DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Iwao Hakamata: He’s the world’s longest-serving death row inmate. A court ruling may soon clear his name
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Lex Harvey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Tokyo CNN —A pair of blood-spattered trousers in a miso tank and an allegedly forced confession helped send Iwao Hakamata to death row more than five decades ago. Now, the world’s longest-serving death row convict has a chance to clear his name. During the retrial, Hakamata’s lawyers argued new information proved his innocence, while prosecutors claimed there was enough evidence to confirm he should be hanged for the crime. And some say it’s one of the reasons why the country should do away with the death penalty. “I’m against the death penalty,” Hideko said.

Persons: Iwao Hakamata, that’s, Hakamata, Hideko, ”, he’s, ” Hideko, “, Machiko Ino Japan, Hiroshi Ichikawa, Ichikawa, Hideyo Ogawa, ” Ogawa, Chiara Sangiorgio, Sangiorgio, “ Iwao, Hakamata “ Organizations: Tokyo CNN, Tokyo High Court, Japan’s, Ministry of Justice, Hakamata, CNN, “, Japan’s Ministry, Justice, exoneration, Amnesty International Locations: Shizuoka, Japan, Tokyo, United States

The dollar was back on the front foot on Wednesday, making modest gains after earlier losses from renewed bets on Federal Reserve rate cuts this year, while the yen eased towards the 155 per dollar level and kept intervention risks from Tokyo high. The dollar was back on the front foot on Wednesday, making modest gains after earlier losses from renewed bets on Federal Reserve rate cuts this year, while the yen eased towards the 155 per dollar level and kept intervention risks from Tokyo high. Analysts have said that any intervention from Tokyo would only serve as a temporary respite for the yen, given stark interest rate differentials between the U.S. and Japan remain. Analysts expect the central bank to leave the door open to lower interest rates as early as June. The Australian dollar fell 0.2% to $0.6585, pressured in part by a less hawkish outlook from the Reserve Bank of Australia than anticipated after it held interest rates steady on Tuesday.

Persons: Kazuo Ueda, Shunichi Suzuki, they'll, Carol Kong, Neel Kashkari, Kashkari, Rodrigo Catril Organizations: Federal, U.S, Bank of Japan, country's Finance, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, New Zealand, greenback, Minneapolis, Minneapolis Fed, National Australia Bank, Bank of, Reserve Bank of Australia Locations: Tokyo, Beijing, Japan, Bank, U.S, Minneapolis

☆ Toilet limits for transgender woman 'unacceptable,' Japan's top court
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Elaine Lies | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, July 11 (Reuters) - Japan's Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that restricting a transgender woman's use of toilets at her workplace was "unacceptable", a decision that may help promote LGBT rights in the only G7 nation without legal protection for same-sex unions. A Tokyo District Court ruled in 2019 that these restrictions were unlawful, but the decision was reversed in 2021 by the Tokyo High Court. In Japan, transgender people can only legally change their gender on their family register if they have had gender reassignment surgery. The woman in the court case was unable to do so due to health reasons, media said. Some lawmakers formed a group to guarantee the safety of women in toilets and public baths or hot springs.

Persons: Elaine Lies, Simon Cameron, Moore, Emma Rumney Organizations: Japan's, Tokyo High, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo CNN —Japan’s Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision on Tuesday, ruling against a government agency that had barred a transgender employee from using the women’s bathroom, according to public broadcaster NHK. The decision was the top court’s first ruling involving the rights of sexual minorities in the workplace, NHK reported. The plaintiff is an employee in her 50s, working at Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). In an email to CNN on Tuesday, METI said it was aware that there was a Supreme Court ruling Tuesday regarding the use of women’s bathrooms by a transgender METI employee. And under Japan’s Gender Identity Disorder Special Cases Act, enacted 20 years ago, transgender individuals must undergo invasive surgeries – including sterilization – to be legally recognized according to their gender identity.

Persons: Tokyo CNN —, METI, “ Organizations: Tokyo CNN, Tokyo CNN — Japan’s, Court, NHK, Japan’s Ministry, Economy, Trade, Industry, National Personnel Authority, CNN, Japan’s Locations: Tokyo, Japan

Hong Kong CNN —The head of Japan’s biggest music agency has apologized over allegations of years-long sexual abuse committed by its founder, the late entertainment mogul Johnny Kitagawa. “We sincerely apologize for the great deal of trouble caused by our founder Johnny Kitagawa’s alleged sexual abuse of individuals,” said Julie Fujishima, the company’s president and CEO. “On the other hand, Johnny Kitagawa, who is the party concerned, cannot speak on the accusations.”Fujishima also warned of the risk of “slander, due to speculation,” suggesting skepticism over some claims. They spoke about alleged sexual assault committed by Johnny Kitagawa, who died in 2019. A Tokyo High Court partially overturned the earlier decision in 2003, ruling the published sexual abuse claims were not libelous.

