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Political situation in Japan
Voices are raised for female succession to the throne in Japan

Japan still has a male line of succession, and currently the emperor's 19-year-old nephew, Prince Hisahito, is expected to inherit the throne. But many in Japan believe that the immensely popular Princess Aiko should become empress, reports Ekot.

- Aiko is absolutely outstanding. I think the Japanese people are eagerly waiting for her to become empress, says 66-year-old Shigeki Kawasaki.

According to opinion polls, a majority of Japanese are in favor of a change in the law, not only because Princess Aiko is popular, but also because otherwise the Japanese imperial house risks dying out.

But in conservative Japan there are also voices that oppose the change. Among others, the country's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, recently said that she is against a change in the law that would allow Princess Aiko to be crowned empress.

French citizen executed in China – sentenced in 2010

China has executed a French citizen who was sentenced to death for drug trafficking in 2010, the French Foreign Ministry said, according to AFP.

The 62-year-old Chan Thao Phoumy, who was born in Laos, was executed “despite the efforts made by the French authorities to obtain a decision to pardon our compatriot on humanitarian grounds,” the ministry said in a statement.

His defense was also not allowed to attend the latest court hearing, which the Foreign Ministry said was a violation of his rights.

The ministry also said that France opposes the death penalty in all countries and under all circumstances.

Italian town buys Mussolini’s summer home

The Italian town of Riccione has bought the villa where the country’s former dictator Benito Mussolini spent his summers, The Guardian reports.

According to the mayor, Daniela Angelini, the reason is to keep the villa out of the hands of “fascist nostalgics.”

The city bought the villa at auction, where their main competitor was a private individual who was a former member of the neo-fascist Movimento sociale italiano party, founded by supporters of Mussolini.

There has also been an ongoing debate about whether the building should continue to be called “Villa Mussolini”. Far-right voices argue that the house should never be renamed. Some of Angelini’s political allies have pressured her to change it. Angelini intends to keep the name as it is, and to continue using the building to display exhibitions on the history of the area.

Explosion at pro-Israel center in the Netherlands

An explosion occurred late Friday night at a pro-Israel Christian center in the Dutch city of Nijkerk, Trouw reports. No one was injured, but the building suffered minor material damage.

Police said in a statement that a person dressed in black placed the explosive device outside the gates of the center. No one has been arrested.

The organization Christians for Israel, which runs the center, says the incident is part of a disturbing pattern of attacks on Jewish and pro-Israel targets in the Netherlands and Belgium.

“The damage was limited, but the impact is significant,” the group wrote on social media.