Politics
Japan's low virus mortality rate reflects social manners: Aso
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso said Thursday that Japan's relatively low mortality rate from the new coronavirus reflects the country's higher "level of social manners." "I have received phone calls (from overseas) asking 'Do you have any drug that only you guys have?' My answer is the… Read
Governors discuss balancing economic revival, virus control
Japan's prefectural governors on Thursday came up with joint proposals for how to revive the country's economy while preventing a second wave of infections amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. Measures proposed during the online meeting of the National Governors' Association included a review of how prefectures responded to the outbreak… Read
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Dentsu gets ¥76.9 bil windfall from gov't SME aid scheme
Japanese advertising giant Dentsu Group Inc has received 76.9 billion yen via a government contract to provide back-office services for a scheme to help virus-hit firms, under a framework opposition lawmakers called "opaque". Dentsu received 97% of the 76.9 billion yen awarded via a tender to a company it co-founded… Read
Xi's visit to Japan to take place after Nov: minister
Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Japan, which was postponed from this spring due to the coronavirus outbreak, will take place after November, citing key diplomatic schedules, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Wednesday. On the timing of the visit, Motegi said on a television program, "The G7 summit… Read
S Korea's actions not helpful in resolving export spat, Japan says
South Korea's decision to reopen a World Trade Organization complaint about Japan's tightening of export controls is "not helpful" to the process of resolving the nations' differences, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told his South Korean counterpart on Wednesday. In a 40-minute phone call with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung… Read
Minister denies shady dealings in outsourcing aid program for virus-hit businesses
Industry minister Hiroshi Kajiyama on Tuesday rejected criticism of the government's coronavirus-relief program, amid allegations of shady cash flow related to the recommissioning of the program from an organization to a major advertising agency at lower cost. Service Design Engineering Council in Tokyo won the bid for the government's cash… Read
South Korea to reopen WTO complaint over Japan's export controls
Reigniting a bitter row between key U.S. allies, South Korea on Tuesday said it will reopen a complaint filed with the World Trade Organization over Japan's tightened controls on technology exports to its companies, blaming Tokyo for an alleged lack of commitment in resolving mutual grievances. South Korea had halted… Read
Diet to debate second extra budget for pandemic relief next week
Japan's government will submit to parliament early next week a second extra budget to fund a new $1.1 trillion stimulus package to cushion the economic blow from the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday. With ruling and opposition parties on board for big spending to combat the… Read
Yamato city aims to ban phone use while walking
It is a scene repeated the world over: pedestrians glued to their phones while walking, causing collisions and sometimes accidents. No more, says one Japanese city. Officials in Yamato city in Kanagawa Prefecture on Monday submitted a bill to the city assembly to stop people from using their phones while… Read
Japan's April tax revenues see biggest monthly drop in over a decade
Japan's tax revenue dropped 29.4% in April compared with a year earlier, finance ministry data showed on Monday, posting its biggest monthly year-on-year decline since August 2009, after the payment deadline was pushed back due to COVID-19. Analysts expect further slides over a protracted period as the coronavirus outbreak deals… Read
