Vietnamese woman acquitted of abandoning stillborn twins

Mar 24, 2023 | News On Japan

Mar 24, 2023 (NHK) - Japan's Supreme Court has acquitted a Vietnamese woman of abandoning the bodies of her stillborn twins, overturning lower court rulings.

Le Thi Thuy Linh gave birth to the babies at her home in Ashikita Town, Kumamoto Prefecture in November 2020. She was a worker with Japan's technical training program at the time.

The 24-year-old defendant was accused of leaving the bodies for over a day in a cardboard box at her home.

The Supreme Court's Second Petty Bench considered whether the defendant's acts after the births could amount to the crime of corpse abandonment.

Presiding Justice Kusano Koichi on Friday noted that discarding or hiding a body in a way that cannot be conventionally regarded as a burial are deemed to be abandonment.

The justice said that the defendant delivered the twins alone at her home, wrapped their bodies in towels, placed them in a cardboard box, and put the box on a shelf.

He said that such actions do not mean that she did not intend to bury them. ...continue reading

Two Typhoons Set to Approach Okinawa and Eastern Japan

Very strong Typhoon No. 7, Mekkhala, was moving north south of Okinawa as of 9 a.m. on June 24 and is forecast to approach Miyakojima on June 25 and Okinawa’s main island around June 26 before moving east along the southern coast of Honshu, while Typhoon No. 8, Higos, is expected to move on an inner track and approach eastern Japan first, raising the risk of heavy rain across western and eastern Japan.Typhoon No. 7 was located east of the Philippines at 9 p.m. on June 23 and was moving slowly north.

Inside The Shadow Market For Japan’s Temples And Shrines

The sale of religious corporations that operate temples and shrines across Japan is drawing growing scrutiny from authorities, who fear the transactions could be used for tax evasion and money laundering, as brokers openly advertise properties and corporate status for tens or even hundreds of millions of yen.

Japanese Among 17 Detained in Laos Over Special Fraud Operation

Nine Japanese nationals were among 17 people detained in Laos on suspicion of involvement in a special fraud operation, while Japanese authorities have sought cooperation from Cambodian police over dozens of Japanese citizens believed to have gone missing after traveling to Cambodia.

Japan Moves to Ease Thinner Shortage as Naphtha Shock Hits Builders

Japan will begin a new system on June 23 to sell paint and thinner directly from manufacturers to construction firms and other businesses, aiming to ease supply bottlenecks and curb price increases as worsening conditions in the Middle East make such materials harder to obtain.

Three Bear Cubs Seen Climbing Tree Putting Town on Alert

Three bear cubs were spotted climbing a tree in Hirogawa, Wakayama Prefecture, on the morning of June 22, prompting the town to put up warning signs and call on residents to stay alert, although no injuries or damage have been reported.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Dutch Tourist Arrested Over Drift Driving in Museum Parking Lot

A 32-year-old Dutch tourist has been arrested on suspicion of leaving tire marks on the asphalt after performing drift driving in the parking lot of the Oya History Museum, a tourist facility in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture.

Handprint Carved Into Legendary Demon Rock

A giant stone at Mitsuishi Shrine in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, said to be linked to the origin of the prefecture’s name through a legend about a demon’s handprint, has been carved by an unknown person in what appears to be the shape of a palm.

Ringleader Admits Charges in Killing of Restaurant Owner and Wife

The first trial of two men accused of killing restaurant owner Ryutaro Takarajima and his wife, Sachiko, began at the Tokyo District Court on June 22, with the 30-year-old defendant described as a directing figure admitting the charges, while the other defendant acknowledged involvement but argued that he was only an accessory.

Emperor And Empress Join Photo Shoot With Belgian Royal Family

Japan's Emperor and Empress appeared before the press with the Belgian royal family during their official visit to Belgium, joining King Philippe, Queen Mathilde and their children for a commemorative photograph at the royal residence of Ciergnon Castle.

Body of Man Found in Freezer at Kobe Apartment

A damaged and badly decomposed body of an adult man was found inside a large freezer near the entrance of a locked apartment in Kobe on June 20, prompting police to investigate the case as a possible crime.

Japan's Imperial Couple Rekindle Ties With Dutch Royal Family

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, on a state visit to the Netherlands, reunited with Princess Catharina-Amalia, the Dutch princess who was photographed holding hands with Princess Aiko 20 years ago, in a visit that highlighted the long friendship between the Japanese imperial family and the Dutch royal house.

Tokyo Elementary School Fire Injures 11 Pupils And Teachers

Eleven pupils and teachers were injured after a fire broke out at Takinogawa Daisan Elementary School in Tokyo's Kita Ward at around 11 a.m. on June 19, forcing more than 300 children to evacuate and briefly trapping several pupils on a narrow ledge outside a fourth-floor classroom.

Cargo Ship Runs Aground Off Toshima

A cargo ship carrying vehicles from Osaka to Tokyo ran aground off Toshima in the Izu Islands before dawn on June 19, creating an unusual scene in which a large freighter appeared to have docked at a part of the island with no port.

< 2 3 4 5 >