In our final Top 7 list of the year, we take a look back at Japan’s top stories in 2024.

Shohei Ohtani joined the Los Angeles Dodgers late last year on a 10-year contract worth $700 million, and the 2024 news has barely faded away. In February this year, he shocked fans by announcing his marriage via Instagram. After two weeks of online speculation, word has emerged that his new wife is former Fujitsu Red Wave basketball player Mami Tanaka.

On March 20, Ohtani contributed two runs and one RBI in his first game for the Dodgers. However, his debut is overshadowed by the behavior of his translator and friend Mizuhara Ippei. News of Suwon’s gambling debt came one day after Major League Baseball’s season opener. He reportedly stole more than $17 million from Ohtani while calling the bank more than 20 times pretending to be Ohtani.

Mizuhara Hiroshi was charged by the U.S. government with bank fraud and tax evasion, which carries a maximum sentence of 33 years in prison. He is expected to be sentenced on January 25, 2025. Meanwhile, Ohtani, who allegedly knew nothing about Suwon’s gambling debts, continued to thrive with the Dodgers.

He made history in September when he became the first player in MLB history to post a 50-50 (50 home runs and 50 stolen bases) season. The following month, Ohtani and fellow player Yoshinobu Yamamoto celebrated the Dodgers’ World Series victory over the New York Yankees. In November, Ohtani was named the National League MVP. He became the second player in Major League Baseball history to win the award in two leagues.

That same month, Kishida announced that his faction, the Kochi Kai, would be disbanding. Although several other factions soon followed suit, the decision threw the LDP into chaos as the prime minister failed to inform top executives such as Taro Aso and Toshimitsu Motegi of his plans. The former refused to dissolve his faction.

3. Shigeru Ishiba

An election to decide Kishida’s successor will be held on September 27. A record nine candidates are running, including Shinjiro Koizumi, son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. He was considered the early front-runner, but ended up in third place with 18.50%, behind Sanae Takaichi (24.63%) and Shigeru Ishiba (20.95%).

Since no one had a majority, it was a runoff for the top two, with Ishiba winning with 215 votes and Gao Yi receiving 194 votes. Before being sworn in as leader of the country, he controversially called for an early election. It was a political gamble that backfired, with the LDP losing its single-party majority in the House of Representatives.

That means Ishiba will face another parliamentary vote, this time against Noda, to decide whether he should stay in office. He won, but only after another runoff. He received 221 votes, 70 votes ahead of Noda Yoshihiko. Video footage shows Ishiba sleeping as he waits for the votes to be counted. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa said this was due to a cold.

A video of Ishiba dozing off went viral on social media, as did a video of him swallowing a rice ball in one gulp and opening his mouth while chewing. “Even hippos eat a little cleaner,” one X user commented. He has also been criticized for failing to stand to greet leaders such as Canada’s Justin Trudeau and Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim.

Japan's team finishes third at Paris Olympics

4. Japanese Olympians

Japan finished third in the Paris Olympics medal table with an impressive 20 podium finishes, the country’s best-ever record outside of Tokyo. Leading the way was gymnast Shinnosuke Oka, who helped the Japanese men’s team narrowly defeat China before winning individual gold medals in the all-around and horizontal bars.

Japan’s most successful sport at the Olympics was wrestling, with eight gold medals. The Japanese team achieved a total of eight wins, with Kenichiro Bunda, Nao Kusaka, Rei Higuchi, Kotaro Kiyooka, Akari Fujinami, Thuja Sakurai, Sakuramotoki and Yuka Kaga all on the podium. Javelin thrower Haruka Kitaguchi became the first Japanese woman to win in track and field. Meanwhile, Ami Yuasa became the first breakthrough gold medalist in Olympic history.

After nine wins at the Tokyo Olympics, Japan’s three gold medals in judo were a bit of a letdown. Natsumi Tsunoda, Takanori Nagase and Kazufumi Abe all won, but Kazufumi’s younger sister Uta was eliminated in the second round. The judo mixed team final was also a disappointment, with Japan losing 4-3 to the hosts in the sudden-death golden-point decider.

