Latest news with #Yamashita


The Mainichi
4 days ago
- The Mainichi
Man accused of fatally stabbing 2 workers at 'girls' bar' in Japan's Hamamatsu
HAMAMATSU, Shizuoka -- A 41-year-old man accused of murdering the manager of a so-called "girls' bar" in this central Japan city was slapped with a fresh arrest warrant July 26 for allegedly also stabbing a female employee at the establishment, causing her to bleed to death. Shizuoka Prefectural Police's Hamamatsu Chuo Police Station served the new arrest warrant to Ichiro Yamashita, an unemployed resident of the prefectural city of Fukuroi, on charges including murder and a violation of the swords and firearms control law. The prefectural police have not revealed whether he has admitted to the allegations against him. The fresh warrant alleges that at around 1 a.m. on July 6, Yamashita used a knife with a curved blade to stab employee Rin Ito, 26, in the back and other areas, resulting in her death. He has already been sent to prosecutors on suspicion of murdering the bar's manager, Tomoka Takeuchi, 27. According to the prefectural police, Yamashita was a regular customer who frequented the girls' bar, where women serve drinks over the counter, to see Ito. It is believed that Yamashita felt disliked by Ito and Takeuchi after learning about their interactions, which fueled his resentment. The bodies of the two women had over a dozen stab wounds, and the police believe there is a possibility the suspect attacked them with strong intent to kill. An investigative source revealed that Yamashita and Ito were together in locations including Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, over the few days prior to the incident and that there were signs of trouble. On the day of the incident, Yamashita is thought to have driven Ito to the bar in a rental car before stabbing the two women. The rental car company explained that Yamashita had rented the car for one week from June 28 and extended the rental for another week on July 4. (Japanese original by Shiho Fujibuchi, Shizuoka Bureau, and Tetsushi Teruyama, Hamamatsu Local Bureau)


Asahi Shimbun
10-07-2025
- General
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: Soichi Yamashita knew the value farmers provided even decades ago
What should rice farming be like in Japan? The perfect time to face this crucial question head-on would have been when rice disappeared from practically all stores from last year through this year—a phenomenon that came to be dubbed 'Reiwa no Kome Sodo' or 'Reiwa rice shortage.' The crisis seems to have been somewhat allayed since the government began releasing stockpiled rice, but that's nothing more than a temporary fix, really. Unfortunately, the timeless and universal adage of 'the danger past and God forgotten' is apparently firmly ingrained in human nature. Once rice prices began coming down, it appears that people lost interest. I wonder what farmer-writer Soichi Yamashita would have said about this situation, were he alive today. He died on July 10, 2022. He was 86. I can almost hear him lament, 'Don't you get it yet? In times of emergency, you people are the ones who are going to starve.' Yamashita consistently asserted that Japan's agricultural issues are not the problems of farmers, but the problems of consumers who have no means of production. Born a farmer's son in Saga Prefecture in 1936, Yamashita inherited his family's terraced rice paddies and farmland. He was in his 30s when the government's rice production curtailment policy came into effect. This forced him to switch to mikan farming, but the mikan market tanked due to the import liberalization of oranges. Still, Yamashita resolved to remain a farmer. 'The land I'm working on has been entrusted to me by my ancestors,' he said. 'It's mine, but it's also not mine.' I believe that is how many farmers feel. But they obviously have their limits. In the last five years, the population of rice farmers decreased by as much as 30 percent and the average age of rice paddy owners reached 70. The 'Koe' (letters to the editor) section of The Asahi Shimbun recently ran a comment by a man who sold his paddies when a person he had relied on for years to manage the paddies told him bluntly: 'Rice farming doesn't pay.' This could hardly be an isolated case. Yamashita once wrote that farmers keep people alive by growing farm produce. And he continued, 'It's really unbearable that in our era, those who are working to keep people alive are themselves unable to survive.' Those words were written more than 30 years ago. —The Asahi Shimbun, July 10 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

