Tokyo International News Agency

STARTO ENTERTAINMENT has launched a new free podcast service, "mimi-ni," allowing users to enjoy both music and talk, and it has quickly garnered significant attention on social media. With regular radio programs from across the country steadily beginning distribution, radio fans are already hailing it as "god content." The biggest feature of "mimi-ni" is its ability to allow users to listen to missed or favorite episodes "forever" at any time, starting 8 days after the broadcast. Furthermore, it boasts an innovative function that plays the music aired during the program, potentially transforming the traditional radio listening experience. Many users are comparing it to the existing radio streaming service, "radiko." While some comments suggest, "It's just a delayed version of radiko" or "It might not be very meaningful if you have an area-free subscription to radiko," there are also numerous positive opinions li...

Japanese fans are buzzing with excitement and anticipation following the announcement of additional tickets, commonly known as 'equipment release seats,' for the BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG' IN JAPAN. For fans who were unable to secure tickets during the initial sales, this literally represents a 'last chance.' 'Equipment release seats' refer to additional seating made available after the concert venue setup is complete, once the placement of stage equipment has been finalized. While these seats may have partially obstructed views, fans on social media are expressing sentiments like, 'Obstructed view seats and equipment release seats often turn out to be 'god-tier' seats,' suggesting they hold the potential for unexpectedly good views. One fan shared a past tour's overall stage layout, pointing out instances where equipment release seats became 'god-tier' compared to VIP seats that were further from the main stage. The newly annou...

Popular voice actor Yuuki Ono is currently garnering significant attention across various fields, including anime, games, and events. Notably, his announced appearance on a special program for the immensely popular smartphone RPG Fate/Grand Order and his starring role in a new anime have become major talking points among fans. Fans Rejoice at Fate/Grand Order Special Program Appearance It was announced that Yuuki Ono will appear as a guest on the Fate/Grand Order Chaldea Broadcasting Station SP: "Fate/strange Fake" Collaboration Event Commemoration Broadcast , airing on Saturday, April 25th, at 6:45 PM JST. Alongside Ayako Kawasumi, Makoto Furukawa, and MC Mafia Kajita, he will deliver information about the "Fate/strange Fake" collaboration event, scheduled to kick off in late April. In response to this announcement, social media was abuzz with joyful comments such as "I'm happy as a monkey right now," "Yuuki Ono has such a great voice, doesn...

A legal dispute surrounding a patient's "discharge request" at a psychiatric hospital has garnered significant attention on X (formerly Twitter). The controversy intensified particularly after a specific psychiatric hospital (commonly known as "Ayase Hospital") won a lawsuit filed by a lawyer. The lawyer claimed "obstruction of business" and "emotional distress" after the hospital sent a patient, who had requested discharge through that lawyer, directly to the lawyer's office post-discharge. The court's ruling in favor of the hospital has sent ripples through the community. The case originated with a patient who was voluntarily admitted. According to interrogation notes from the hospital director by an acquaintance, the patient's condition showed improvement two months into their admission, with a reduction in medication. However, lacking a residence after discharge, the hospital was arranging their placement in a group home. Duri...

Good news has arrived in the horse racing world. After approximately nine months of riding in the United States, it has been revealed that jockey Mirco Demuro will return to Japan. On social media, fans are flooding with expressions of joy and anticipation. Warm messages like "Welcome back, Mirco!" and "We've been waiting for you!" are pouring in, and Japanese horse racing fans are buzzing with excitement for his long-awaited return. Demuro had been based in the United States since last summer. He reportedly gave a candid account of the reasons behind his decision to return to Japan, reflecting on his roughly nine-month stay. The absence of the star jockey, who has long graced Japanese horse racing, had brought sadness to many fans, but this announcement of his return has become good news that sweeps away that loneliness. On social media, comments like "So happy Mirco is coming back!" and "It was lonely without Mirco, after all" are prevalent...

The popular anime series Future GPX Cyber Formula is celebrating its 35th anniversary with a slew of long-awaited new announcements for fans. Production has been greenlit for a new short anime, serving as the legitimate sequel to Future GPX Cyber Formula SIN , a landmark OVA (Original Video Animation) series. Additionally, a new game, Future GPX Cyber Formula Spiral , fully supervised by Mitsuo Fukuda, has been announced. Social media is already abuzz with enthusiastic reactions. The new short anime is set to condense a new year of Cyber Formula into approximately six minutes. Long-time fans have expressed widespread surprise and joy, with comments like "A new work!? And a continuation of SIN!?", demonstrating their deep affection for the series. Expectations are high for the continuation of the stories of characters appearing in the series, such as Knight Schumacher, Bleed Kaga, and the protagonist Hayato. Furthermore, the new game, Future GPX Cyber Formula Spiral , is bei...

On April 15, the Osaka Regional Taxation Bureau announced and profoundly apologized to the public after a male employee in his 20s leaked a total of 259 taxpayer records externally via LINE, following instructions from someone impersonating a police officer. This incident has drawn severe criticism from various quarters, as it significantly undermines trust in tax administration. According to the Taxation Bureau's announcement, the incident occurred on April 13. The employee received a call on his personal smartphone from an individual claiming to be an officer with the Chiba Prefectural Police. The caller stated the employee's full name and informed him he was suspected in a case. Distraught, the employee, in an attempt to prove his innocence, followed the caller's instructions. He photographed 259 documents—179 individual taxpayer records and 80 corporate taxpayer records—displayed on his work computer screen with his camera and sent them through LINE. The employee stated...