Latest / 英語で国内ニュース / (睡眠用)英語でニュース2026年2月19日(木)
Transcript
- 0:10Japan's ruling LDP named former economy minister Yasutoshi
- 0:17Nishimura as election chief. He was involved in a slush fund
- 0:22scandal. This is the first time a scandal
- 0:26Linked lawmaker received a key post since the scandal began,
- 0:31which previously caused public distrust and poor election
- 0:36results for the party. SoftBank launched Softvoice, an
- 0:41AI system to moderate aggressive customer calls.
- 0:45This addresses Kasuhara, or customer harassment, a growing
- 0:49social issue in Japan from October 2026.
- 0:53Companies must protect employees.
- 0:56Soft voice aims to help mental health while maintaining service
- 1:00quality for customers. Prime Minister Sinai Takaichi's
- 1:06second cabinet is now focused on implementing policies after a
- 1:10strong election victory. Takaichi plans to advance
- 1:14potentially divisive policies emphasizing defense and public
- 1:18finances. Her administration needs to
- 1:21detail these measures and aims to boost the Japanese economy
- 1:25through strategic investments. Three national universities in
- 1:29Japan will raise their international student enrollment
- 1:33limits. A new framework allows
- 1:35universities to increase caps if they meet specific standards,
- 1:39avoiding previous penalties for exceeding limits.
- 1:43This move aims to welcome more foreign students to Japan,
- 1:47enhancing global academic exchange.
- 1:50The US states that a long runway at the new facility is essential
- 1:54for the return of the Futunma base in Okinawa.
- 1:57While the current Futunma runway is 2700 meters, the replacement
- 2:02facility will have two runways, each about 1800 meters, to meet
- 2:06operational requirements. A man named Aki Morita has been
- 2:11arrested in Tokyo. He is suspected of forcing a 13
- 2:15year old student to meet a sex buyer at a hotel last year.
- 2:19This case highlights ongoing concerns about Child
- 2:22Exploitation and illegal activities in the region.
- 2:25Authorities are investigating further.
- 2:28Japan's government plans to revise its economic security
- 2:31promotion law. A bill will be submitted during
- 2:34the current parliamentary session.
- 2:37The revision aims to support Japanese projects and interests
- 2:40abroad, enhancing the nation's economic security framework and
- 2:44protecting its strategic industries globally.
- 2:47Japan's distribution law will be revised to assist long distance
- 2:51truck drivers. The goal is to let drivers
- 2:54transfer cargo to other companies trucks at warehouses
- 2:57along routes. This change should help drivers
- 2:59return home quicker, improving their working conditions and
- 3:03reducing fatigue. Tohok Electric submitted an
- 3:06improvement plan after improper tests at its nuclear plant.
- 3:10The company apologized, stating irregularities were due to a
- 3:14lack of awareness about protecting nuclear materials and
- 3:17insufficient involvement from senior officials.
- 3:20They aim to prevent future occurrences and ensure safety.
- 3:32A measles outbreak in Tokyo is causing concern.
- 3:36One man infected with the disease may have exposed many
- 3:41people in public places, including stores and
- 3:45restaurants. Another woman, also with
- 3:48measles, visited a hospital multiple times.
- 3:52Health officials are urging residents to be careful and seek
- 3:56medical advice if they show symptoms.
- 3:59SoftBank has launched a new AI system called Soft Voice.
- 4:03This system helps moderate aggressive customer calls.
- 4:07It aims to tackle Kasuhara, which is customer harassment, a
- 4:11growing social issue in Japan. The technology seeks to protect
- 4:16call center employees from stress and psychological harm
- 4:19during their work. A recent survey shows that many
- 4:23Japanese voters believed false information during the February
- 4:278th general election. About 80% of those who saw
- 4:32misleading news thought it was true.
- 4:35This highlights a big challenge in how people get their news and
- 4:39what they trust in society, especially during election
- 4:43times. Over the last 10 years, Japan
- 4:46has shown increasing acceptance of same sex partnerships.
- 4:50This change reflects a shift in social attitudes and ongoing
- 4:54discussions about LGBTQ plus rights across the country.
