The town of Noto in Ishikawa received millions of yen due to the impact of covid-19. The money was part of a rural revitalization project to help the countryside in the wake of the virus.

According to Yahoo! News Japan, local governments such as Noto’s would decide how to spend the money, such as infection countermeasures or money to help closed businesses.

Noto is known for squid, and around 25 million yen ($228,181) of the funds were set aside for a huge squid monument to entice tourists to visit the area once the pandemic is over.

The pandemic is not over. Some of the country’s most metropolitan areas, including Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, are currently under a state of emergency, with covid-19 cases hitting record numbers.

Source: FNNプライムオンライン