News Headlines - 19 March 2021
▽Japan's failure to recognize same-sex marriage is 'unconstitutional,' court rules - CNN
A Japanese court has ruled that not allowing same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, a landmark decision that could herald a new era for marriage equality in the country.
It's the first time that a court has ruled on the constitutionality of same-sex marriage in Japan, the only Group of Seven (G7) country that has not recognized either same-sex civil unions or same-sex marriage.
The case began in 2019, when three couples in Hokkaido prefecture filed a lawsuit claiming 1 million yen (about $9,160) in damages each for the psychological harm caused by the government not allowing same-sex marriage.
▽Mizuho to postpone bank unit's change at helm after slew of system failures -media | Reuters
Japan’s Mizuho Financial Group Inc will postpone replacing the head of its core banking unit to deal with a run of embarassing system failures over the past two weeks, domestic media reported.
The country’s third largest lender by assets had said it would replace Mizuho Bank CEO Koji Fujiwara with managing director Masahiko Kato from April as part of efforts to bring in younger management... Since late February Mizuho has suffered three ATM-related glitches as well as problems last Thursday that resulted in delays to foreign currency-dominated remittances, mainly affecting corporate customers.
Police arrested a former popular YouTuber on March 17 for allegedly forcing a high-school girl to send him obscene photos of herself.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)'s youth development division arrested Mahoto Watanabe, 28, of Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward, on suspicion of violating regulations on acts relating to child prostitution and child pornography.
▽Super Mario attraction opens at USJ in Osaka after postponements | The Japan Times
Universal Studios Japan (USJ) on Thursday opened its ¥60 billion ($550 million) Super Mario-themed attraction in a major leap beyond the virtual world by games maker Nintendo Co... Entering through a giant warp pipe, visitors to Super Nintendo World, a real-world version of Mario games creator Shigeru Miyamoto's Mushroom Kingdom, are met with chomping piranha plants, punchable coin blocks and a flag-topped Mount Beanpole.
▽Naomi Watanabe reacts to insult: ‘I am happy with my body’ : The Asahi Shimbun
Popular entertainer Naomi Watanabe, responding to insults uttered by the Tokyo Olympic creative director, said she was comfortable with her body and urged people to be more accepting of those who are different.
Yoshimoto Kogyo Co., an entertainment company that manages Watanabe, posted her statement on its website on March 18 amid disbelief and outrage over Hiroshi Sasaki's remarks.
