マイあさ! 午前6時のNHKニュース 2026年10月5日

U.S. Marine Arrested on Suspicion of Murder in Okinawa

A 20-year-old U.S. Marine lance corporal assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Devin Jacob Ballard, has been arrested on suspicion of robbery-murder after a 39-year-old woman was killed and her wallet stolen at a hotel in Nakagusuku City, Okinawa. Investigators have newly revealed that a cord-like mark was found around the victim's neck; the cause of death is asphyxiation from neck compression.

Security cameras near the scene captured a man of apparent foreign appearance entering a hotel room with the woman and later leaving the hotel with her valuables. The man's build and tattoos were said to closely match those of Ballard, who has denied the charges under questioning, saying "I don't know anything about it." Police are continuing to investigate the full circumstances of the incident.

Nobel Prize Announcements Begin Today

This year's Nobel Prize announcements begin today, October 5, on the following schedule: Physiology or Medicine (5th), Physics (6th), Chemistry (7th), Literature (8th), Peace (9th), and Economics (12th). Award ceremonies and banquets will be held in December — in Oslo, Norway for the Peace Prize, and in Stockholm, Sweden for all others.

The prize, awarded based on the will of Swedish dynamite inventor Alfred Nobel, has gone to 30 Japanese individuals (including those who later acquired U.S. citizenship) and one organization. All 22 individual Japanese recipients since 2000 have won in one of the three natural sciences. No Japanese person has won the Literature Prize since Oe Kenzaburo in 1994, and none has ever won the Economics Prize.

Two years ago, Nihon Hidankyo (日本被団協, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations) won the Peace Prize — Japan's first in 50 years. Last year, Sakaguchi Shimon (坂口志文) of Osaka University won Physiology or Medicine, and Kitagawa Susumu (北川進) of Kyoto University won Chemistry. Whether Japan can claim a laureate for a third consecutive year is the main point of interest.

Extraordinary Diet Session Convened; Food Consumption-Tax Cut Takes Center Stage

The 220th Extraordinary Diet Session — the first legislative arena for debate since last month's cabinet reshuffle — was convened today, with a scheduled duration of 69 days through December 12. After an opening ceremony attended by His Majesty the Emperor, the Prime Minister is to deliver a policy speech arguing that the proposed consumption-tax cut on food is intended "to ease the burden closest to everyday life and bring breathing room to household budgets."

With the ruling coalition holding a minority of seats, the government is calling on opposition parties to cooperate in passing the food-tax bill. LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Kobayashi stated that the two-year limited cut and early implementation of cash benefits are measures "to overcome the challenge of rising prices." However, Tamaki Yuichiro (玉木), leader of the Democratic Party for the People, expressed doubts about whether a two-year food-only reduction is "the most effective and rapid measure" for easing household burdens amid high inflation. The opposition is also expected to demand thorough debate on the policy's effectiveness and fiscal sources, and to question the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in parliament over reported sharp cuts to the national road budget for his home constituency.

Judo World Championships: Ogawa Wins Gold, Nagayama Takes Bronze

The Judo World Championships opened October 4 in Baku, Azerbaijan, featuring seven weight categories each for men and women plus a mixed-team event.

In the women's 48kg on opening day, Ogawa — age 25, ranked sixth in the world, competing in her fifth World Championships — defeated the world No. 3 from Russia by ippon with groundwork in the quarterfinals, then took down the Paris Olympics silver medalist from Mongolia with an o-uchi-gari waza-ari shortly after the semifinal began. In the final against Italy's Assunta Scutto, last year's silver medalist, Ogawa won by ippon using an o-uchi-gari into groundwork about one minute in, claiming her first-ever gold medal.

In the men's 60kg, Paris Olympics bronze medalist Nagayama Ryuju (永山竜樹), age 30 and ranked eighth in the world, was aiming for a third consecutive world title. He was eliminated in the semifinals when the world No. 24 from Kazakhstan scored a yuko in extra time. In the bronze-medal match against the world No. 4 from Russia, Nagayama scored a yuko to win and claim bronze.

Women's Golf — Japan Women's Open: Shin Ji-ae Achieves Domestic Grand Slam

The final round of the Japan Women's Open was played October 4 at Takarazuka Golf Club in Takarazuka City, Hyogo Prefecture. Playing in the rain, South Korea's Shin Ji-ae (申知愛) finished at 11-under par, level with a Japanese player, forcing a playoff. The first two holes were halved with pars. On the third hole, the Japanese player missed her birdie putt and made par, while Shin sank her birdie putt to claim her first title at this event. The win gave Shin a Grand Slam — all four domestic majors — for the first time, and was her sixth domestic major title overall.

Weather: Typhoon No. 27 Moving North, Rough Conditions Across Japan

Typhoon No. 27 is moving northward as a very strong storm and is expected to pass east of the Ogasawara Islands from this evening through early tomorrow morning. The islands are not forecast to be within the destructive-wind zone, but waves of up to 8 meters require caution; the Pacific coast of the Kanto region can also expect 5-meter waves tomorrow. In Hokkaido, an approaching low-pressure system means residents should be on alert tonight for rain, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and gusts.

Today's forecast high temperatures: Naha 31°C, Kagoshima 30°C, Fukuoka 27°C, Osaka/Hiroshima/Kochi/Matsue 24°C, Nagoya 23°C, Kanazawa 24°C, Niigata 26°C, Tokyo/Nagano 23°C, Sendai 21°C, Akita 23°C, Sapporo 18°C. Sunny spells are expected to return to the Kanto region and nearby areas tomorrow under the influence of the Pacific High, with temperatures approaching 30°C — short sleeves still likely to be needed, despite it being October.