- 4:59Many people are becoming more open minded, leading to a more
- 5:02inclusive society in various aspects of daily life.
- 5:06Foreign residents are helping to bring new life to a resort town
- 5:11in Japan. This town was struggling after
- 5:14the economic bubble era. Their arrival is boosting the
- 5:18local economy and helping the community grow again.
- 5:21It shows how new populations can positively impact older quiet
- 5:26areas. Starting in 2026, tourists and
- 5:30short term visitors will no longer be able to take the
- 5:33Japanese Language Proficiency test in Japan.
- 5:37Applicants will now need a mid to long term resident status.
- 5:41This change aims to improve how the test is managed and ensure
- 5:45proper administration for all participants.
- 5:48Japan's fraud industry faced record losses in 2025, totaling
- 5:53over 3.2 billion U.S. dollars. Most of these losses came from
- 5:59social media scams. Police are now seeking help from
- 6:03other countries and developing white AI solutions to fight
- 6:07these advanced criminal activities and protect citizens
- 6:11from financial harm. A recent survey indicates that
- 6:14almost 80% of people in Japan believe public safety has
- 6:18declined over the past decade. This widespread feeling of
- 6:22insecurity reflects a growing concern among citizens about
- 6:25crime and overall safety in their neighborhoods and
- 6:28throughout the country. It is a significant social
- 6:31worry. Several high school baseball
- 6:34players are under investigation for allegedly spreading obscene
- 6:38images. This incident has raised serious
- 6:41questions about online behavior and digital ethics among young
- 6:44people in Japan. It highlights the need for
- 6:47better education on responsible Internet use within schools and
- 6:51sports communities. Following her reelection, Prime
- 6:55Minister Takaichi plans to strengthen conservative social
- 6:58policies. Her agenda includes tightening
- 7:01immigration rules and supporting traditional views on imperial
- 7:04succession. She also aims to maintain
- 7:07existing traditions regarding married women's surnames,
- 7:10reflecting a focus on established cultural norms.
- 7:23Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra will play in Oita, Japan on
- 7:28February 19th. Also, Naoto is performing in
- 7:33Fukuoka on the same day. These are part of many concerts
- 7:39happening across Japan this month.
- 7:42Fans are excited for a variety of music events, including J Pop
- 7:48and ska. Filipino Groups.
- 7:50SB-19, Cup of Joe and BGYO will bring their music to Japan.
- 7:58They are set to perform at the DUNK Showcase in Yokohama from
- 8:03March 13th to 15th. This event will feature various
- 8:08global acts. It is a big moment for original
- 8:11Filipino music in Japan. The Japanese live action movie
- 8:16Kokuho has made over ¥20 billion at the box office.
- 8:21This sets a new record for a Japanese live action film.
- 8:26The movie, released last June, continues to be very popular.
- 8:32It now ranks among the top all time box office hits in Japan.
- 8:37K pop band Zero Base One will hold its final world tour
- 8:41concerts in Yokohama, Japan. These encore shows are on
- 8:46Wednesday and Thursday wrapping up their Here and Now tour.
- 8:51The tour has attracted over 150,000 fans.
- 8:55The group will then continue as a 5 member act.
- 8:59Global music star Bad Bunny is set to perform his first ever
- 9:03concert in Japan. He will appear in Tokyo on March
- 9:077th for Spotify's Billions Club Live series.
- 9:12This special event will feature his many songs that have over 1
- 9:16billion streams. It is a one night only show for
- 9:20top Spotify listeners. A new Japanese LGBT drama film
- 9:25called This is I will be released on Netflix on February
- 9:2910th. The movie stars Haruki Mochizuki
- 9:33and Saito Takumi. It tells the story of Haruna AI,
- 9:38who faced challenges but pursued her dream of becoming an idol.
- 9:42The Japan Foundation announced its JFF Theater streaming lineup
- 9:47for February. It includes a mix of Japanese
- 9:50comedies and dramas. These films explore themes like
- 9:55time travel and Japanese culture.
- 9:58Viewers can enjoy a range of stories, from modern high school
- 10:02students in Old Japan to office workers stuck in a time loop.