Japan’s other gold medals came in street skateboarding, with Yuto Horigome defending the men’s title he won in Tokyo and Coco Yoshizawa finishing ahead of compatriot Liz Akama in the women’s event . In fencing, Kanokoki won the men’s epee title, while the men’s foil team defeated Italy 45-36, becoming the first non-European or Russian country to win the event.

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5. Yuriko Koike

In July, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike won the governor’s election and won her third consecutive four-year term. A record 56 candidates are running; however, most are fringe figures seeking exposure. The most controversial candidate is Yusuke Kawai dressed as a clown, who posted a near-nude poster promote The model was named Miu Sakurai to “promote the importance of free speech.”

Competing with Yuriko Koike are three important candidates: Renbu Saito, Shinji Ishimaru and Toshio Tamogami. Much of the focus has been on Yuriko Koike’s battle with Japan’s two leading female politicians, Renbo. But in the end, the closest to Yuri Koike (42.8%) was Ishimaru, the former mayor of Aki Takata City, Hiroshima Prefecture (24.4%).

During the campaign, both Xiaochi and Lianfang received threatening messages. Someone sent a fax saying that they would “stab Lianfang to death” multiple times. The fax sent to the office of the “Tokyo Citizen First Association” read: “I will pour sulfuric acid on Yuriko Koike and make her blind.” Yuriko Koike described this as “the most difficult campaign she has ever experienced.”

She also had to respond to rumors that she had drafted fake graduation documents from Cairo University. Three months before the election, Toshiro Kojima, a former aide to Yuriko Koike, told Monthly Magazine literary spring tree She asked him to help her draft the certificate. Yuriko Koike has denied the accusations. Kojima filed criminal charges against her.

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6. Japan Hidankyo

In October, Japan’s Hidan Association was announced as the winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. This is the second Japanese to win the award after former Prime Minister Eisaku Sato. The organization won for its “efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons.” Terumi Tanaka, a 92-year-old survivor of the 1945 U.S. bombing of Nagasaki, accepted the award on behalf of the organization in December.

“Nuclear superpower Russia has threatened to use nuclear weapons in its war against Ukraine, while one of Israel’s cabinet members has even spoken of the possibility of their use amid the relentless attack on Palestinian Gaza,” he said. . Beyond the civilian casualties, I am infinitely saddened and angry that the ‘nuclear taboo’ is about to be broken. “

Since its founding in 1956, Nihon Hidankyo has advocated for greater support for victims of the atomic bomb, known as “hibakusha” in Japanese. Activities over the years have included recording the testimonies of thousands of witnesses and issuing resolutions and public appeals. The organization also sends delegations to multiple international organizations, including the United Nations, every year to advocate for global nuclear disarmament.

“At the heart of Alfred Nobel’s vision was the belief that dedicated individuals could make a difference,” the committee wrote. “By awarding this year’s Nobel Peace Prize to Hidan Kyo of Japan, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to pay tribute to all survivors who, despite physical pain and painful memories, have chosen to use their costly experiences to cultivate awareness of Hope and participation in peace.”

Anna Savai Facts

7. Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai

February, general Premiering on FX and Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally. It became the most played show on all platforms, with over 9 million views, while also earning rave reviews. Many actors’ performances have been highly praised, including Tadanobu Asano, Fumi Nikaido, etc. Yuka Furura. The best performances in the show, however, come from leads Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai.

In addition to playing Tokugawa Ieyasu’s fictionalized version of Toranaga Yoshi, Sanada also serves as a producer on the series. He insisted that all Japanese characters be played by Japanese actors and that “professional staff for costume dramas should be imported from Japan.” In September, he became the first Japanese and second Asian to win the award. Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series.

That night, Sawai became the first Asian to win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. She won an award for her performance as Mariko, a skilled translator with a troubled past. The New Zealand-born performer also received critical acclaim for her role as Naomi in the Apple TV+ series pinball machinea tribute to her mother, who was her inspiration.

in total, general It won 18 Emmy Awards, setting a single-season record for the series. Later that year, it was also nominated for four Golden Globe Awards. It will compete with similar diplomat, slow horse and Mr and Mrs Smith Best TV Series Award. Sanada and Sawai are nominated for Best Performance by an Actor or Actor in a TV Series. Asano was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor. The ceremony will be held on January 5th.