Kyodo News Digest: January 8, 2025

Traditional Japanese “maiko” artists, dressed in formal outfits, chat before a ceremony marking their first working day of the year, January 7, 2025, in Kyoto. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Here is the latest list of news summaries selected by Kyodo News.

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210 hacks carried out on JAXA, other Japanese targets by a Chinese group since 2019

TOKYO — Chinese hacker group “MirrorFace” carried out 210 cyberattacks between 2019 and 2024 against Japanese organizations in an attempt to obtain information related to the country's national security and advanced technologies, the Japanese National Police said Wednesday.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, which revealed in 2023 that it had suffered a data breach following a cyberattack, was among the organizations targeted by the group, according to a source familiar with the matter.

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Japan prepares for heavy snowfall, possible traffic disruptions

TOKYO — Japan's meteorological agency and the Land Ministry warned Wednesday of heavy snowfall in areas along the Sea of ​​Japan coast on the country's main island of Honshu and urged residents to avoid non-essential outings due to potential disruption to road and rail traffic.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said northeastern and central regions could be covered in snow until Friday, and precipitation is expected to intensify, especially around Thursday.

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Japanese PM does not commit to nuclear pact in meeting with Nobel laureate Hidankyo

TOKYO – Nihon Hidankyo, the Japanese group of atomic bomb survivors that won the Nobel Peace Prize last year, urged the government on Wednesday to participate as an observer in a convention of signatories to an atomic bomb treaty. ban on nuclear weapons, but said Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba remained noncommittal at a meeting in Tokyo.

The group's co-chair, Terumi Tanaka, said the roughly 30-minute interview with the prime minister, held to congratulate the group on the award, “did not yield results” on the issue. Another participant, Toshiyuki Mimaki, called Ishiba's reluctance “regrettable.”

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7 Chinese arrested in Japan for fraudulent purchases of Apple laptops

TOKYO — Seven Chinese nationals, including university students, were arrested on suspicion of fraud after allegedly purchasing Apple Inc. laptops using student discounts in Tokyo for resale, it was announced Wednesday the police.

One of the seven, Zhao Li, a 51-year-old man in Saitama Prefecture, is believed to have ties to the Chinese Dragon, police said, referring to a gang formed mainly by second- and third-generation descendants of Japanese orphans. left behind in China when Japan withdrew from the country at the end of World War II.

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Nvidia will supply chips for Toyota's self-driving car development

LAS VEGAS – Nvidia Corp. announced Monday that it will supply its advanced semiconductors to Toyota Motor Corp. to help the Japanese automaker develop technologies related to autonomous vehicles.

In addition to the device specially designed for use in driverless cars, the Californian chip giant announced that it would also offer Toyota its software capable of managing the maneuvers of these vehicles.

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M6.8 earthquake shakes Chinese region of Tibet, nearly 130 dead

BEIJING – A 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook China's Tibet autonomous region on Tuesday morning, killing nearly 130 people and injuring 200, as President Xi Jinping ordered all-out relief efforts, the official news agency said Xinhua.

The 9:05 a.m. quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometers in the remote Tingri county that borders Nepal, according to Chinese authorities.

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Sumitomo Rubber will buy the Dunlop tire brand from Goodyear for $526 million.

TOKYO – Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. announced Wednesday that it would acquire the Dunlop brand's operations in Europe, North America and Oceania from American tire manufacturer Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. for $526 million.

The acquisition will allow Sumitomo Rubber to sell products under the brand worldwide, in addition to Japan and other Asian countries where it already sells Dunlop tires, he said.

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Tennis: Rei Sakamoto, a big player, lives up to his status as best hope

TOKYO – Promising tennis player Rei Sakamoto capped an impressive year with his first ATP Challenger Tour title just three months after turning professional.

The 18-year-old, who stands 195 centimeters tall and has been training at the IMG Academy in Florida since 2022, aims to take further steps in 2025 towards his goal of becoming the first Japanese to win a Grand Slam singles title.

Video: Geiko and Maiko in Kyoto begin work in 2025