The Last Day - Prologue [ENDED] [Edit: Solutions posted]

Hey there.
I did something different this time, inspired by a certain someone ;)
I tried to give a bit of context to a short puzzle I thought, when it had none to begin with.
Just to say that you don’t have to read too much into the story. Actually, if you don’t want to read at all, you can totally skip the story. There are no essential hints in it. Even the binary code at the end (don’t be scared, you can’t see it before solving the puzzle) has no relevance to the puzzle itself, it's there just to add some flavour and maybe put the base for a sequel (but don't expect one, I haven't really thought about that yet). Btw I advise you to translate it after reaching "the end". If you're curious, that is.

The whole puzzle text is in the picture you'll see in the 1st ITH page:
you have an assignment, a target, leads to follow and a ITH code.
You can start HERE.

The puzzle will last until April 18th at 8pm CET.

I'll add further hints based on the number of solvers.
I'll post the solution at the end.
By solving it, you get access to a short train with:
Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts (ROW key), F1 2020 (ROW key), Shenmue III, Main Assembly (ROW key), Remothered: Broken Porcelain, Aven Colony (ROW key), SIMULACRA, Colt Canyon, Skully, Popup Dungeon (ROW key), Outer Wilds, The Room 4: Old Sins
ROW keys: for region restrictions refer to this thread.

Edit:

HINTS (I listed here all the ones I gave in the replies)

• I repeat, cause it seems it wasn't clear enough to one of the solvers: the story is totally optional, don't search for hints there. I could have posted just the picture if I wanted, without story at all.
• The ITH questions aren't needed for a reason: you don't have to answer them.
  (Don't be fooled by the ITH page; solvers listed there have input the right answers after solving the puzzle, not before!)
• Who's the target? How'd you stalk someone from here? What those leads refer to? The ITH link is the last problem.
• The one about the name of a common pet is the one that should give away who's the target. Name and nationality are there just to confirm it, once you get there.
• "Near Tokyo, another kind of skyline." = "From Japan, a skyline, but not a city skyline.".
• If you think a lead match is vague, it's probably the wrong one. They're kinda specific in my opinion.(i.e. Trouble ahead).
  After the QoL update, there's no more room for interpretation, if you understand where to look.
• For those still going the hard way: once you are 100% sure of one lead, stop for a moment, go back in the only other place where you can see some of them and maybe something will click with you. That may help you speed things up with the other 7.
• For those still going the hard way: 189 is a big number, why not just 8.
• If you cannot still see the easy way: you can verify your choices here: verification tool (ITH).
• Have you ever created a ITH puzzle? It might help you with the /SOLUTION.
• There's more than a way you can read SOLUTION in that picture.

They're quite enough for now. I may be add more in the next days if almost everyone is still stuck.
Hints updated. (My "no hints" proposition never lasts)

>>>>> SOLUTIONS <<<<<