SNA (Tokyo) — The following stories were reported today by the Shingetsu News Agency.

Politics

—Former Abe Government Regional Revitalization Minister Kozo Yamamoto asks a colleague at a public seminar who engages in various exchanges with African countries, “Why do like black things?” Kozo Yamamoto, by the way, is the same idiot who declared as minister in April that museum curators are not doing enough to promote tourism and so they are a “cancer” that must be eradicated. He was also involved in Kake Gakuen Scandal.

—Former Regional Revitalization Minister Kozo Yamamoto says his comment “Why do like black things?” was “inappropriate” and that he withdraws it. He claims he had no “discriminatory intent” in saying it.

—Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan attacking like bulldogs on social media. They are doing their job. Kanako Otsuji goes after Liberal Democratic Party General Council Chairman Wataru Takeshita, pointing out that even some national leaders are LGBT individuals. Does he want to discriminate against them too?

—Tokyo Press Photographers Association gives top award to photo showing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attending Okinawa war memorial ceremony with the local people glaring at him resentfully.

—As expected, Osaka Governor Ichiro Matsui re-endorsed as President of the Japan Innovation Party at extraordinary general meeting.

International

—Russia’s Lavrov: “We express deep concern, with facts to back it up, that Japan along with South Korea is becoming territory for deployment of elements of the US global missile defense system which is being rolled out in that region under the pretext of the North Korea threat.”

—Spooky! Boat carrying eight North Koreans washes ashore at Yurihonjo, Akita Prefecture, and then the next day the boat mysteriously disappears.

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