Takaichi Sanae has become Japan’s 104th prime minister. She is making news around the world because she is Japan’s first female prime minister. Takaichi grew up near Nara. She comes from a middle-class family and likes heavy metal bands. She is an amateur drummer. She spent some time in the U.S. before going into politics in Japan in 1993. She was very close to Abe Shinzo. One of her heroes is Margaret Thatcher, the first female British prime minister. Takaichi will not have an easy job as the head of the Japanese government. Inflation is bad, and her government cannot do anything without the help of other political parties.   (109 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

I missed the fourth game of the National League Championship Series last Friday (Saturday morning Japan time), but I watched the highlights on YouTube later. The Los Angeles Dodgers were playing the Milwaukee Brewers, and Ohtani Shohei was the star of the game! He pitched 6 innings. He got 10 strikeouts and didn’t give up a hit. At the same time, his batting was unbelievable! He got 3 home runs in the game and won the series for his team. The Dodgers are the National League champions now, and they will go on to the World Series. Which team will they play, the Seattle Mariners or the Toronto Blue Jays? We will find out after their seventh game later today!   (120 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

A long time ago, Japan had a housing problem. There were not enough houses for everyone because the population was growing fast. Now, Japan has a different housing problem. The population is getting smaller, and there are many vacant houses around the country. It can be difficult to sell these houses, but I found a website in English with information about buying them. The name of the company is Koryoya, and it has information about three kinds of houses. The “akiya” (vacant houses) are the cheapest. The “machiya” are townhouses in old post towns and port towns. The “kominkan” are traditional large houses in the countryside. I hope that people will buy these beautiful houses so that we can continue to see them when we travel around Japan.    (128 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

This is a story about my visit to my grandparents’ house with my younger sister. She was still in elementary school. Every time we went there, we went for a walk with my grandfather. Once, grandfather said, “When we get home, you can eat fresh persimmons. This morning, Karasu brought them for us.” People of his generation often referred to relatives by the name of the place they lived in, and he meant my uncle in Karasu Town in Mie Prefecture. However, my sister thought he meant a crow, which is “karasu” in Japanese, and asked seriously, “But… how?” My grandfather, unaware of her confusion, was a little puzzled. He replied, “By car, of course!” Since then, I think of them with a smile whenever I eat persimmons.   (128 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

Snoopy is one of the best-loved cartoon characters in the world. He first appeared in the Peanuts comic strip on October 4, 1950, so this is his 75th anniversary. He is a beagle with a great imagination. He wants to be a writer, and he imagines himself as a war pilot. But he is a dog, and he loves to eat and take naps on top of his doghouse. Snoopy belongs to Charlie Brown, the main character in Peanuts. Charlie Brown is an 8-year-old boy who is a “lovable loser.” He has a lot of unique friends like bossy Lucy and musical Schroeder. Peanuts is one of the most popular comic strips in the world. I think that’s because everybody can see something of themselves in the characters.   (128 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

There is a house without windows in my neighborhood. It is a two-story house, and it was built about a year ago. I know that people are using the house because I have seen a man and a woman go in and out. They park their car in front of the house. Why did they build a house with no windows? I’m not sure, but I think they want privacy and quiet. If the house doesn’t have any windows, the neighbors can’t look inside. It’s also quieter than other houses because the walls stop the noise from the street. Is the house dark inside? It’s probably dark on the first floor, but they may have skylights in the ceiling on the second floor. (123 words) You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com