Latest news with #Aoki
Japan Forward
4 days ago
- General
- Japan Forward
A Triangular Building with a 20-Degree Angle
Not far from Nerima Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line, in a quiet residential corner of Tokyo's Nerima Ward, I came across an unusual building. It's a five-story structure with a basement, painted in bright yellow and orange. The bold colors stand out, but what really caught my eye was the shape. The building is a narrow triangle — so thin from certain angles that it barely looks like a building at all. I took a closer look at the sharpest point. The wall there was only about 60 centimeters wide. Using Google Maps' aerial view, I measured the interior angle — it came out to just 20 degrees. The Nerima Triangle Building has five floors above ground and one basement level. Old signs show it used to house small bars. Curious about what the inside of that narrow tip might look like, I took the opportunity to go in. The basement had been converted into a multipurpose rental space, so I was able to take a look around. Entrance to the basement rental area | Stairs leading to the basement Just inside the door was a spiral staircase. It was steep and narrow, like something out of a cave or hidden passage. I carefully made my way downstairs, ducking my head as I went. To my surprise, the space below was warm and inviting. It looked like it could comfortably host a small party of about five people. In the back, there was space for a fridge, a kitchen sink, a washing machine, and even a shower room. "Please enjoy the space like your own secret base," said Mio Aoki, who manages the rental. The basement rental space. The space includes Wi-Fi and a projector. I headed toward the narrowest part of the building. There, neatly tucked beneath the spiral stairs, was a toilet. According to floor plans I found on a housing website, it seems every floor has a toilet in the same spot. The toilet in the corner of the basement space. The building is certainly one of a kind. I wondered what else it was used for beyond the rental space. According to Aoki, the upper floors are occupied by residents. Before the basement was converted, it served as a storage area. Old signage on the side of the building suggests it once housed a snack bar or izakaya. As for living in the basement, Aoki laughed and said, "That would take a bit of courage." From the front, it looks like a relatively normal building. ( Read the article in Japanese . ) Author: Ikue Mio, The Sankei Shimbun
4 days ago
- Politics
Japan Raps South Korea over Exercises near Takeshima
News from Japan Politics Jul 18, 2025 14:58 (JST) Tokyo, July 18 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government on Friday condemned South Korea for conducting defense exercises near Takeshima, islets in the Sea of Japan claimed by Tokyo. "Takeshima is an inherent part of Japanese territory both historically and under international law," Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiko Aoki said at a press conference. The South Korean exercises on Thursday are "totally unacceptable and extremely regrettable," Aoki said. He added that the Japanese government will press the South Korean side to act appropriately. The islets are controlled by South Korea and known as Dokdo there. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
5 days ago
- Politics
Japan Urges China to Release Expats after Spy Conviction
News from Japan Politics Jul 17, 2025 18:53 (JST) Tokyo, July 17 (Jiji Press)--Japan expressed disappointment Thursday after a Chinese court convicted a Japanese employee of Astellas Pharma Inc. of espionage, and called for the swift release of the employee, as well as other Japanese expatriates being held in China on similar charges. The guilty ruling, issued Wednesday, was "extremely regrettable," Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiko Aoki said in a press conference the same day. "China's detention of Japanese citizens is among the largest obstacles to exchanges and the improvement of mutual sentiment between the two countries," Aoki said, adding that the government would do everything possible to support the Astellas employee, who was sentenced to three years and six months in prison. Tokyo also urged greater transparency in China's judicial process. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Yomiuri Shimbun
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japan ‘a target of foreign election interference' online;Bots Found Pushing Posts Fomenting Japan-U.S. Division
Japan is among the targets of foreign interference in elections, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiko Aoki said Wednesday. According to a government official, election-related false information seems to have been spread by foreign entities through social media. The government has heightened its vigilance, suspecting that such activities are aimed at influencing Sunday's House of Councillors election. 'There have been cases overseas in which false information is spread as part of measures to influence public opinion in one country and create an information environment favorable to another country,' Aoki said at a press conference. He said Japan will 'swiftly grasp relevant developments and inform and caution the public about the spread of disinformation, as necessary.' According to the government official, several private data companies and others studied posts critical of the Japanese government, which were spreading on social media, and found that they were being spread by foreign forces using bots, which are digital tools that can be used to automatically perform repetitive tasks. Some of the posts are believed to have been repeatedly reposted or garnered many 'likes.' The bots are said to include ones aimed at fueling divisions between Japan and the United States. Minister for digital transformation Masaaki Taira also said Tuesday there were cases of foreign interference in elections abroad, and similar moves have been confirmed in relation to the upper house election. 'It is necessary to closely monitor the situation,' Taira said at a press conference.
The Mainichi
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Japan a target of foreign election interference online, gov't says
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan may be a target of disinformation by foreign actors to disrupt its elections, a government spokesman said Wednesday, as the country prepares to vote later this week in the House of Councillors race. Responding to a question about possible election interference via social media, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiko Aoki said at a regular press conference that Japan "is also becoming a target of influence operations." According to a report by the U.S. Harvard Kennedy School, influence operations often involve using fake social media accounts, altered videos and internet memes to amplify disinformation and disrupt elections. Aoki said the government intends to strengthen its information distribution capabilities including responding to disinformation from overseas. "It is important elections are held with voters able to make free choices based on accurate information," he said. His remarks came a day after digital minister Masaaki Taira acknowledged there had been "some reports" of possible foreign election interference, and indicated investigations into the issue may be necessary. While fears of foreign interference in elections are of increasing concern overseas, the issue has rarely featured in Japanese politics. The Romanian presidential race's first round was annulled and held again in 2025 amid claims of Russian interference.
