Japan

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on January 20 that Japan may explore lowering COVID-19 to a less severe infectious illness and reducing its suggestion that people wear masks in public indoor locations as early as this spring. After meeting with relevant ministers, Kishida told the media that he had asked them to study the particular parameters for reclassifying COVID-19 into …

Melvin Jerusalem opened the boxing season for the Philippines by winning the WBO global minimumweight championship on January 6 in Osaka, Japan. Better and wiser than when he first fought for a world title six years ago, Jerusalem stopped Japanese champion Masataka Taniguchi with a vicious straight right to the face in the second round at the Edion Arena. Taniguchi …

On Friday, January 6, the operator of McDonald’s restaurants in Japan announced its third price raise in less than a year. This is the latest indicator of compounding inflationary pressures on the customers of the nation’s McDonald’s restaurants. McDonald’s Holding Company Japan announced on January 16 that it would raise prices on around 80 percent of its menu, citing currency …

Last year, the Japanese economy encountered a number of obstacles, including a record decline in the value of the yen versus the U.S. dollar and decades-high inflation. However, efforts were also made to recommence economic activity halted by the COVID-19 epidemic, exemplified by the reopening of borders for the first time in two years. According to economists, the forecast for …

Manny Pacquiao will return to the ring in 2023 for an exhibition match organized by the Japanese mixed martial arts company Rizin Fighting Federation, he revealed in Japan on the eve of the new year, Saturday, December 31. During an in-ring appearance at the Rizin 40 event in Saitama Super Arena, the eight-division Filipino champion made the announcement. Pacquiao, who …

The Hong Kong government has requested that Japan remove a COVID-19 limitation requiring passenger flights from the financial hub to land at only four specified Japanese airports, stating that the decision will affect approximately 60,000 people. Japan, a popular travel destination for Hong Kong residents, announced on Friday, December 30, that it will restrict flights from Hong Kong, Macau, and …

On Tuesday, December 27, Japanese Reconstruction Minister Kenya Akiba submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. He is the fourth minister to depart the government that Kishida constituted in August. In rapid succession, three other ministers have resigned as a result of scandals, some of which include money and relations with the Unification Church. The close ties that the …

On Friday, December 23, the Department of Health (DOH) revealed the Philippines’ first four cases of Omicron subvariant BF.7, which is responsible for the recent increase in illnesses in China. “As of now, only four instances of BF.7 have been found in the country, and these cases are being recorded under Omicron BA.5” the Department of Health informed reporters through …

The latest picture by James Cameron, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” not only placed second in Japan’s box office, but also caused its cinema projectors to malfunction. In the Avatar sequel, the famed filmmaker utilized High Frame Rate (HFR) technology to create jaw-dropping graphics. Unfortunately, its film projectors were incapable of handling it, resulting in technical difficulties. At the time …

The yen jumped on the government’s report. It might soon revise a joint statement with the Bank of Japan (BOJ) for the latter’s inflation target. On Monday, the yen rose on the news that the Japanese government will revise a joint declaration with the Bank of Japan (BOJ), regarding the inflation target. This could open the door to a change …