- 10:07Netflix has revealed 4 new Japanese titles for 2026.
- 10:12These include the live action series Viral Hit and the film
- 10:16One Year to Live by a Man. Other titles are Doors Closed,
- 10:21Bids Open and Sparks of Tomorrow.
- 10:24These new shows highlight diverse Japanese storytelling
- 10:28coming to global audiences. Eureka is releasing A5 film
- 10:32Samurai Epic series on Blu-ray in February.
- 10:36This collection features the legendary Miyamoto Musashi saga
- 10:40starring Kinesuke Nakamura. These films are from the early
- 10:451960s and are presented from new 4K restorations.
- 10:50It is a limited edition set for film fans. 1 Championship is
- 10:55starting a new monthly martial arts event series called One
- 10:59Samurai in Japan. The press conference was held on
- 11:02February 18th in Tokyo. This series will feature popular
- 11:07Japanese martial arts stars and international fighters across
- 11:11MMA, Muay Thai and Kickboxing. It aims to boost Japanese
- 11:16martial arts. To give a business Condon on
- 11:22news days, Japan plans to update its economic security law.
- 11:30This change supports companies with important overseas projects
- 11:35like building seaports and AI data centers.
- 11:39It also helps a State Bank provide funds, reducing
- 11:44investment risks. A new think tank will address
- 11:47supply chain challenges. This is the first revision since
- 11:512022. Japan's exports surged in
- 11:56January, driven by strong Asian demand.
- 11:59Before the Lunar New Year, exports increased by 16.8% year
- 12:05on year. However, shipments to the United
- 12:08States declined by 5%. Imports also fell by 2.5%,
- 12:14indicating softer domestic demand.
- 12:17The trade deficit narrowed, but recovery remains delicate.
- 12:22Into Loop is helping Japanese businesses with digital
- 12:25transformation and global expansion.
- 12:29Facing a shrinking workforce, the company offers consulting
- 12:33and digital services. They assist firms in modernizing
- 12:36operations, adopting AI and growing internationally.
- 12:41Into Loop focuses on a people centered approach to ensure long
- 12:45term success in the evolving economy.
- 12:48Canon Inc, with Tajin Limited, is leading supply chain
- 12:52decarbonization efforts. They calculate product CO2
- 12:56emissions using actual data for virgin plastics, a first in
- 13:01Japan. Tajin received a special
- 13:03environmental certification. Canon now uses this data for its
- 13:08products, aiming to cut raw material CO2 emissions by almost
- 13:123%. The Japan Sri Lanka Economic
- 13:16Policy Dialogue has restarted after 10 years.
- 13:19Officials from both nations Co chaired the discussions, aiming
- 13:23to boost economic ties. A large Japanese business
- 13:26delegation also participated. Talks focused on Sri Lanka's
- 13:30export growth, integrating into global supply chains and
- 13:33strengthening its financial stability.
- 13:36Osaka Hospital has launched a project to use generative AI
- 13:40safely in healthcare. Partnering with Fujitsu Japan
- 13:43and Fortians Consulting, they aim to improve workforce
- 13:47efficiency across all medical operations.
- 13:50The initiative will develop guidelines and infrastructure
- 13:52for AI use, with Microsoft Japan's expertise starting
- 13:56operations in June 2026. The International Monetary Fund
- 14:01urged Japan to continue raising interest rates.
- 14:04They warned against further fiscal loosening, especially
- 14:07cutting the consumption tax, which could weaken Japan's
- 14:10ability to handle future economic shocks.
- 14:13The IMF stressed the central bank's independence is key for
- 14:16stable inflation expectations. Japan's Prime Minister Takaichi,
- 14:21recently reelected, seeks stronger cooperation with the US
- 14:25in rare Earth's development. She hopes to deepen ties with
- 14:28President Trump during an upcoming summit.
- 14:31Takaichi's proposed sales tax cut on food and her liberal
- 14:34fiscal policies are under scrutiny due to concerns about
- 14:37inflation and national debt. Japan has committed $36 billion
- 14:42to three major projects in the United States.
