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

The Top Headline

—Financial Services Agency hits cryptocurrency exchange operator Coincheck with a business improvement order over its failure to implement the security measures that it had advised to take before the hacking incident. The business improvement order focuses on Coincheck’s lack of safeguards against money laundering in particular. The company managers’ main excuse seems to be that they didn’t know what they were doing, lacking staff with the proper technical skills.

Politics

—Continue to be impressed by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan’s social media operation, which is far ahead of any other Japanese political party. Here they made a graphic informing viewers when to tune in for question time in the House of Representatives Budget Committee.

—Under assault by Diet questioning, Finance Minister Taro Aso refuses opposition calls to sack the compromised Nobuhisa Sagawa from his position as head of the National Tax Agency. It’s now basically proven Sagawa gave false testimony to the Diet last year.

—Ryusei Tanaka of the Liberal Democratic Party appointed as the new Cabinet Office Vice-Minister to replace the disgraced Fumiaki Matsumoto.

—Nago Mayoral Race: Incumbent anti-base candidate Susumu Inamine emphasizes the city’s pristine beaches in his campaign graphic, like Henoko beach that is scheduled to be destroyed by the construction of the US Marine air base.

—Meanwhile, challenger Taketoyo Toguchi is bolstered by stars of the ruling party, such as Shinjiro Koizumi, who are coming down to Okinawa to lend a hand in his campaign. The key message is that allowing base construction will unlock massive development funds for Nago city.

—Economic Revitalization Minister Toshimitsu Motegi under suspicion of violating election laws by distributing free funeral incense sticks to constituents. Not exactly the Scandal of the Century, but we’ll see if it goes anywhere.

—Asahi Shinbun: There is now documentary evidence that Yasunori Kagoike cited his connection with Akie Abe as he negotiated with the local chapter of the Finance Ministry for a discount on the land for his Moritomo Gakuen-related elementary school in Osaka.

—A group of younger lawmakers demand that Fukushiro Nukaga step down as head of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Nukaga Faction. They suggest that his departure is needed now in order to avoid splitting the 55-member faction as a whole.

International

—Prime Minister Shinzo Abe “deeply apologizes” to the people of Okinawa for his responsibility in appointing Fumiaki Matsumoto as Vice-Minister in the Cabinet Office. Matsumoto resigned after his Diet heckling felt by many to be making light of US Marine helicopter accidents.

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