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(睡眠用)英語で国内ニュース2026年5月8日(金) · 英語で国内ニュース

0:20
Japan's government and central bank reportedly intervened in
0:24
the foreign exchange market during the May holidays.
0:27
They sold dollars and bought yen.
0:29
This follows an estimated ¥5 trillion intervention on April
0:33
30th. Sources confirmed the action
0:36
aimed at thin holiday trading. Combined total interventions
0:41
might reach ¥10 trillion to counter speculative moves.
0:45
Toyota Motor Corporation reported record sales exceeding
0:49
¥50 trillion last fiscal year. However, profits decreased due
0:55
to tariffs from the Trump administration.
0:58
The company projects a further decline in operating profit to
1:02
¥3 trillion this fiscal year, with the Middle East situation
1:06
also impacting earnings. Fukushima Prefectural Police
1:12
searched a bus company in Niigata after a microbus
1:16
accident on the Ban ETSU Expressway on May 6th.
1:20
The crash involving high school students resulted in 21
1:24
casualties. The driver arrested for
1:27
negligent driving reportedly admitted driving between 90 to
1:31
100 kilometers per hour. Nintendo announced a ¥10,000
1:37
price increase for its new Nintendo Switch 2IN Japan,
1:41
raising it to ¥59,980 from May 25th.
1:45
Prices for original Switch models and Nintendo Switch
1:48
Online subscriptions will also rise.
1:51
The company cited increasing raw material costs and market
1:55
changes globally. A Yatsushiro city councillor,
2:00
Yukio Narimatsu, was sent to prosecutors on suspicion of
2:05
accepting a ¥60,000,000 bribe. The alleged corruption concerns
2:10
A-150 point ¥1 billion new City Hall construction project.
2:14
Narimatsu reportedly conspired to favor a construction company
2:18
in bidding, then received the money.
2:22
The United States and Iran both claimed they were attacked and
2:26
retaliated near the Strait of Hormuz on May 8th.
2:30
This comes amidst reports of ongoing efforts for a peace
2:34
agreement. President Trump stated that a
2:37
ceasefire remains in effect despite the recent clashes
2:40
between the two nations. A bill to establish a national
2:45
intelligence agency is under parliamentary debate.
2:50
Prime Minister Takehichi confirmed the government is
2:53
considering measures to prevent unnecessary infringement of
2:57
personal information and privacy.
3:00
These safeguards will be discussed this session to ensure
3:04
responsible intelligence gathering.
3:07
A 48 hour closure is planned for a section of the Shuto
3:11
Expressway Route One Haneda Line connecting Tokyo and Yokohama.
3:17
The downbound section from Shibara to Katsushima will close
3:21
from May 9th to May 10, 2026. This is for an aging Rd. renewal
3:27
project. Drivers are warned to expect
3:30
heavy traffic. After school care centers,
3:34
crucial for families, face severe staff challenges.
3:38
Many workers earn as little as ¥130,000 monthly, with over 60%
3:44
making under ¥2 million annually.
3:47
This low pay and heavy workload are causing many staff to
3:51
consider quitting despite high demand for these services.
3:55
North Korean media reported on May 8th that Kim Jong Un
4:00
inspected a new destroyer's test voyage.
4:04
This vessel recently conducted several missile launch tests.
4:08
Kim ordered the destroyer to be handed over to the Navy by mid
4:12
June for commissioning, indicating its imminent
4:15
operational deployment. Mihama Nuclear Power Plant Unit
4:26
3 was manually shut down early on the 8th after a steam leak
4:31
was detected inside the turbine building during operation.
4:35
The leak occurred near the high pressure turbine.
4:38
Authorities confirmed there was no impact on the surrounding
4:41
environment. This action ensures safety
4:44
following the incident at the plant.
4:47
Yasushi Kuno, a respected Imperial Household journalist
4:52
and former NTV announcer, passed away at 90 from old age on May
4:56
2nd. Kunosan was known for covering
5:00
historic events, including the Asama Sanso incident and Emperor
5:04
Shoah's passing. He also hosted the popular
5:07
Imperial Household Diary, providing insights into the
5:11
Imperial family. The Nuclear Regulation Authority
5:16
reported losing at least six official smartphones in 2025.
