Asia

Japan retailer Nojima invests on longevity

Editorial Bureau August 3, 2020

FUJISAWA (JAPAN) – Tadashi Sato, 72, is trying to define a work culture in a country with a fast-ageing and shrinking population, at Japanese electronics retailer Nojima’s sales outlet in Fujisawa, south of Tokyo, Nojima made it official last month to let its workers remain until

Sport

Organisers voice the need for tight COVID-19 measures in Tokyo Paralympics

Editorial Bureau August 3, 2020

TOKYO (JAPAN) – The Tokyo Paralympics may require specific COVID-19 measures to safeguard athletes as they move between venues, according to organisers on Monday. The 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics have been postponed to next year because of the pandemic. Paralympics organisers said on Monday that the schedule would not have much changes for next […]

Asia

292 new coronavirus cases confirmed in Tokyo

Ren Leen August 2, 2020

TOKYO (JAPAN) – Tokyo confirmed 292 new coronavirus infections on Sunday. Cases increased by more than 400 in the past two days, public broadcaster NHK said. Governor Koike Yuriko said on Friday a state of emergency could be declared if the coronavirus situation in the Japanese capital becomes further worse. (Photos syndicated via Reuters)This story […]

Asia

Japan’s daily infections cross 1,000 amid campaign to boost domestic tourism

Editorial Bureau July 30, 2020

TOKYO (JAPAN) – After the number of daily infections crossed 1,000 for the first time, the country is bracing for a surge in the number of cases. This comes a week after a national campaign was kickstarted to boost domestic travel. On Wednesday, there were as many as 1,264 new cases, according to the NHK. […]

Tech

Lawmakers of Japan ruling party seek restrictions on TikTok citing security threat

Editorial Bureau July 29, 2020

TOKYO (JAPAN) – Ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers are seeking steps to curb the use of Chinese app TikTok. This comes amid concerns that user data may be mined by Beijing authorities, said public broadcaster NHK. Ex-economy minister Akira Amari led a group of lawmakers who took the decision on Tuesday and they plan to […]

Asia

South Korean statue that appears to show Abe bowing to ‘comfort woman’ irks Japan

Editorial Bureau July 28, 2020

PYEONGCHANG/TOKYO (SOUTH KOREA/JAPAN) – A statue depicting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe kneeling and bowing to a seated “comfort woman” in South Korea has infuriated Tokyo, which reacted angrily on Tuesday. “Comfort woman” is a euphemism for women forced into prostitution in Japan’s wartime brothels. If the reports of the statue on

Asia

Japan government continues supplying ‘Abenomask’, despite social media protests

Ren Leen July 28, 2020

TOKYO (JAPAN) – Japan’s government is pushing ahead with the distribution of masks, which have been criticised widely, despite having commercially made masks in the market. This has further lead to protests on social media. Tagged as the “Abenomask”, meaning Abe’s mask, it is a pun on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s “Abenomics”

Asia

Japan’s Fujifilm gets 265 m US contract to enhance production of COVID-19 vaccine

Editorial Bureau July 28, 2020

TOKYO (JAPAN) – US President Donald Trump said that Japan’s Fujifilm Holdings Corp’s facility in Texas, USA, has been awarded a contract worth $265 million (206.15 million pounds) to enhance production of a coronavirus vaccine candidate. He made the announcement on Monday while touring a Fujifilm facility in North Carolina. This widens the ambit of […]

Asia

Japan govt tells business firms to encourage more telecommuting

Editorial Bureau July 27, 2020

TOKYO (JAPAN) – The government will urge businesses to aim for 70% telecommuting and enhance other social distancing norms in the wake of a spurt in coronavirus cases among workers, said the economy minister. Though the country has generally avoided mass infections that killed thousands in other nations, a record spike in cases in the […]

Asia

Japan, UK vow to safeguard encryption keys in trade agreement: Nikkei

Editorial Bureau July 25, 2020

TOKYO (JAPAN) – As part of discussions aimed at striking a bilateral trade agreement, Japan and Britain have agreed not to force their firms to reveal algorithms or set up local data servers, said the Nikkei on Saturday. The new deal would pave the way for creating an global framework to protect intellectual property and […]