荻上チキ・Session～発信型ニュース・プロジェクト · News
2026年10月20日（火）ニュース
The government's bill to cut the consumption tax on food items from 8% to 1% entered deliberations in a plenary session of the House of Representatives, with opposition parties pressing hard on funding sources and real-world effectiveness. H3 rocket No. 15 successfully launched the Martian Moon eXploration (MMX) probe, formally beginning a Japan-led international mission targeting a sample return from the Martian moon Phobos by 2031. Other stories included the discovery of Chinese-developed AI in cyberattacks on Japanese companies, a new poll placing President Trump's approval rating at a record-low 31%, a fatal highway crash verdict in Mie Prefecture, and the Ministry of Education's request that the University of Tokyo review its presidential selection process.
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What this episode answers
What does the food consumption tax reduction bill contain, and what are the opposition's objections?
The bill would cut the food consumption tax from 8% to 1% for two years starting April next year, and also provides income-based support payments. Opposition parties questioned whether the cut would actually be passed on to retail prices, and criticized the lack of specifics on funding sources, eligibility, and payment amounts, pressing Prime Minister Takaichi (高市) on her position.
What were the results of H3 rocket No. 15's launch of the MMX probe, and what is the plan going forward?
The probe was successfully placed in its planned orbit approximately 70 minutes after launch from Tanegashima Space Center. The Japan-led international mission plans to land on Mars's moon Phobos, collect samples such as sand, and return to Earth in July 2031.
What new facts have emerged from the cyberattacks on Japanese companies?
It was newly revealed that personal information of police officers and staff at the Kanagawa and Tochigi prefectural police may also have been leaked following the unauthorized access to an IT company that provides disaster information distribution services. Additionally, security researchers found that Chinese-developed AI was apparently used in part of the attacks, with six dedicated attack bases targeting only Japanese companies confirmed.
How low has President Trump's approval rating fallen, and what is the outlook for the midterm elections?
A Reuters poll found President Trump's approval rating at a record-low 31%, including his first term. With midterm elections on November 3, 47% of respondents said they would vote for the opposition Democratic Party if an election were held today, versus 35% for the ruling Republican Party.
What action has the Ministry of Education taken regarding the University of Tokyo's presidential selection?
MEXT requested today that the University of Tokyo review the process behind its presidential selection, after widespread questions arose over the outcome in which the candidate who placed second with 553 votes was chosen over the candidate who placed first with 1,107 votes.
Food Consumption Tax Reduction Bill Enters Diet Deliberations
The government's bill to cut the consumption tax on food items entered deliberations in a plenary session of the House of Representatives on October 20. As a measure against rising prices, the bill would reduce the food consumption tax rate from the current 8% to 1% for two years starting next April. It also includes provisions for income-based support payments.
Opposition parties questioned whether the tax reduction would actually be reflected in retail prices, expressing doubt about its real-world effectiveness. They also pointed out that specific funding sources and the eligibility criteria and amounts for the support payments have not been made clear, pressing Prime Minister Takaichi (高市) on her understanding of these issues.
H3 Rocket No. 15 Successfully Launches MMX Martian Moon Probe
H3 rocket No. 15, carrying the Martian Moon eXploration (MMX) probe, lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture on the morning of October 20. The probe was successfully placed in its planned orbit approximately 70 minutes after launch, and the mission was declared a success.
The project is a Japan-led international joint exploration mission. The plan calls for landing on Phobos, one of Mars's moons, to collect samples such as sand, with a return to Earth scheduled for July 2031 — five years from now.
Chinese-Developed AI Used in Cyberattacks on Japanese Companies; Personal Data Leaks Expand
Following an unauthorized access incident targeting an IT company that provides disaster information distribution services for local governments, it has newly emerged that personal information of police officers and staff at the Kanagawa Prefectural Police, the Tochigi Prefectural Police, and other agencies may also have been leaked.
In a broader investigation into the ongoing series of cyberattacks on Japanese companies, a security firm found that Chinese-developed AI was apparently used in some of the attacks. Six dedicated attack bases targeting only Japanese companies have been confirmed.
Trump Approval Rating Hits Record-Low 31%; Opposition Leads Ahead of Midterms
Reuters reported on October 19 that a new poll shows President Trump's approval rating has fallen to 31% — the lowest of his presidency, including his first term. With midterm elections scheduled for November 3, 47% of respondents said they would vote for the opposition Democratic Party if an election were held today, compared with 35% for the ruling Republican Party. Trump dismissed the polls as "fake" and expressed confidence about the upcoming midterms.
Shin-Meishin Expressway Fatal Crash: Driver Sentenced to Seven Years
A court sentenced defendant Mizutani (水谷), who was driving a large truck, to seven years of imprisonment for a crash that occurred in March on the Shin-Meishin Expressway in Mie Prefecture, in which the truck rear-ended a line of stopped vehicles and killed six people. According to the indictment, Mizutani was traveling at approximately 82 km/h while looking at her smartphone when she struck and killed a family of five — including three children and their parents — and a man in his fifties, on charges of negligent driving resulting in death. The court stated that "compared with past cases, this falls into the most serious category," and handed down the maximum statutory sentence of seven years — matching the prosecution's demand.
Ministry of Education Requests University of Tokyo Review Presidential Selection
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) requested today — October 20 — that the University of Tokyo review the process behind its presidential selection, citing widespread questions from within and outside the university.
The University of Tokyo last month selected Professor Fujigaki Yuko (藤垣裕子) as its next president. However, in the internal vote, Fujigaki received 553 votes, placing second — roughly half the 1,107 votes won by Vice President Someya Takao (染谷隆夫), who placed first. A senior MEXT official explained that the ministry acted because "the explanation for a conclusion that overturned a two-to-one vote margin was insufficient."
Takeaways
- The government's bill to cut food consumption tax from 8% to 1% has entered Diet deliberations, but opposition parties are pushing back sharply over the lack of clarity on its real-world effect, funding, and the details of accompanying support payments.
- H3 rocket No. 15 successfully launched the MMX Martian moon probe, formally beginning a Japan-led international mission to collect samples from Phobos and return them to Earth by July 2031.
- The University of Tokyo's presidential selection — in which a candidate with roughly half the internal vote total was chosen over the first-place finisher — has prompted a rare MEXT intervention, putting the university's governance and decision-making transparency under public scrutiny.
This article is edited from a machine transcript of the first 30 minutes of the episode. It is not an official summary — please listen to the episode itself.