5:22
Documents revealed phones were lost in various locations,
5:27
including hotel areas, on streets and during travel.
5:31
One case reported this January involved a loss in China.
5:36
Some reports indicated staff neglected daily phone checks,
5:40
highlighting security concerns. Ogawa, leader of the centrist
5:45
Reform Alliance, plans to announce the party's view on
5:48
stable imperial succession next week.
5:52
There are strong internal concerns about the proposal to
5:55
adopt male descendants from former imperial families.
5:59
The party aims for careful consensus building to finalize
6:02
its stance on this important issue soon.
6:06
A father convicted of sexually assaulting his daughter in
6:09
Toyama when she was a high school student will serve an 8
6:13
year prison sentence. He did not appeal the guilty
6:16
verdict to the Supreme Court, making the sentence final.
6:20
The victim had bravely come forward to publicly share her
6:24
experience. An earthquake with a seismic
6:27
intensity of three struck Shizuoka Prefecture around 12:36
6:32
PM on the eighth. Shizuoka city's Awai and Suruga
6:37
wards observed the strongest tremors.
6:39
Authorities confirmed there is no threat of a tsunami from this
6:43
earthquake. Residents in the affected areas
6:46
experienced moderate shaking. Following last month's forest
6:52
fire in Otsuchi town iwade, the Ministry of Agriculture,
6:57
Forestry and Fisheries held a task force meeting on the eighth
7:01
support measures for local governments were reported
7:05
focusing on cutting and transporting burnt trees for
7:08
restoration. This aims to aid the recovery of
7:12
the affected forest areas. Fukushima Prefectural police
7:17
searched the office of a bus operator in Niigata on the 8th.
7:22
This follows A tragic accident on the Banditsu Expressway on
7:26
the 6th, where a microbus carrying high school students
7:30
crashed. The incident involving students
7:33
on a club trip resulted in 21 casualties.
7:38
Three, including a Yatsushiro City Council member, were
7:42
arrested for alleged corruption related to the new City Hall
7:46
construction. They reportedly received
7:49
¥60,000,000 in cash from a company for preferential
7:52
bidding. The cash was allegedly carried
7:54
in a suitcase. The City Hall was rebuilt after
7:58
the Kumamoto earthquake. Prime Minister Takechi denied
8:02
reports that her campaign team posted slanderous videos against
8:06
other candidates during past elections.
8:09
She stated her office and campaign team did not create or
8:13
disseminate negative information or videos.
8:16
Takechi emphasized her team's social media posts were only
8:20
from official accounts, denying all allegations to give a
8:26
business content on Useless. Japan's government and central
8:32
bank intervened in the foreign exchange market during the May
8:36
holidays, selling dollars and buying yen.
8:39
This follows A5. Trillion yen intervention on
8:42
April 30th. Sources indicate the holiday
8:45
period with its thin trading was targeted.
8:49
Market estimates suggest interventions between May 1st
8:52
and 6th could total 4 to ¥5 trillion, potentially reaching
8:56
¥10 trillion overall. Toyota forecasts a 22% decrease
9:02
in net profit for the fiscal year ending March 2027, its
9:06
third consecutive year of decline.
9:09
This is mainly due to rising material costs linked to the
9:12
Middle East situation. Operating profit is also
9:16
expected to fall. However, sales are projected to
9:19
exceed ¥51 trillion, a first for a Japanese company.
9:24
Toyota plans to boost hybrid production to improve
9:27
profitability. Prime Minister Takaichi Senay
9:33
stated that foreign backed election disinformation harms
9:37
national interests during deliberations for a new National
9:40
Intelligence Council. She emphasized that such
9:44
activities undermine democracy. The Council will address these
9:48
issues. The Prime Minister also
9:50
highlighted the urgent need for an anti espionage law to counter
9:55
foreign intelligence operations, indicating that discussions on
9:59
this are moving forward. Prime Minister Takechi Sanay
10:04
announced that discussions for establishing an anti espionage
10:08
law will proceed. Speaking in the Upper House, she
10:12
emphasized the urgency of creating mechanisms to prevent
10:16
illegal interference. The Prime Minister highlighted
10:20
active operations by foreign intelligence agencies targeting
10:23
Japan, stressing the need to protect national security from
10:27
such threats. Ogawa, leader of the Centrist
10:32
Reform Alliance, announced that his party will finalize its view
10:36
on stable imperial succession by next week.