Japanese-Brazilian singer-songwriter Kauan Okamoto alleged during a press conference that over the course of four years, beginning in 2012 when he was 15, he was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Kitagawa, who died age 87 in 2019. In 1999, Japanese magazine Shukan Bunshun published accounts of other young men and boys who claimed they were sexually abused by Kitagawa. They ‘knew it was my turn’Singer-songwriter Okamoto joined Kitagawa’s agency in February 2012 while he was in junior high school. Okamoto said Kitagawa would often invite these young recruits to spend the night in his apartment, and pick “favorites” among the boys. “He began massaging my feet,” Okamoto said, and alleged that Kitagawa touched his genitals and performed oral sex on him.

☆ Shares and bonds ride high after soothing euro zone data
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Marc Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Government bonds have gained as much as 5%, gold is 8% higher, while oil is down and the dollar has barely budged. The euro zone inflation numbers showed consumer prices rising 6.9% in March after an 8.5% increase in February, representing the sharpest deceleration since Eurostat started collecting data in 1991. Japan's Nikkei (.N225) also jumped 1% on Friday，as inflation data for the capital Tokyo highlighted broadening price pressures. The euro , which hit a one-week high against the dollar overnight on sticky German inflation data, dipped back under $1.09 again after the euro zone data but was still set for a 3% monthly rise. U.S. crude futures were flat at $74.40 per barrel, while Brent crude futures slipped 0.1% to $78.52 per barrel.

☆ Asian shares ride high in Q1 but keep vigil on inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The buoyant mood is likely to run into resistance in Europe, with caution setting in ahead of the euro zone inflation data. The pan-region Euro Stoxx 50 futures was flat, while S&P 500 futures eked out a gain of 0.2%. It is on course for a quarterly gain of 3.6%, after surging 12% in the three months that ended in December. Japan's Nikkei (.N225) also leaped 1%，as inflation data for the capital Tokyo highlighted broadening price pressures. That compared with an overwhelming bet on a 25 basis point hike a month ago before the banking volatility started.

☆ Asian shares ride high in Q1 but steel for U.S. inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Japan's Nikkei (.N225) also gained 1%，as inflation data for the capital city Tokyo highlighted broadening price pressures. A slower than expected decline in German inflation has raised the stakes for U.S. personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation, tracked by the Federal Reserve for monetary policy, later in the day. Economists are expecting the PCE index to ease to 0.4% in February from January when it rose 0.6%. "With central banks still mindful of inflation risks, interest rates will stay at their peaks for several months. That compared with an overwhelming bet on a 25 basis point hike a month ago before the banking volatility started.

☆ Utility company executives acquitted of negligence in Fukushima nuclear disaster
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power plant after a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami on March 14, 2011 in Futaba, Japan. DigitalGlobe | Getty ImagesA Japanese court on Wednesday found three former utility company executives not guilty of negligence over the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster and the subsequent deaths of more than 40 elderly residents during their forced evacuation. watch nowThe acquittal disappointed and angered dozens of Fukushima residents and their supporters who attended the ruling or rallied outside the court. It's so irresponsible," said Yuichi Kaido, a lawyer representing the Fukushima residents. The Supreme Court in June, however, said the disaster was unforeseeable and dismissed compensation demands by thousands of residents.

☆ Tokyo court upholds not guilty verdict for ex-Tepco execs over Fukushima disaster
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Wrongful judgment" after the The Tokyo High Court upheld a not guilty verdict for former Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) executives of negligence over the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power station disaster, in front of the court in Tokyo, Japan, January 18, 2023. REUTERS/Issei KatoTOKYO, Jan 18 (Reuters) - The Tokyo High Court on Wednesday upheld a not guilty criminal verdict by a lower court that cleared former Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) (9501.T) executives of negligence over the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power station disaster. The ruling on Wednesday to uphold the not guilty verdict sits at odds with a separate civil case brought to the Tokyo court by Tepco shareholders, which found four former executives responsible for the 2011 nuclear disaster. Judges ordered the former executives to pay 13 trillion yen ($99.14 billion) in damages in the civil lawsuit. The court judged that the executives could have prevented the disaster if they had exercised due care.

Search resuls for: "Tokyo High"

11 mentions found