[April 2026] Current Affairs Quiz Compilation: A collection of news questions useful for interviews and entrance exams

steel pipe

In March 2026, a problem occurred in Osaka City where a steel pipe protruded from the roadway. The pipe reportedly rose as much as 13 meters above the ground. Its role was to connect a newly installed stormwater storage pipe beneath an existing sewer line. It is believed that during underground construction the pipe was somehow pushed up to the surface, and the surrounding area experienced impacts such as temporary traffic restrictions for safety checks.

The Bank of Nagoya

The Bank of Nagoya is expected to become a wholly owned subsidiary of Shizuoka Financial Group. This will create a regional banking group that ranks fourth in total assets. In addition, Ichiro Fujiwara, President of the Bank of Nagoya, has stated his intention to keep the name “Bank of Nagoya” as is.

Environmental Performance Surtax

The environmental performance levy, which is charged based on fuel efficiency when purchasing a car, will be abolished at the end of March 2026. This will simplify the tax system for vehicle purchases and reduce the tax burden.

Traffic Violation Notice

As of April 1, 2026, blue tickets—traffic violation notices that impose fines, just like for motor vehicle drivers—are now being applied to serious bicycle traffic violations such as running red lights, riding against traffic, and operating a bicycle while holding a smartphone or wearing earphones. The term “blue ticket” refers to a traffic violation notice.

First championship in four years

At the 2026 Spring National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament, Osaka Toin won the championship. It was their fifth title and their first in four years.

deer

Wild deer were spotted in residential areas of Osaka City and around the Yodo River, making the news. One theory that gained attention claimed the deer had traveled from Nara Park to Osaka. The deer were later captured by the Osaka Prefectural Police and are now being cared for at Nose Onsen.

Sora

In March 2026, OpenAI announced that it would discontinue the service for Sora, its video-generation AI. As a tool capable of generating high-quality, complex videos from prompts, it made major headlines around the world. It has been reported that Sora is being phased out to focus on developing Spud, the new model of ChatGPT.