Sept. 27, 2024: Noto floods, Japan vs China and Russia, lame ducks, death penalties and e-scooters

Japan This Week

Sept. 27, 2024 — In this episode, Jeff and Kong discuss the natural disasters plaguing the Noto Peninsula, airspace breaches of Japan by China and Russia, the latest political meeting between Prime Minister Kishida and President Joe Biden, the treatment of death-row inmates in Japan and the question of capital punishment plus an update on electric scooter traffic violations. NATIONAL: Noto Peninsula double disasters (0:09 - 2:40) https://japantoday.com/category/national/Search-goes-on-for-7-missing-after-floods-hit-Noto-Peninsula Heavy rain caused floods and landslides in Ishikawa Prefecture’s Noto Peninsula. At least 11 people have died, and 6 are missing in yet another disaster for the region. NATIONAL: Airspace breaches by China and Russia (2:41 - 6:36) https://japantoday.com/category/national/update1-japan-says-strongly-alarmed-by-airspace-breaches-by-russia-china Japan's Defense Minister, Minoru Kihara, expresses strong concerns over airspace breaches by China and Russia. POLITICS: Lame duck meeting of Kishida and Biden (6:37 - 10:37) https://japantoday.com/category/politics/update3-kishida-biden-hail-stronger-japan-u.s.-ties-in-farewell-meeting Prime Minister Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden had a farewell meeting in Delaware where they discussed common challenges, including China, Russia, and conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. CRIME: Death row inmates inhumane treatment in Japan (10:38 - 14:29) https://japantoday.com/category/crime/focus-japan-criticized-as-treating-death-row-inmates-inhumanely Growing criticism surrounds Japan's treatment of death row inmates. Inmates receive execution notifications only 1-2 hours in advance, have limited contact with family members and are kept in solitary confinement/ CRIME: Japanese police have problems with electric scooters (14:30 - 20:21) https://japantoday.com/category/crime/more-than-25-000-electric-scooter-traffic-violations-reported-in-12-months-to-june The National Police Agency reports over 25,000 electric scooter violations from July 2023 to June 2024