- 14:45These investments include a natural gas plant in Ohio, a
- 14:49crude oil export facility on the Gulf Coast and a synthetic
- 14:53diamond manufacturing site. This is part of a larger $550
- 14:57billion investment package strengthening Japan U.S.
- 15:00economic relations. Prime Minister Takaichi plans to
- 15:04revise Japan's defense policies by December.
- 15:07This includes lifting a ban on lethal weapons exports, shifting
- 15:11Japan away from its post war pacifist stance.
- 15:14The goal is to boost military capabilities and intelligence
- 15:17gathering. This move could create new
- 15:19opportunities for Japan's defense industry and
- 15:22international defense partnerships.
- 15:27Deva. Sports News.
- 15:28Swords. Daishimas.
- 15:32Mari Fukada, a 19 year old Japanese snowboarder, won a gold
- 15:38medal in the women's slopestyle event at the Milan Cortina
- 15:42Winter Olympics. She became Japan's youngest
- 15:46female gold medalist at the Winter Games.
- 15:49This historic win adds to Japan's strong performance in
- 15:53snowboarding. Fukada's impressive runs secured
- 15:57her top spot on the podium. Kokomo Murasi earned a bronze
- 16:04medal in the women's snowboard slopestyle at the Milan Cortina
- 16:08Olympics. This is her second medal at
- 16:11these Games, having previously won gold in big air.
- 16:15Murasi's strong performance helped Japan achieve its first
- 16:19ever Olympic snowboard slopestyle podium finishes.
- 16:23Her consistent efforts continue to bring pride to Japan.
- 16:29Taiga Hasegawa secured a silver medal for Japan in the men's
- 16:34snowboard slopestyle event at the Milan Cortina Winter
- 16:37Olympics. His excellent performance
- 16:40contributed to Japan's historic success in snowboarding.
- 16:44This marks a significant achievement for Hasegawa and the
- 16:48Japanese Olympic team, showcasing their talent on the
- 16:51world stage. Japan's total medal count at the
- 16:57Milan Cortina Winter Olympics has reached a new record high of
- 17:0122 medals. This includes 5 gold medals,
- 17:06matching the record set at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics.
- 17:11The nation's athletes have shown outstanding skill across various
- 17:14sports, making these games a memorable one for Japan.
- 17:20Japan tied its record for Winter Games medals with a gold in
- 17:24figure skating pairs. This achievement on February
- 17:2817th further boosted the nation's overall medal count at
- 17:31the Milan Cortina Olympics. The figure skating team
- 17:35delivered a remarkable performance, captivating
- 17:38audiences and adding another prestigious medal to Japan's
- 17:42collection. Japan set a new Winter Olympics
- 17:47medal record with 19 medals by February 18th.
- 17:51This surpassed their previous record from the 2022 Beijing
- 17:55Games. The continuous stream of medals
- 17:58highlights the dedication and hard work of Japanese athletes
- 18:02who are consistently performing at an elite level during the
- 18:05Olympics. The Japanese women's speed
- 18:10skating team pursuit earned A bronze medal on February 17th.
- 18:15This marked their third consecutive Winter Olympics with
- 18:18a podium finish. In this event, the team
- 18:20showcased great teamwork and determination, securing a
- 18:24valuable medal against strong international competitors,
- 18:28adding to Japan's success. Ryoma Kimata won a silver medal
- 18:35in the men's big air snowboarding event.
- 18:38Kimata, who was 10th in qualifying, greatly improved his
- 18:42performance in the finals. His incredible comeback secured
- 18:46him a place on the podium, showing his resilience and skill
- 18:49in a highly competitive field at the Winter Olympics.
- 18:55Yuto. Totsuka claimed a gold medal in
- 18:58the men's halfpipe snowboarding competition after finishing
- 19:02second in qualifying. Totsuka delivered an exceptional
- 19:05second run, including two triple cork 140 forties.
- 19:10His dominant performance secured the gold, making him a standout
- 19:14athlete at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
- 19:20Ryusa Yamada secured a bronze medal in the men's halfpipe
- 19:23snowboarding event. Yamada's consistent high scores
- 19:27in his first and third runs earned him a spot on the podium.
