Kyodo News Digest: Aug. 18, 2025
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2 Japanese killed in street shooting in Manila on Fri.: embassy
MANILA - Two Japanese were fatally shot in Manila earlier this week and their belongings stolen, the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines said Sunday as it continues to alert nationals in the wake of a string of street robberies.
According to the embassy, the two were shot Friday night by a man who approached them after they left a taxi. The man fled on a motorcycle.
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Half of Japan municipalities say evacuation shelters fall short: survey
TOKYO - Nearly half of municipalities across Japan say evacuation shelters they are preparing do not meet government guidelines on the required number of toilets or minimum living space per person, a recent Kyodo News survey showed, citing budget and capacity constraints.
The survey findings highlight the urgent need for the central and local governments in quake-prone Japan to make further efforts in this area, as inadequate shelter conditions could even prove fatal.
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Japan plans "notebook" system to support crime victims
TOKYO - The Japanese government plans to introduce a nationwide "victim notebook" system to better support crime victims, enabling them to document their cases so they can more easily apply for financial and other assistance, government sources said Sunday.
The National Police Agency plans to provide prefectural police with information on the system's operation, including sample entries showing how the notebook will be used.
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Vietnamese man indicted over robbery-murder in southwest Japan
SAGA, Japan - A Vietnamese man was indicted Sunday for allegedly killing a woman during robbery at her home in the southwestern Japan city of Imari in late July.
Dam Duy Khang, a 24-year-old worker under Japan's technical internship program, allegedly entered the house in the afternoon of July 26 and stole 11,000 yen ($75) after threatening Maiko Mukumoto, a 40-year-old Japanese language teacher, and her mother by brandishing a kitchen knife.
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Japanese film wins top award at Swiss Locarno film festival
LONDON - The Japanese film "Two Seasons, Two Strangers" directed by Sho Miyake won the top award Saturday at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland.
The film became the fourth Japanese winner of the Golden Leopard after Masahiro Kobayashi's "The Rebirth" in 2007, according to the Locarno Film Festival website.
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Japan's 1st osmotic power plant begins operating in Fukuoka
FUKUOKA - Japan's first osmotic power plant that uses the difference in salt concentration between seawater and fresh water to generate electricity began operations in early August in a southwestern prefecture.
The Fukuoka District Waterworks Agency, the world's second operator to use the technology following a Danish firm that began doing so in 2023, describes it as "a next-generation renewable energy source that is not affected by weather or time of day and emits no carbon dioxide."
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Baseball: Tigers' Ishii throws NPB record 40 straight scoreless innings
TOKYO - Hanshin Tigers right-hander Daichi Ishii set a Nippon Professional Baseball record of pitching 40 straight scoreless innings Sunday as his Central League-leading club beat the Yomiuri Giants 3-1.
The 28-year-old had tied the previous record of 39 innings on Wednesday, set in 2021 by the Seibu Lions' Kaima Taira, and now tops the list after throwing a scoreless eighth inning at Tokyo Dome.
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Football: Okayama claim deserved win to deny Kashiwa J1 top spot
OKAYAMA, Japan - Fagiano Okayama stunned Kashiwa Reysol 2-1 at home in the J-League first division on Sunday, denying the title chasers the chance to go top of the table.
Kashiwa stay third on 47 points, one off leaders Kyoto Sanga and second-placed Kashima Antlers, while Okayama moved up to 10th on 36 points at JFE Harenokuni Stadium where the kick-off was delayed by 90 minutes due to lightning.