Straits Times
06-07-2025
- Straits Times
Two women fatally stabbed at bar in central Japan
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The two victims were the bar manager and an employee. HAMAMATSU, Shizuoka - Two women in central Japan have died after being stabbed by a man at a bar in Chuo Ward in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, early on July 6 . The Shizuoka prefectural police arrested Ichiro Yamashita, 41, at the scene on suspicion of trying to kill the bar's female manager. Yamashita said he is unemployed and from Fukuroi in the prefecture, and the police are investigating his motive and other matters. According to the police, the two victims were bar manager Tomoka Takeuchi, 27, and Ms Rin Ito, 26, an employee. An emergency call was made at about 1.55am on July 6 , stating that a man had stabbed two women with a knife. According to firefighters and others, the two women were unconscious and in a critical condition when they were taken to hospital by ambulance. Yamashita is believed to be a regular customer of the so-called girls bar, where female employees serve drinks. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore First BTO project in Sembawang North to be offered in July HDB launch Singapore Woman on SMRT bus 190 injured after bottle thrown at vehicle leaves hole in window Singapore Over half of 106 new MRT trains added to North-South, East-West lines; fleet completion by 2026 Asia 'Don't be seen in India again': Indian nationals pushed into Bangladesh at gunpoint Business High Court orders Instagram seller to pay Louis Vuitton $200,000 in damages over counterfeit goods Singapore MOH studying 18 proposals to integrate TCM into public healthcare Asia Malaysian commando dies during military diving exercise off Kuantan coast Singapore His world crashed when he got F9 in O-level Tamil but PropNex co-founder Ismail Gafoor beat the odds He allegedly stabbed Ms Takeuchi in the back and is quoted by police as saying: 'It is correct that I stabbed her.' According to the police, Yamashita entered the bar with Ms Ito and then stabbed Ms Takeuchi twice in the back. After that, he stabbed Ms Ito several times. He carried two knives with 20cm blades. He reportedly did not try to run or resist when police arrived at the scene. There were other customers and employees in the bar at the time of the incident. The prefectural police are investigating the relationship between the three, among other matters. The crime scene is in a downtown area about 500 meters west of JR Hamamatsu Station. THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK


The Mainichi
14-06-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
JOC President Yasuhiro Yamashita to receive Olympic Order from IOC
GENEVA (Kyodo) -- Japanese Olympic Committee President Yasuhiro Yamashita will receive the Olympic Order from the International Olympic Committee, multiple sources said Saturday. The decision was approved during an IOC board meeting this month with the 68-year-old Yamashita, who won the judo open category gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, to be honored for his contribution to the Olympic movement. Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike and then Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga each received the Olympic Order in 2021 after helping stage the Tokyo Games amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Yamashita suffered a cervical vertebrae injury in October 2023 during his third term as the JOC president and has been away from his duties since. He is set to step down from both his JOC post and as an IOC member later this month.


Daily Express
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Express
Van gift by Japanese Government
Published on: Thursday, May 15, 2025 Published on: Thu, May 15, 2025 By: Wu Vui Tek Text Size: Yamashita (centre) in a symbolic gesture unveils the van as Saroja (second, right), Mitsuhiko (left) and others look on. Kota Kinabalu: The Government of Japan has provided RM157,733 under its grassroots grant aid to Caring for the Future Malaysia (CFFM) for the purchase of a van to safely transport children to school. Head of the Consular Office of Japan in Kota Kinabalu, Yamashita Yoshito, said the grant is part of an international aid scheme aimed at meeting basic human needs, particularly projects that are highly beneficial at the grassroots level and require timely support on humanitarian grounds. Advertisement 'To date, we have contributed about RM4 million to 38 projects in Sabah, including this one,' he said during the unveiling ceremony of the van at Kampung Lingan Baru here. He said they received the application from CFFM in March 2024 and, after considering various factors including its long-standing record of activities and sound management, they decided to support the application to purchase a van. 'This grant aid is financed by the taxpayers of Japan. Therefore, this special assistance is an expression of the friendship and goodwill of the Japanese people towards the people of Sabah. 'I sincerely hope this grant aid will further strengthen the friendly relationship between Japan and Malaysia, Sabah in particular and that this van will be effectively used for many years to come,' said Yamashita. CFFM President, Saroja Palaniappan, said the generosity demonstrated by the Government of Japan is a powerful reminder of what compassion, trust and international friendship can achieve when we work together. 'For us, it is more than just a vehicle; it is a gift of safety, dignity and hope for the children under our care,' she said. She also thanked the people of Japan for their generosity, which transcends borders and cultures, and has made a lasting impact on the lives of children in Sabah. CFFM is currently home to 15 boys aged between seven and 17. These children come from various rural and underprivileged areas in Sabah. Many are living in poverty, abandoned, neglected, or orphaned, and the centre serves as their primary home, a place of safety, support, and renewed hope. Also present were Vice Consul of Japan in Kota Kinabalu, Sugaya Kyohei; CFFM Director and Founder, Mitsuhiko Abe; Centre Manager, Mericia Majahas; and Social Welfare Advisor and Volunteer, Kaori Abe. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia