News Headlines - 04 April 2021

▽Truck owner behind deadly Taiwan railway crash apologizes

The owner of a construction truck that caused Taiwan’s worst rail accident in decades, killing 48 people, apologized in tears while being led away from his home by police on Sunday. The unmanned truck’s emergency brake was not properly engaged, according to the government’s disaster relief center.
An investigation is underway as to how exactly Lee Yi-Hsiang’s vehicle slid down onto the tracks Friday from a nearby construction site on the mountainous coast of eastern Hualien county. The truck was hit by a passenger train carrying 494 people, which derailed just before entering a tunnel, crushing many passengers inside the mangled train carriages.

▽Total of 4 SDF members now infected with coronavirus in Africa

Two members of a Japan Self-Defense Forces unit stationed in Djibouti in eastern Africa have been infected with the coronavirus, the Japanese Defense Ministry said Sunday, bringing the total to four.
The latest infections were confirmed at a base where around 110 troops are working in support of Japan's antipiracy mission in waters off neighboring Somalia.

▽Tokyo Diving World Cup cancelled because of poor Covid-19 precautions - BBC Sport

The Diving World Cup in Tokyo has been cancelled by the sport's international governing body because the organisers' planned Covid-19 precautions "will not properly ensure" athletes' safety.
In a letter seen by the BBC, Fina also criticises the Japanese government which, in its opinion, "did not take all the necessary measures to ensure successful and fair" competition.
The event was scheduled to run from 18-23 April, and was due to be the final Olympic qualifier and an official test event for the postponed Tokyo Games.

▽Cancer survivor Ikee qualifies for Tokyo Games | NHK WORLD

Japanese swimmer Ikee Rikako has qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games after returning to the sport following her battle with leukemia.
Ikee took part in the women's 100-meter butterfly final at the national championships on Sunday... She picked up speed and overtook the frontrunner to win the race with a time of 57.77 seconds.
She cleared the time required to be a member of the 400-meter medley relay.

▽Tokyo Olympic all-male relay leg lets women in after backlash

Women can now join a Tokyo Olympic torch relay leg involving a traditional decorated boat in a Japanese city in response to calls that excluding them violates the global sporting event's principle of gender equality, local officials said Friday.
In the relay leg due to be held Tuesday, only men were initially set to be allowed to board the boat to be used in the 200-meter segment, crossing a canal in Handa, Aichi Prefecture.
Women are prohibited from getting in the "Chintoro" boat, which is used in a local festival dating back to the Edo Era (1603-1868), according to the city. In Japan, women are not allowed to enter places such as a sumo ring, or dohyo, as they are regarded as being sacred.