10:39
He acknowledged strong concerns within the party regarding the
10:42
proposal. To adopt.
10:43
Male heirs from former imperial families.
10:46
Ogawa emphasized the need for careful consensus building to
10:50
address this sensitive issue. The government and the Liberal
10:54
Democratic Party are discussing A revision to the retrial
10:58
system. They are currently negotiating
11:00
whether to include a principle prohibiting prosecutors from
11:04
appealing retrial decisions. This crucial point will either
11:07
be in the main text or supplementary provisions of the
11:10
Code of Criminal Procedure Amendment Bill aiming to
11:14
streamline the retrial process. Japan's real wages, adjusted for
11:20
inflation, increased by 1.0% in March compared to the previous
11:25
year. This marks the third consecutive
11:28
month of growth, a first in four years and seven months,
11:32
primarily due to slower price increases.
11:35
Nominal wages also saw a 2.7% rise, continuing a positive
11:41
trend for over 4 years. Sony Group reported mixed fiscal
11:46
year results. Sales increased, driven by
11:49
strong performance in semiconductors, music, and
11:52
anime, including popular titles like Demon Slayer.
11:56
However, net profit declined due to a significant loss incurred
12:00
from discontinuing its electric vehicle development and sales
12:04
plans with Honda Entertainment divisions, especially anime,
12:07
were major contributors to revenue.
12:11
Nintendo is increasing the price of its Switch to console for the
12:15
domestic Japanese version by ¥10,000, making it ¥59,980 from
12:23
May 25. This hike is mainly due to
12:26
rising memory semiconductor costs.
12:29
International versions will also see price increases.
12:32
Despite the hike, Nintendo's fiscal year March 2026 sales
12:37
reached a record high, exceeding ¥2 trillion, largely driven by
12:42
strong switch to sales. Elon Musk and Sam Altman Co
12:47
founders of Open AI are now in AUS Court battle Musk is
12:52
challenging open A is shift from a non profit to a for profit
12:56
model, questioning its original mission.
12:59
This lawsuit could impact open AIS future and raises
13:02
significant ethical concerns about artificial intelligence
13:06
development, drawing global attention to the industry's
13:09
direction. Deva Sports and you saw with
13:14
Stychemus. Japan's professional Baseball
13:20
League NPB is considering new rules for dangerous bat swings.
13:25
This follows an umpire's severe head injury from a loose bat.
13:30
Proposed penalties include warnings or ejections.
13:34
If a bat directly hit someone, immediate ejection is possible.
13:39
These safety rules could be implemented this season, aiming
13:43
to protect players and officials.
13:46
Yokozuna Uno Zato will withdraw from the Summer Grand Sumo
13:51
tournament starting from the first day.
13:54
This marks his third career absence and 2nd consecutive
13:58
tournament withdrawal due to ongoing left shoulder issues.
14:02
He injured his shoulder last November and also withdrew from
14:06
the March tournament. Uno Zato's adjustment has been
14:09
delayed. Ozeki and Saken will also
14:14
withdraw from the summer Grand Sumo tournament, marking his
14:19
first absence. He is currently kadabon, meaning
14:22
if he fails to secure a winning record, he will be demoted from
14:27
ozeki to sekiwake for the next tournament.
14:30
And Sakin recently injured his left ankle during practice,
14:34
affecting his preparations. Shohei Otani's new kickselly
14:40
celebration has quickly become merchandise.
14:43
After hitting a double against the Astros, Otani kicked his
14:47
left leg high at second base. This new performance, which
14:51
started with younger players, was made into T-shirts by AUS
14:55
company Rotoware. The shirts feature a retro game
14:58
style Otani character. Cubs pitcher Shota Aimanaga
15:04
earned his fourth win, pitching 6 innings and allowing one run
15:09
while striking out ten against the Reds.
