Asia

Air force pilots in Japan fly over Tokyo in tribute to medical workers

Jim Stein May 29, 2020

TOKYO (Asia) – The Japanese air force’s aerobatic demonstration squadron, Blue Impulse, flew over central Tokyo on Friday in a salute to medical workers on the frontline against the coronavirus pandemic. As a team of six T-4 training jets streaked across a clear blue sky shortly

Asia

Consumer mood in Japan higher in May; still ‘extremely severe’

Jim Stein May 29, 2020

TOKYO (Business) – Consumer confidence index in Japan tipped slightly higher in May, still remaining at a record low owing to the heavy economic toll that the coronavirus pandemic placed. The survey’s sentiment index for general households includes views on incomes and jobs and had risen to 24.0 in May from April’s 21.6, a record […]

Asia

Japan’s view on exports, employment appears weak due to pandemic

Jim Stein May 28, 2020

TOKYO (Asia) – Japan’s government gave a bleaker view on exports in a monthly report in May as the world’s third-largest economy grapples with the fallout of the global coronavirus pandemic. While it left its overall assessment that the economy is in an “extremely severe situation” unchanged, the government also lowered its view on the […]

Asia

Japan medical group: Masks too dangerous for those aged under two

Jim Stein May 26, 2020

TOKYO (Asia) – Children under the age of two shouldn’t wear masks because they can make breathing difficult and increase the risk of choking, a Japan medical group said, launching an urgent appeal to parents as the country reopens from the coronavirus crisis. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted a state of emergency for Tokyo and […]

Asia

State of emergency lifted in Tokyo, eyes fresh stimulus

Nia N May 25, 2020

TOKYO (Asia) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted a state of emergency for Tokyo and four remaining areas on Monday after the number of infections fell across the country, but warned that it could be reimposed if the virus started spreading again. The move meant that the whole country would now have the social […]

Asia

Small Japan clinics struggle to survive as coronavirus patients stay home

Jim Stein May 25, 2020

TOKYO (Asia) – As Japan eases coronavirus curbs following its first wave of cases, many small medical clinics are scrambling to stay afloat and the doctors who run them are calling for government support as patients keep away for fear of infection. Such clinics are the backbone of a healthcare system short of doctors to […]

Business

Uniqlo use underwear fabric to create facemasks

Nia N May 25, 2020

TOKYO (Business) – Japan’s Uniqlo, owned by Fast Retailing, plans to sell face masks using its Airism underwear line fabric to meet the ever-growing demand for protective gear amid coronavirus. Uniqlo was until now wary of making face masks. The change of mind came after receiving requests from several customers to make them. Pricing and […]

Finance

SoftBank to sell $3.1 billion worth of Japan telco unit stake

Nia N May 21, 2020

TOKYO (Finance) – SoftBank Group Corp said it plans to sell 5% of its domestic telco SoftBank Corp, currently worth $3.1 billion, as part of a programme to raise $41 billion through asset sales. The sale of 240 million shares for a yet to be determined price and set to close on May 26 will […]

Asia

Japan’s Abe wants to build ventilators that hospitals probably don’t need

Nia N May 21, 2020

TOKYO (Asia) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged to build 2,000 new ventilators for coronavirus patients that even the government says hospitals are unlikely to need. Instead, the plan, announced in April, appears to be more about bringing home manufacturing of equipment seen as key to the country’s national security, a long-held focus […]

Finance

With negative rates rise expected, policies in Japan, Europe get subtle tweaks

Jim Stein May 19, 2020

TOKYO/FRANKFURT/WASHINGTON (Finance) – After years of applying plenty of stick to commercial lenders unhappy with negative interest rate policies, central bankers in the eurozone and Japan are experimenting with some carrot, too. With the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the global economy, the European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan have started paying banks to