The German parliament has voted to legalize same-sex marriage. It was only added to the parliamentary schedule at the last minute after the Chancellor Angela Merkel changed her position to allow a free vote on the subject. She herself voted against the change but she said she hoped it would lead to more social peace.
Three former executives working for the Japanese power company Tepco have pleaded not guilty in the first criminal trail relating to the Fukushima nuclear disaster 6 years ago. One of the accused, the former Tepco Chairman Masataka Shimizu said the earthquake and tsunami wave that severely damaged the nuclear plant were impossible to predict.