Swimmer rescued 50 miles off Japanese coast after 36 hours at sea

In this week’s news roundup we report on the swimmer who was rescued after spending 36 hours to dawn at sea. The Hiroshima High Court approves legal gender reassignment for a transgender woman who has not undergone confirmation surgery. Incumbent Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike wins the gubernatorial election, securing a third consecutive term. Rising temperatures trigger heat stroke warnings in more than half of Japan’s prefectures. Tokyo is ranked the 49th most expensive city in the world. And in baSketballRui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe are the most notable names in the Japanese selection for the Olympic Games.

Swimmer rescued after spending a day and a half in the Pacific Ocean

A Chinese woman went swimming at Shirahama Ohama Beach on Monday night, expecting it to be calm. However, it turned out to be anything but calm, as she spent more than 36 hours in the water before she was finally rescued. The 21-year-old woman, who was held in place by a rubber ring, went into the ocean with her friend around 7:30 p.m. About 20 minutes later, the friend reported the woman missing at a nearby convenience store. Police were alerted, and that evening, authorities launched a search and rescue operation.

The woman, who has not been named, was finally spotted floating on her rubber ring off the southern tip of Chiba’s Boso Peninsula at 7:48 a.m. Wednesday by a cargo ship. She had traveled about 50 miles (80 kilometers) in a straight line. The actual distance she traveled is believed to be longer. Two crew members from a nearby tanker jumped in.Unpleasant the water to save her. She told them she had been swept away by the sea and could not return because of the rubber ring. A helicopter took the woman, who was dehydrated but conscious, to a nearby hospital.

Hiroshima High Court Approves Gender Change Without Confirmation Surgery

On Wednesday, the Hiroshima High Court approved a legal gender reassignment for a transgender woman who has not undergone confirmation surgery. Since 2004, transgender people in Japan have been allowed to change their gender designation on legal documents. Hhowever, to do that, they were to be surgically sterilized to remove their reproductive organs and undergo sex reassignment surgery to “possess a body that appears to have parts resembling the sexual organs of people of the opposite sex.” Last October, the Supreme Court ruled that the first clause violated Article 13 of the Constitution, which guarantees respect for individuals.

However, it remained at the making of a decision on gender confirmation surgery. On Wednesday, Presiding Judge Masumi Kurachi said the clause is “presumptively unconstitutional” because it forces individuals to choose between surgery or forgoing gender reassignment. He added that the genitals of the applicant, who was assigned male at birth but has undergone hormone therapy, resemble those of a female. Her request for gender reassignment had previously been rejected by the family court and the Supreme Court. The latter ruling, which applies only to the applicant, was uncontested and therefore final.

Yuriko Koike secures third term as Tokyo governor

Incumbent Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike won Sunday’s gubernatorial election, securing a third consecutive four-year term. NHK’s exit polls showed that the 71-year-old, who was backed by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, its junior coalition partner Komeito and Tomin First no Kai, had almost double the number of votes of runner-up Shinji Ishimaru, the former mayor of Akita Kata city ​​in Hiroshima Prefecture, who ran as an independent candidate. Renho Saito, backed by the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party, finished third.

“Our challenge is how to proceed with digital transformation, as industries have changed significantly. Furthermore, the environment for women’s empowerment is insufficient compared to other parts of the world. We need to step up our efforts to continue improving Tokyo,” said Koike after winning. She added“I got threats and booing. It was the toughest election campaign I’ve ever experienced.” During her campaign, Tokyo’s first-ever female governor highlighted her achievements in her first two terms, such as making secondary education effectively free. She also promised to expand free childcare in the capital.

As temperatures rise in Tokyo, chances of special heatstroke alert increase

On Sunday, temperatures in the city of Shizuoka exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, the highest since records began in 1940. Other cities had temperatures of over 39 degrees Celsius, including Otsuki in Yamanashi Prefecture. In Tokyo, nearly 200 people had been hospitalized with heatstroke as of 9 p.m. on Sunday. Sadly, at least four deaths related to Japan’s weather have been reported in recent days. Heatstroke warnings have been issued in 26 of the country’s 47 prefectures. As conditions become more extreme, the likelihood of a special heatstroke warning being issued at the highest level increases.

On April 24, the government introduced a new special heatstroke warning system in 58 areas for when the wet bulb temperature (WBGT) heat index reaches 33. When the special heatstroke warning system is issued, cities and towns will allow everyone to rest in a cool place, such as a library or supermarket. People are advised to stay indoors and drink plenty of water. Schools and businesses are asked to take adequate countermeasures against the heat. If that is not possible they will be requested to cancel events or ask employees to work from home.

Tokyo is ranked the 49th most expensive city in the world

Tokyo has long been considered one of the most expensive cities in the world. There was a time, in the 1980s, when the land value of the capital’s Chiyoda region exceeded that of all of Canada, and the Imperial Palace grounds alone were estimated to be worth more than the entire real estate value of California. Those days are long gone, however. Today, Tokyo is considered relatively affordable compared to many major cities around the world, and Mercer’s latest ranking of the cost of living for international workers confirms that.

According to data released on Monday, Tokyo is currently the 49th most expensive city in the world, just behind San Juan in Puerto Rico, Luxembourg City, Philadelphia and Libreville in Gabon. The Japanese capital dropped 30 places from last year. That shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given the steep decline of the yen. For the third year in a row, Hong Kong claimed the title of the world’s most expensive city for expats. The composition of the rest of the top five goods the same places finally year, with Singapore in the lead by the Swiss cities of Zurich, Geneva and Basel.

Rui Hachimura

Hachimura and Watanabe the biggest names on the Japanese selection for the Olympic Games in Paris

On Monday, Tom Hovasse, the head coach of the Japanese men’s basketball team, announced a 12-player roster for the Olympics. The two star names on the list are Lakers forward Rui Hachimura and former Memphis Grizzlies swingman Yuta Watanabe. “I’m really looking forward to my second Olympics,” Hachimura said at a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday. “I want to show my teammates and everyone in Japan what I’ve learned in the NBA so far.” Other names to watch include Yuki Kawamura and Josh Hawkinson, who both impressed at last year’s World Cup.

And then there’s Keisei Tominaga, who represented Japan in the 3×3 basketball tournament at the Tokyo Olympics. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate recently signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Indiana Pacers. He models his game on four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry. On Sunday, Curry was asked if he had any advice for the 23-year-old Japanese player. He replied, “Just be himself, have confidence in yourself.” Last month, Tominaga signed with Curry’s clothing brand. “He’s dedicated to the game and continues to be an inspiration to athletes around the world,” Curry said.

related posts