Some terrible news from around the world this week…
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A rash of shootings in America:
- On Friday, April 3, a man barricaded the back door of an immigrant center in Binghamton, NY, USA with his car, then went in through the front door and began shooting people.
He killed thirteen people before killing himself. - On Saturday, April 4, a father in Graham, Washington, USA shot his five children (ages 7 – 16) to death and then killed himself.
- Also on Saturday, April 4, police in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA responded to a call about domestic violence. When they arrived at the house, a 23-year-old man wearing a bullet-proof vest shot the three responding officers.
SWAT officers arrived soon after but were unable to help the shot officers for hours because the man in the house held them at bay with gunfire.
By the time the three officers who were shot were retrieved by the SWAT team, they had bled to death.
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And possibly due to global warming:
- A large ice bridge in the Antarctic Ocean has collapsed.
Scientists say it was holding a huge ice shelf in place and now that it’s fallen, the ice shelf (which is the size of Jamaica) will begin to float away which may cause it to melt and raise the sea level.
- Not totally unexpected, but North Korea launched the missile* that it had been getting ready.
(*North Korea claims that it isn’t a missile…but a satellite.)
It flew over Japan. Part of it landed in 日本海 (the Sea Of Japan) and the main part of the missile flew over Japan and landed in 太平洋 (the Pacific Ocean).
If any part of the missile entered Japan’s land, air, or sea borders, Japan was prepared to shoot it down.
Here is a YouTube video of CNN‘s coverage of the launch and Japan’s reaction:
Tokyo Five 
Yes, tragic news indeed – our thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families. As we know living here in Tokyo, this kind of news is quite uncommon here.
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Gun-related violence is much more common in America. Occasionally there are mafia-related shootings here.
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wow… great, i dont know about it.. thx for your informations… and nice to meet you… my name is heri from indonesia, douzo yorishiku..
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Yoroshiku. Please continue to comment on my site anytime.
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are japan have military soldier? i think japan only have police but have not soldier…
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Japan has a military…but not like countries such as America’s.
After WW2, America wrote Japan’s current Constitution…which renounces war. It says that Japan can have a “Self Defense Force” rather than an ‘active’ military.
So Japan has the JSDF (“Japan Self-Defense Force”) which is like an Army, the JMSDF (“Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force”) which is like a Navy, and the JASDF (“Japan Air Self-Defense Force”) which is like an Air Force.
The JSDF, JMSDF, and JASDF can defend Japan from enemy attacks (so they could legally shoot down a missile entering Japanese territory)…but they can’t attack other countries.
So, that’s why in campaigns such as the current war in the Middle East, Japan can’t fight…only offer assistance such as refueling, medical, etc.
Also, the JMSDF (Navy) can’t attack pirate ships unless those pirate ships are threatening Japanese people or property. (Self-defense).
Some countries get upset with Japan for not taking a more active stance in world conflicts (ie: fighting)…(ironically, America (the country that wrote Japan’s Constitution) is often the country complaining the most!)
I think it’s great that Japan is a peaceful country…every country’s military should be for “self-defense” only! Might put an end to wars!
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