15:11
He limited the damage to a solo home run.
15:15
Imanaga's strong performance helped the Cubs extend their
15:18
winning streak to 9 games. Fans gave him a standing ovation
15:22
for his clutch pitching during critical moments.
15:25
Golfer Yuri Fudo, with 50 career tour wins, is set to qualify for
15:31
the World Ladies Championship Salon Pass Cup final round.
15:35
At 49 years and 206 days, she becomes the tournament's oldest
15:40
qualifier. This is her first final round
15:43
appearance in nearly two years. Futo emphasized the significance
15:48
of qualifying for a major tournament.
15:51
For the first time, female umpires will be appointed for
15:54
the summer Koshian High School baseball tournament in August
15:58
2026. This decision addresses the
16:02
declining number of players and umpires aiming to maintain the
16:06
sport's operational system. The federation prioritizes
16:10
skilled umpires, regardless of gender, to support high school
16:14
baseball for future generations. The International Olympic
16:19
Committee, IOC has decided against moving some summer
16:24
sports to the 2030 Winter Olympics.
16:27
This decision was made during an executive board meeting in
16:31
Switzerland on May 7th. The committee had been
16:34
considering this partial transition of events for the
16:37
upcoming Winter Games. Tokyo will host an Olympic
16:42
qualifier series for urban sports ahead of the 2028 Los
16:47
Angeles Olympics. The International Olympic
16:51
Committee announced Tokyo as one of four host cities.
16:55
The series starts in Tokyo from May 47, followed by Shanghai,
17:00
Montreal and Orlando, featuring sports like skateboarding and
17:04
three by three basketball. The US military launched
17:15
retaliatory strikes against Iran on May 7th, targeting facilities
17:20
that attacked U.S. forces. This responded to Iran's hostile
17:25
acts, including missile and drone attacks on U.S.
17:28
Navy destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz.
17:32
U.S. Central Command stated the
17:34
strikes were self-defense to eliminate threats, not seeking
17:38
escalation. The US International Trade Court
17:42
ruled on May 7th that President Trump's 10% provisional flat
17:47
tariff is illegal, as it's not justified by 1970s trade law.
17:52
The injunction against it is limited to two small businesses
17:56
and Washington state. Trump criticized the decision
17:59
and the government is expected to appeal. 5 Hantavirus
18:04
infections are confirmed by May 7th, with three deaths linked to
18:09
an Atlantic cruise ship. Dutch authorities reported a
18:13
woman in contact with an infected passenger developed
18:17
mild symptoms and is hospitalized.
18:20
The Who confirmed a new case but states the overall public health
18:25
risk remains low. The United States announced
18:29
sanctions against Cuban military affiliated companies, including
18:34
asset freezes. The Trump administration stated
18:37
it would intensify pressure on Cuba until its government
18:41
implements necessary reforms. This move aims to force changes
18:46
in the Caribbean nations regime. Chinese Premier Li Qiang met AUS
18:52
congressional delegation before President Trump's China visit on
18:56
May 14th. Premier Li expressed hope for
18:59
stable economic ties but declared the Taiwan issue a red
19:03
line that must not be crossed. This signals China's firm
19:07
stance. Over 80 countries, including the
19:12
US and Japan, expressed serious concern about North Korea's
19:17
nuclear and missile development at the NPT Review conference on
19:21
May 7th. They condemned ballistic missile
19:24
launches and urged North Korea to return to the NPT, stating it
19:29
cannot be a nuclear weapon state.
19:32
North Korean media reported on May 8th that Kim Jong Un
19:36
inspected the test voyage of a new destroyer that recently
19:41
conducted missile launch tests. He ordered the vessel to be
19:44
transferred to the Navy by mid June for commissioning.
19:48
This highlights North Korea's ongoing efforts to modernize its
19:52
naval capabilities. The United States drafted Aun
19:57
Security Council resolution urging Iran to stop laying mines
20:02
and other activities in the Strait of Hormuz. the US plans
20:06
to put it to a vote. Russia criticized the move,
20:09
stating it reflects military actions by the United States and
20:13
Israel. Russia's Defense Ministry stated
20:17
on May 8th that it would observe A2 day ceasefire with Ukraine,
20:22
starting on Victory Day for World War Two.
20:26
However, Russia warned of massive retaliatory attacks if
20:30
Ukraine interferes with the Victory Day ceremonies,
20:34
emphasizing the importance of these commemorations.
20:38
The 2026 Democracy Perception Index, released May 8th shows
20:43
European views of the US significantly worsened.
20:47
This is largely attributed to President Trump's perceived
20:51
disregard for the US Europe alliance and his criticism of
20:54
European nations. Negative perceptions of the US
20:58
and Europe widened to a 35 point gap.
21:10
Comedian Nagami Daigo of Kabe Poster has announced his
21:14
marriage. His agency confirmed the news
21:16
stating Nagami made the announcement on an ex account he
21:20
secretly operated since April. The identity of his spouse has
21:24
not been revealed. Nagami's comedy partner Hamada
21:28
Junpei also announced his marriage on May 2nd.
21:32
Yoshik of X Japan will receive the Medal of Honor from the US
21:37
Entertainment Community Fund. This marks the first time a
21:41
Japanese artist has received this prestigious award, which
21:45
has a 116 year history. Yoshiki will attend the ceremony
21:50
in New York on June 1st and is scheduled to perform.
21:54
Comedian Nagano's debut film Mad Mask has won best picture in the
22:00
midnight section at Brazil's 22nd Porto Alegre International
22:05
Fantastic Film Festival. This is the first time a
22:08
Japanese film has won in this category.
22:11
Known for its extreme and original works at South
22:15
America's largest Film Festival, Nagano expressed his delight.
22:20
Anime director Tatsuo Sato passed away on April 24th at the
22:25
age of 61 due to liver failure. His company Nagomi announced the
22:31
news on May 7th. Sato was known for directing
22:34
popular works such as Tobe Isami, Martian Successor
22:39
Nedesico, and Bodacious Space Pirates.
22:41
Funeral services were held privately.
22:45
The US film The Devil Wears Prada 2 has earned over ¥1.9
22:50
billion in its first six days, surpassing the original film's
22:55
total box office of ¥1.7 billion.
22:59
The sequel, released 20 years after the first, stars Meryl
23:03
Streep and Anne Hathaway and is attracting a wide audience,
23:07
including group viewings. Singer-songwriter Angela Aki
23:12
underwent emergency surgery on April 28th for peritonitis due
23:17
to a ruptured appendix. She also developed encapsulated
23:21
pleural effusion post surgery. Consequently, her Matsudo
23:25
concert on May 15th is postponed to August 14th, and her Niigata
23:31
and Ishikawa concerts on May 17th and 19th are cancelled.
23:37
Actor Kenji Oba, known by his real name Kenji Takahashi,
23:42
passed away on May 6th at 71. He was famous for his starring
23:47
role as the hero in the TV special effects series Space
23:51
Sheriff Gavon. Oba also had an active career as
23:55
an action actor in various films and stage productions.
23:59
Actor Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, a former member of the idol group
24:04
Snap, has welcomed his first child.
24:07
His agency announced the news on May 7th, stating that the gender
24:11
and birth date would not be disclosed.
24:14
Kusanagi had publicly announced his marriage in 2020.
24:20
The third match of the 84th shogi Mei Jinsen will be held on
24:25
May 7th and 8th in Nano City, Ishikawa Prefecture.
24:30
This area affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake invited the
24:34
match to promote recovery. Fuji Soda Mejin and Itodani
24:39
Tatsuru 9 Dan expressed their hope to contribute to the
24:43
region's revitalization. The latest Detective Conan film,
24:48
Highway's Fallen Angel, has grossed over ¥10.8 billion in 27
24:54
days since its April 10th release.
24:57
This marks the 4th consecutive Conan movie to exceed ¥10
25:01
billion at the box office, highlighting the continued
25:04
strong performance of Japanese animated films.