News Headlines - 13 March 2021

▽Ex-top Tokyo prosecutor to face summary indictment over gambling | The Japan Times

Tokyo prosecutors have decided to issue a summary indictment which carries a fine of up to ¥1 million to a former top Tokyo prosecutor for gambling with news reporters last year, sources familiar with the matter said Saturday.
The issue was under reinvestigation after an inquest last year determined Hiromu Kurokawa, believed to have been favored by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe when he was in office, should be indicted for playing mahjong for money with them.

▽Ex-Japan trade minister should be indicted over gift scandal, panel says | The Japan Times

A civil inquest body has concluded that former trade minister Isshu Sugawara should be indicted over a money and gift scandal, a decision the ex-minister said he takes “seriously.”
Following the decision by the Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution, Tokyo prosecutors will now resume investigating the allegation that the Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker’s office offered money and gifts to supporters between 2017 and 2019 in violation of the election law.

▽Japanese TV network apologizes for comedian's 'hurtful remark' against Ainu - The Mainichi

Nippon Television Network Corp. has apologized for a comedian's remark on a morning show that the broadcaster described as inappropriate and hurtful to northern Japan's indigenous Ainu people.
According to Nippon TV, the incident took place during a documentary segment centering on an Ainu woman on the March 12 edition of the morning program "Sukkiri." During the piece, Japanese comedian Nou Misoo asked, "What does this piece and spotting an animal have in common? The answer is, Ah, inu (dog)." The segment drew heavy criticism from viewers after it aired, including "It's not right to juxtapose Ainu people with dogs."

▽Rakuten ties up with Japan Post to push mobile phone service : The Asahi Shimbun

Online retailing giant Rakuten Inc. will receive its biggest capital injection since its establishment in 1997 with the bulk of it coming from Japan Post Holdings Co. to help it develop its still fledging mobile phone operations.
The 150 billion yen ($1.4 billion) investment by Japan Post Holdings will make it Rakuten’s fourth largest shareholder and give it a roughly 8-percent stake in the company.
In addition to Japan Post Holdings, Rakuten will also receive capital from a subsidiary of Chinese information technology company Tencent Holdings Ltd. as well as U.S. retailer Walmart Inc. The total capital injection will come to about 242.3 billion yen.

▽UK set to increase number of nuclear warheads that it can stockpile - Telegraph | Reuters

The British government is set to increase the number of nuclear warheads that it can stockpile, The Telegraph's Deputy Political Editor tweeted bit.ly/3laNa16 on Friday.
The announcement is expected in the Integrated Review on Tuesday, in change of direction on non-proliferation, according to the tweet.
UK has around 180 warheads stockpiled, the tweet added.