Tokyo, 30 October, /AJMEDIA/
149 killed, 76 injured in Halloween stampede in Seoul: authorities
SEOUL – One hundred and forty-nine people were killed and 76 others were injured in a stampede that occurred during Halloween festivities in Seoul on Saturday night, South Korean fire authorities said.
The incident occurred in the nightlife district of Itaewon.
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Police quiz man on alleged crime group deals with gyoza chain operator
KYOTO – Police on Saturday questioned the former manager of a corporate group that a third-party probe found had inappropriate transactions with a major fast-food gyoza chain over the arrest of a yakuza gang member concerning the fatal shooting of its president, investigative sources said.
The questioning was conducted on a voluntary basis after a third-party committee set by Ohsho Food Service Corp. looked into links between the operator of the restaurant chain “Gyoza no Ohsho” and antisocial organizations in March 2016.
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Xi vowed to secure interests over Senkakus as China’s historical duty
TOKYO – Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for securing Beijing’s interests over the Japan-administered Senkaku Islands and the disputed South China Sea, saying achieving that goal represents a “heavy historical responsibility” for his generation, according to internal documents.
As Xi embarked on an unprecedented third five-year term as general secretary of the ruling Communist Party last Sunday, he is likely to increase attempts to alter the status quo over the Senkakus in the East China Sea and the South China Sea, not to mention Taiwan, further exacerbating frictions with Japan and other neighbors.
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Japan plans to boost cyber defense personnel to 5,000 by FY 2027
TOKYO – Japan’s Defense Ministry is planning to boost its cyber defense personnel more than fivefold to up to 5,000 by fiscal 2027 in response to increasing efforts by China and other countries to bolster their cyber warfare capabilities, a source familiar with the matter said Saturday.
The ministry looks to expand its “core staff” for dealing with cyberattacks, including those of the Self-Defense Forces’ newly launched cyber defense unit, to around 890 in fiscal 2022 and further to 4,000 to 5,000 by fiscal 2027, the source said.
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Hirokazu Tanakas set world record for meeting of people with same name
TOKYO – A 178-strong group of people all called Hirokazu Tanaka broke the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people with the same first and last name, after they came together in Tokyo on Saturday.
The Tanaka Hirokazu association organized the successful attempt in Shibuya Ward, which saw them outdo the 2005 record set by 164 people called Martha Stewart, who were brought together by the famous American businesswoman of the same name.
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Baseball: Buffaloes shut out Swallows for 3-2 Japan Series lead
TOKYO – Sachiya Yamasaki and four relievers combined on a one-hit shutout to move the Orix Buffaloes to within one win of their franchise’s first Japan Series title in 26 years with a 3-0 Game 6 win Saturday over the Yakult Swallows.
The win at Yakult’s Jingu Stadium was the Pacific League champs’ third straight after losing Games 1 and 3 and tying Game 2 against the Central League champs, who beat them in six games last year.