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VIDEO: Return rush of "bon" summer holidaymakers in Japan
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7 hours ago
Japanese Suspected of Ordering Killings of 2 Nationals in Manila
News from Japan World Aug 19, 2025 21:56 (JST) Manila, Aug. 19 (Jiji Press)--Philippine police said Tuesday that a Japanese national living in Japan is highly likely to have ordered the fatal shootings of two Japanese men in Manila last week. At a press conference, authorities said that the Japanese person is believed to have hired Philippine men, who were arrested on Monday, to kill the two Japanese men due to financial troubles between them. The arrested suspects were paid a reward of 9 million pesos, or about 23 million yen, with an initial payment of 10,000 pesos. According to police and other sources, 50-year-old Albert Manabat is suspected of carrying out the shootings. His 62-year-old brother Abel Manabat, a tour guide, was also arrested. The Japanese person who ordered the shootings is believed to have visited the Philippines frequently. Abel was a driver for the person during a trip and was apparently asked to kill the two Japanese men. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Japan Times
10 hours ago
- Japan Times
Japanese man suspected of ordering double murder in Manila
A Japanese national living in Japan is suspected of ordering the killing of two fellow Japanese men in Manila, with a financial dispute being the likely motive, Philippine police said Tuesday. Authorities said the suspect allegedly hired two Filipino brothers to kill the two men, paying them an initial down payment of 10,000 Philippine pesos ($174) toward an agreed fee of 9 million pesos ($157,233). The brothers — Albert Manabat, 50, and his tour guide sibling, Abel Manabat, 62 — have been arrested over the murders. Investigators believe the Japanese suspect had traveled frequently to the Philippines and became acquainted with Abel, who served as his driver. Police allege he then asked the brothers to carry out the shooting. The victims were identified as Hideaki Satori, 53, a systems engineer from Fukuoka Prefecture, and Akinobu Nakayama, 41, from Shizuoka Prefecture. The two men, who often visited the Philippines for casino trips, had arrived on Aug. 14, a day before the attack. They were gunned down on the night of Aug. 15 shortly after stepping out of a taxi near their hotel. Their luggage was then stolen, and the perpetrators fled on a motorcycle. Philippine police formed a special task force to deal with the case and were able to locate the brothers based on CCTV footage, according to reports from The Manila Times. The brothers were referred to prosecutors Tuesday, and police are investigating the whereabouts of another Filipino accomplice. Prosecutors questioned the two the same day on charges including murder. A Japanese Foreign Ministry official in charge, who asked to remain anonymous in line with ministry regulations, said Wednesday the ministry would cooperate with local police in the Philippines and in Japan as investigators in both countries continue to look into the case. The Philippine Department of Tourism issued a statement on Tuesday condemning the incident in the 'strongest terms.' 'We extend our deepest sympathies to (the victims') families and loved ones,' the statement read. The department also called on local law enforcement agencies and the national police to pursue a 'swift and thorough' investigation. As a city with deep ties to Japan, Manila "stands in solidarity with the victims' families and remains resolute in ensuring that justice is served," Mayor Francisco Moreno Domagosa said in a statement.
Asahi Shimbun
11 hours ago
- Asahi Shimbun
Police: Slaying of 2 tourists in Manila set up by an acquaintance
The Manila mayor and a senior Manila police offer an update on the investigation at a news conference in Manila on Aug. 19. (Johnna Giolagon) MANILA--Two Japanese men shot to death in the Phillipines' capital here were targeted by a Japanese acquaintance who staged an apparent robbery through two local hires, police said on Aug. 19. According to local authorities, the suspects are Filipino brothers aged 62 and 50, living in Pampanga province near Manila. On Aug. 19, the suspects' lawyer responded to media inquiries, saying that both suspects were not involved in the crime. In a news conference held the same day, a senior Manila police officer gave an update on the investigation alongside the mayor of Manila. According to the officer, security camera footage revealed that the suspects had scoped out the crime scene in advance. In addition, investigations into their personal connections and information collected through interviews pointed to the involvement of a Japanese national residing in Japan who had a financial conflict with the victims. The officer said the suspects were asked to commit the slayings in exchange for 9 million pesos (23.2 million yen, or $157,000) and had already received a down payment of 10,000 pesos. On the evening of Aug. 15, the two Japanese tourists, aged 41 and 53, were shot on the street in the Malate district of Manila. A man approached the victims immediately after they got out of a taxi, opened fire, grabbed their belongings and fled on a motorcycle. Both victims died at the scene. On Aug. 18, the police detained the two suspects. Meanwhile, the suspects' lawyer denied their involvement during an interview with the media. As for the younger brother, who is suspected of carrying out the shooting, the lawyer said that he was not in Manila at the time and was not at the scene. The older brother, who works as a tour guide, had been accompanying the two Japanese men on the day of the incident but the lawyer said that he was not involved in the crime. Although investigators initially began investigating the case as a murder robbery, they now believe the victims may have been summarily shot after exiting the taxi without any demand for their valuables based on security camera footage and eyewitness accounts. Authorities are proceeding with the investigation, considering charges of murder and theft. (Johnna Giolagon also contributed to this article.)