- 19:31His strong showing alongside teammate Yuto Totsuka
- 19:35demonstrates Japan's prowess in halfpipe snowboarding at the
- 19:38Winter Games. Japan plans to update its
- 19:50economic security law. This change will help Japanese
- 19:55companies with important projects overseas.
- 19:59These projects include developing seaports for
- 20:02logistics and data Centers for AI.
- 20:06The goal is to strengthen Japan's economy in a changing
- 20:10global environment, especially with ongoing conflicts and
- 20:15technology competition. Japanese Prime Minister Sanaya
- 20:19Takaichi expressed her desire to strengthen ties with U.S.
- 20:23President Donald Trump. She hopes for deeper relations
- 20:27between the two countries. This comes as Japan looks to
- 20:31boost its international standing and cooperation with key allies
- 20:35on global issues. Japanese customs reported
- 20:38seizing over 3 tons of illegal drugs in 2025.
- 20:43This marks a 15% increase from the previous year.
- 20:48A record amount of cannabis was confiscated.
- 20:52Shipments originated from various countries, including the
- 20:56United States, Thailand and Vietnam, highlighting
- 21:00international drug trafficking efforts.
- 21:03Japan's inbound tourism saw a decline in January, largely due
- 21:08to a 61% drop in visitors from China.
- 21:11This decrease is linked to ongoing tensions between the two
- 21:14nations. However, tourism from South
- 21:18Korea and the United States saw significant growth, helping to
- 21:22offset some of the losses. The US Department of Defense
- 21:26stated that the Futanma Air Base site in Okinawa will not be
- 21:30returned to Japan without a longer runway at the replacement
- 21:34facility. This issue highlights ongoing
- 21:38discussions between the US and Japanese governments regarding
- 21:42military base relocation and operational capabilities. 2US
- 21:47Marines have been referred to prosecutors in Tokyo in
- 21:50connection with a theft case. This incident involves American
- 21:54military personnel in Japan and is now under legal review.
- 21:59Such cases often draw attention to the Status of Forces
- 22:02agreement between the two nations.
- 22:04Prime Minister Takeiichi aims to enhance Japan's military
- 22:08strength and defense policies. She plans to lift the ban on
- 22:13lethal weapons exports and move away from post war pacifist
- 22:17principles. Japan also seeks closer
- 22:20intelligence sharing and cooperation with allies like the
- 22:23US, Australia and Britain. Japan will establish a new think
- 22:28tank focusing on economic, security and supply chain
- 22:31issues. This institute will bring
- 22:33together experts in diplomacy, defense, economy, and
- 22:37technology. It aims to develop policy
- 22:40proposals and will collaborate with foreign research
- 22:42organizations to address global challenges.
- 22:45Japan has pledged a $550 billion investment package for projects
- 22:51in the United States. This includes significant
- 22:54capital for three initial projects.
- 22:57These are a natural gas plant in Ohio, a crude oil export
- 23:01facility on the US Gulf Coast, and a synthetic diamond
- 23:05manufacturing site. Japan's revised Economic
- 23:08security Law will now include measures to protect core
- 23:11infrastructure, such as medical facilities, from foreign cyber
- 23:15attacks. Additionally, the government
- 23:17will support projects to lay new optical cables under the sea.
- 23:21These steps aim to enhance national security and digital
- 23:24resilience to give AIT. SoftBank has launched Soft Voice
- 23:39and AI system for call centers. It uses real time AI voice
- 23:45conversion to soften aggressive customer tones, protecting
- 23:50employees from harassment. The system maintains original
- 23:55speech content while reducing perceived anger.
- 24:00This innovative solution aims to improve mental health for
- 24:04service staff in Japan. At Vantest Corporation, a
- 24:09leading semiconductor test equipment supplier reported a
- 24:12cybersecurity incident on February 19th, 2026.
- 24:18A ransomware attack may have impacted parts of their network.
- 24:21The company detected unusual activity on February 15th and is
- 24:26now working with cybersecurity experts to investigate.
- 24:29They will notify affected individuals if personal data was
- 24:33compromised. GMO Internet Group is expanding
- 24:37its business to include artificial intelligence,
- 24:40robotics, cybersecurity and insurance.
