10,000-yen QUO Card—that have either been newly introduced or expanded.

7 August Stocks With New or Expanded Shareholder Perks—and Yields Above 10%

 Shinji Hasuo

 A verdict will be handed down on July 31 to defendant Shunichiro Sato, a former member of the Japanese men’s national volleyball team who was arrested for marijuana possession while on a training camp. Although the defendant admitted to the charges during his initial hearing, experts point out that “there was one point of concern.”

[Verdict Aug. 31] Former Japan Volleyball Player Sato Admits Cannabis Possession—What Concerns Remain Over His Sentence?

 Sayuri Saito

 An unusual “space fund” has appeared under the new NISA program. However, experts are warning that “the key player, SpaceX, is missing, and the fund is actually composed of defense stocks.” We explain the pitfalls of theme-based funds, which carry high fees and the risk of buying at inflated prices.

Space Investing Comes to Japan’s New NISA—But Experts Say the Fund May Not Live Up to Its Name

 Hiroyuki Sasaki

 The other day, the nationwide assessed land values were announced, and among residential areas in the Tokyo metropolitan area, the Higashi-Hatsushiro area near Hatsushiro Station in Nagareyama City posted the highest increase rate at 16.1%. What exactly is happening in this quiet residential neighborhood? A reporter brings you a field report.

A Quiet Chiba Neighborhood Has Japan’s Fastest-Rising Land Prices—Here’s What’s Driving the Surge

 Ryo Nakahira

 In the early hours of July 20, a man who rammed his car into a convenience store and wandered around wielding a weapon was subdued by police. What kind of man was this individual, who had also set his own apartment building on fire? We visited the scene to investigate.

He Crashed Into a Convenience Store With a Knife and Golf Club—What Was He Like at Home?

 Kei Kato

 Kazuhide Kawaguchi, a former yakuza executive who gained attention in the documentary *Yakuza and the Constitution*, has been living as a law-abiding citizen for four years since dissolving his gang. He spoke about the ongoing restrictions and harassment he faces, his feelings toward his former gang members who have gone their separate ways, and his plans for the future.

The Yakuza Boss Featured in Yakuza and the Constitution Reveals What It Really Means to Leave the Underworld

 A prison sentence has been finalized for a 29-year-old former child welfare agency employee who engaged in sexual acts with a girl under the age of 16 who was in the agency’s care. During the trial, the former employee repeatedly testified that he was “threatened” as the reason for the crime. What exactly happened at the facility?

“I Had Sex With My Teacher”: The Courtroom Testimony Behind a Child Welfare Worker’s Sexual Abuse of a Girl in His Care

 Courtesy of Mr. Kaneko

 Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. On the front lines, there is a Japanese man fighting as a volunteer in the Russian military. Daisaku Kaneko, who has served with the special forces unit “Akhmat Spetsnaz,” explained why he went to the battlefield

Why Is a Japanese Entrepreneur Fighting for Russia? He Explains Why He Went to the Front Lines

 Kyodo News

 [Part 1] Earthquakes with a seismic intensity of 5- or higher are occurring at a rate exceeding last year’s

 Major earthquakes are currently occurring frequently across the country. Last year, there were 15 tremors with a seismic intensity of 5- or higher, but this year there have already been 13—a pace that exceeds last year’s total. It is said that the crust off the coast of Japan has been unstable since the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011.

Earthquakes Are Striking Across Japan—What Would Happen If a Major Quake Hit Tokyo?

 Kota Ishii (Nonfiction Writer)

 What Was the Downward Spiral of a Man Obsessed with a Live Streamer That He Described in Court?——

 What emerged from the trial and interviews was the bottomless loneliness of the people gathered on the app. For defendant Kenichi Takano, who was in dire straits, watching “Fuwacchi” was his only source of emotional solace. What was the downward spiral of Takano’s life—as told in court by a man who became obsessed with live streamers?

She Was Stabbed 55 Times at 22: The Full Story Behind the Takadanobaba Livestreamer Murder

 [Part 2] A Series of Eerie and Intense Shakes in Aomori, Iwate, and Yamanashi

 While a series of eerie and powerful tremors has been occurring in Aomori, Iwate, and Yamanashi… massive earthquakes don’t just happen in rural areas. Research even shows that underground shopping districts could be flooded in as little as 15 minutes! What preparations do people living in urban areas need to make to mitigate damage?

A Magnitude 6+ Earthquake Strikes Tokyo, Nagoya or Osaka—What Would Happen?

 Kazuhiko Nakamura

 Seven prominent Kanto-based yakuza groups have gathered at the operational headquarters of the designated organized crime group, the Inagawa-kai. What exactly was the purpose of this gathering of top executives from each group? We delve into the inside story.

Seven of Kanto’s Most Notorious Yakuza Groups Gather in Shin-Yokohama—What Was Behind the Meeting?

