# 2026年10月23日（金）ニュース - Show: 荻上チキ・Session～発信型ニュース・プロジェクト - Published: 2026-10-23 - Canonical: https://podc.club/en/episode/1532201544_8faed6f68288.html - Audio: https://pdst.fm/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.megaphone.fm/TBS6994686930.mp3 - Source: Edited from a machine transcript of the first 30 minutes of the episode. Not an official summary. Hideki Matsui (松井秀樹) was announced as the new manager of the Yomiuri Giants and held a press conference on October 23. On the same day, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced the formation of a white-hat hacker team, while the Digital Agency disclosed a leak of roughly 13,000 personal records. The day's news also covered Finland's world-first permit for a high-level nuclear waste repository, a Diet debate over cash benefit eligibility, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs releasing draft guidelines on SNS use during elections. ## What this episode answers ### What is Hideki Matsui's background, and why is his appointment as Giants manager drawing attention? Matsui was drafted first overall by the Giants in 1993, moved to the New York Yankees in 2003, won the 2009 World Series MVP, and retired in 2012 with a combined Japan-U.S. career total of 507 home runs. His appointment fills a vacancy left by former manager Shinnosuke Abe (阿部慎之助), who was arrested and resigned in May on suspicion of assaulting his eldest daughter. ### What is the white-hat hacker team the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is setting up, and where will it be based? It is a team of cybersecurity specialists tasked with finding system vulnerabilities, to be established within the Information-technology Promotion Agency (IPA), an incorporated administrative agency under METI, before the end of next month. ### What is the nuclear waste repository Finland has approved, and what is the situation in Japan? Finland approved a repository 430 metres underground designed to isolate high-level radioactive waste for more than 100,000 years — the first in the world to be licensed for operation, possibly as early as next year. In Japan, METI officials visited Mayor Takeda of Kushima City, Miyazaki Prefecture on the 23rd, but the mayor said he was merely briefed and no concrete progress was made. ### What debate took place in the Diet over cash benefit eligibility? Komeito Diet member Akaba (赤羽) pressed the government to expand benefit eligibility to households with annual incomes of ¥530,000 or more; Finance Minister Katayama (片山) responded that 'the perspective of targeting a broader population carries very significant weight' and indicated the government would consider it. The government had previously indicated incomes of ¥1 million to ¥3.5 million as the target range, based on overseas examples. ### What measures are included in the Ministry of Internal Affairs' draft guidelines on election SNS countermeasures? The draft requires: strict identity vetting for monetisation services that pay based on view counts, with suspension if misinformation is posted; warning labels on AI-generated content; and account suspension for accounts that post in bulk via bots. The measures are based on a law passed in July that obliges 13 SNS operators — including Google, Meta, and X — to take steps to reduce harmful electoral influence. ## Article ## Hideki Matsui Named New Manager of the Yomiuri Giants The Yomiuri Giants announced that Hideki Matsui (松井秀樹) will take over as their new manager, and Matsui held a press conference on October 23. Drafted first overall by the Giants in 1993, he moved to the New York Yankees in 2003 and capped his American career by winning the World Series MVP in 2009. He retired in 2012 with a combined Japan-U.S. total of 507 home runs. The Giants had been in turmoil throughout the season. Former manager Shinnosuke Abe (阿部慎之助) was arrested in May on suspicion of assaulting his eldest daughter and subsequently resigned; bench coach Hideki Hashigami (橋上秀樹) had been serving as acting manager since then. The club turned to Matsui — whose name recognition and achievements transcend baseball — to fill the role. ## METI to Launch White-Hat Hacker Team as Digital Agency Discloses Data Leak Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Akazawa (赤澤) announced at a post-cabinet press conference that the ministry will form a white-hat hacker team to counter a string of unauthorised-access incidents. The team is to be established before the end of next month within the Information-technology Promotion Agency (IPA), an incorporated administrative agency under METI, and will be responsible for tasks such as identifying system vulnerabilities. On the same day, the Digital Agency revealed that approximately 13,000 items of personal information — including names and email addresses submitted through its website's contact form — may have been leaked. The breach, occurring at a ministry actively advocating stronger cybersecurity, is likely to raise serious questions about the effectiveness of government-wide protection measures. ## Finland Grants World-First Permit for Nuclear Waste Repository; Japan Struggles The Finnish government announced on the 22nd that it has granted an operating licence for a final repository for high-level radioactive waste produced by nuclear power plants. If it begins operations, it will be the first such facility in the world. The plan calls for waste to be isolated 430 metres underground for more than 100,000 years, with operations potentially beginning as early as next year. While plans for repositories are also advancing in Canada and several European countries, Japan's own process — currently at the literature-survey stage — remains stalled. On the 23rd, METI officials visited Mayor Takeda (竹田) of Kushima City (串間市), Miyazaki Prefecture, but the mayor said he had merely received an explanation, and no concrete progress resulted. ## Diet Questions Government on Cash Benefit Eligibility The House of Representatives Finance Committee debated a bill combining a consumption-tax cut with income-linked cash support payments. Komeito member Akaba (赤羽) pressed the government to extend benefit eligibility to households with annual incomes of ¥530,000 or more. Finance Minister Katayama (片山) responded that 'the perspective of targeting a broader population carries very significant weight' and indicated willingness to review the question. The government has so far maintained, drawing on overseas precedents, that the target range should be annual incomes between ¥1 million and ¥3.5 million. How far the ruling coalition will move toward the opposition's position on the scope of payments is set to be one of the central issues going forward. ## Ministry of Internal Affairs Releases Draft SNS Guidelines for Elections The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) released today a draft set of guidelines for SNS countermeasures related to election campaigns. The draft covers three main areas: (1) monetisation services that pay based on view counts must apply strict screening to content creators and must suspend accounts that spread misinformation; (2) AI-generated content must carry a warning label; and (3) accounts that post in bulk using bots must be suspended. Under a law enacted in July, 13 SNS operators — including Google, Meta, and X — are legally required to take steps to reduce harmful interference in elections. MIC will accept public comments for one month starting on the 24th, and aims to finalise the guidelines before the end of the year. ## Takeaways - Hideki Matsui will manage the Yomiuri Giants, taking over in an extraordinary transition after his predecessor was arrested and resigned, marking the decorated slugger's move into the dugout. - Even as METI announces a white-hat hacker unit to tackle cyber intrusions, the Digital Agency disclosed a leak of roughly 13,000 personal records, casting doubt on the government's own security practices. - Concrete policy debates are intensifying on two fronts: the scope of income-linked cash benefits in the Diet, and new legally-binding SNS election rules being shaped by MIC.