- 24:45This strategic shift reflects a growing trend in Japan's digital
- 24:49industry towards an AI centric economy.
- 24:53The Tokyo based company plans to seek shareholder approval in
- 24:57March 2026, aiming to offer comprehensive digital risk
- 25:02management services. Asahi Group Holdings confirmed a
- 25:06ransomware attack last September led to a leak of over 115,000
- 25:11personal data sets. This data included names, phone
- 25:15numbers of clients, and addresses of current and former
- 25:18employees. Asahi has since implemented
- 25:22stricter security measures, including enhanced detection
- 25:25systems and employee training, to prevent future data breaches.
- 25:29Japan's Nikkei stock index saw a significant rise, fueled by
- 25:34strong performances in technology shares.
- 25:38AI investor SoftBank Group experienced a 2.6% increase, and
- 25:44chip making equipment manufacturer Tokyo Electron
- 25:47stock climbed by 2.9%. This rally shows increased
- 25:52market confidence, partly due to Prime Minister Sinai Takeichi's
- 25:56economic stimulus plans. Advantest Corporation, a leading
- 26:01semiconductor test equipment supplier, reported a
- 26:04cybersecurity incident on February 19th, 2026.
- 26:09A ransomware attack may have impacted parts of their network.
- 26:13The company detected unusual activity on February 15th and is
- 26:17now working with cybersecurity experts to investigate.
- 26:21They will notify affected individuals if personal data was
- 26:24compromised. Japan's Nikkei stock index saw a
- 26:28significant rise, fueled by strong performances in
- 26:32technology shares. AI investors SoftBank Group
- 26:36experienced a 2.6% increase, and chip making equipment
- 26:41manufacturer Tokyo Electron stock climbed by 2.9%.
- 26:46This rally shows increased market confidence, partly due to
- 26:50Prime Minister Sinai Takeichi's economic stimulus plans.
- 26:54Japan plans to invest 36 billion U.S. dollars in American
- 26:58projects focusing on energy, AI and semiconductor supply chains.
- 27:03This is the first phase of 550 billion U.S. dollar commitment
- 27:07under a trade agreement. A key project involves
- 27:10Softbank's SB Energy leading a 33 billion U.S. dollar natural
- 27:15gas plant in Ohio, bolstering economic security.
- 27:19Japanese paper manufacturer OG Holdings is developing a new EUV
- 27:24photoresist for next generation 2 nanometer semiconductor chips
- 27:29utilizing wood based components. This material signifies OG
- 27:33Holdings entry into the advanced chip material market.
- 27:37The company aims for commercialization by 2028,
- 27:41targeting ¥10 billion in annual sales by the Twenty 30s,
- 27:45boosting Japan's material strength.
- 27:48Japan's Ministry of Economic, Trade and Industry Medi is set
- 27:52to dramatically increase its budget for semiconductors and
- 27:55artificial intelligence. In fiscal year 2026, funding
- 28:00will nearly quadruple to approximately ¥1.23 trillion.
- 28:04This includes significant allocations for Rapidus to
- 28:07advanced logic manufacturing and for domestic AI development,
- 28:10particularly in robotics and industrial machinery
- 28:13applications. Major Tokyo based semiconductor
- 28:17companies are reporting substantial profit growth driven
- 28:20by surging demand for AI related chips.
- 28:23Firms like Kenosha, Advantest and Tokyo Electron have revised
- 28:28their financial forecasts upwards.
- 28:31The global chip market is expected to achieve record
- 28:33revenues in 2026, fueled by investments in AI infrastructure
- 28:39and advanced semiconductor manufacturing.
- 28:42Asia is emerging as a crucial hub for the global AI ecosystem,
- 28:46with strong capabilities in semiconductors and integrated
- 28:49circuit design. Memory, rather than pure
- 28:52processing power, is increasingly seen as the primary
- 28:55bottleneck for AI system performance.
- 28:58Major chip makers like TSMC are adjusting their strategies and
- 29:01increasing AI growth guidance to meet this evolving demand.
- 29:11Arigato, Josai. Masta Oyasumina Sai.