 Takeo Ketsu

 On July 14, a low-key birthday party for former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori was held at the Ginza steakhouse “Hirayama.” Gone was the imposing physique he had during his heyday as the “Don of the Seiwakai”; instead, he appeared emaciated, looking almost like a different person.

Former PM Yoshiro Mori Appears Drastically Thinner at Luxury Steakhouse—A Somber Birthday for the “Don of Seiwa-kai”

 Works as a freelance writer primarily for online media. She is also involved in the production of books and corporate PR magazines. Without a specific area of expertise, she covers a wide range of topics that pique her interest, including history, comedy, health, beauty, travel, food, and elder care.

 Reporting and Text: Motiko Abegawa

 Why Do “Kind People” Burn Out the Most in PTA Groups, Neighborhood Associations, and Fan Communities? A University of Tokyo professor exposes the true nature of “exploitation through a sense of fulfillment” and the “quagmire of good intentions” lurking in Reiwa-era communities. What are “weak ties,” the key to preventing this exploitation?

Can’t Bring Yourself to Say “I’m Quitting”… What Are “Weak Ties” and How Can They Help You Escape the “Quagmire of Good Intentions” Lurking in Communities in the Social Media Age?

 Shinji Hasuo (1st photo), Tsuyoshi Kinugawa (2nd and 3rd photos), Takao Kawakami (4th photo)

 A “Playback” series looking back at what this magazine reported 10, 20, and 30 years ago. This installment focuses on the Tokyo gubernatorial election held in July 2016. In conflict with the Tokyo chapter of her party and without organizational backing, we look back on Yuriko Koike’s campaign fought entirely on her own.

[Playback ’16] “Unpopular Yuriko”: The Confidence and “Chances of Winning” That Remained Unshaken Even in a Lonely Tokyo gubernatorial race

 Although forensic pathologists occasionally appear in mysteries and TV dramas, most people probably don’t know much about them. We spoke with Morio Iino, Tottori Prefecture’s only forensic pathologist, to learn about the lesser-known aspects of the profession.

The “Only Forensic Pathologist in the Prefecture,” Who Performs Autopsies on 300 Bodies a Year, Reveals the “Surprisingly Unexpected Reason” He Chose This Career Path

 Where is the centrist movement headed? … While talks have begun to unify House of Councillors members and local assembly members—who remain divided between the Constitutional Democratic Party and Komeito—Komeito is positive about the merger, whereas Constitutional Democratic lawmakers are unanimously saying…

&#8220;Local Support Is Lacking&#8221;: The Centrist Reform Alliance Six Months After Its Formation—Why a &#8220;Three-Party Merger&#8221; with the Constitutional Democratic Party and Komeito Remains Difficult

 Financial Planner / Representative of Financial Wisdom. Graduated from the Department of Law, Faculty of Law, Chuo University.Became independent after working at the Corporate Pension Research Institute and the FP Research Institute. Has served as Chief Researcher at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Pension Education Center and as a Research Officer (in charge of defined contribution pensions) at the Corporate Pension Federation. A popular financial planner known for his concise and easy-to-understand columns on money, with numerous serialized articles and contributions.His recent publications include *RETIRE SHIFT* (Toyo Keizai Inc.), *Is 40 Million Yen Really Enough for Retirement?* (Nikkei Publishing), and *A Super Beginner’s Guide to the Japanese Version of FIRE: Even Ordinary Office Workers Can Do It* (Discover 21).<br /><br />
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 Shunsuke Yamazaki

 A must-read for middle-aged people despairing over the thought, “Am I going to be a corporate slave for the rest of my life, working until I die?” A financial planner explains how to achieve a fulfilling life through “Retirement Shift”—a new concept that lets you use NISA and iDeCo to gain the “right to quit” and decide your own retirement timing.

Hitoshi Matsumoto Reveals Colon Cancer Surgery—Experts Explain the Treatment and Prognosis That May Follow

 It’s said that something unusual is happening in the To-Yoko area right now. With regulations becoming increasingly strict, they’re reportedly running out of places to hang out. It’s also said that the people gathering there are changing. We took a look at the “current state” of To-Yoko.

A Girl Jumped Onto &#8220;Godzilla Road&#8221;—Now the Tōyoko Kids Are Being Forced Out. Where Do They Go?

 On July 15, an accident occurred in Nishi-Tokyo City, Tokyo, in which a third-grade boy on his way to school was struck and killed by a minivan. Why did this tragedy happen, even though he was crossing the crosswalk on a green light? An accident investigation expert analyzes the incident.

He Was Simply Crossing the Street—Then Tragedy Struck. The Unexpected Blind Spot on a Child’s Daily Route

 The first hearing for a former security guard charged with theft for stealing approximately 135 million yen from a bank ATM was held on July 13 at the Tokyo District Court. He stated that he “spent the stolen money as my desires dictated”—but what exactly did he spend it on...?

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