Society

JAL executives to take 10 percent pay cut as coronavirus weighs on business

Apr 03 (Japan Times) - Japan Airlines Co. executives will voluntarily take a 10 percent cut in monthly remuneration from April to June as a cost-cutting measure after the global coronavirus pandemic forced it to sharply reduce flights, a source close to the matter said Thursday.

For the summer flight schedule starting March 29, JAL will see over 80 percent of international flights reduced through the end of April compared to its initial plan as governments across the world restrict entry to curb the spread of the pneumonia-causing virus.

JAL has also cut domestic flights as the spread of the virus has led to the postponement of sports events, the closure of cultural and leisure facilities, and the cancellation of business and leisure trips, slashing demand.

â€œThe airline industry is facing an unprecedented crisis,â€ JAL President Yuji Akasaka said in his address to newly recruited employees Wednesday. April 1 is the start of the business year in Japan.

Domestic rival All Nippon Airways Co. has decided to have 6,400 of its cabin attendants take several days of leave starting in April due to flight cancellations since the virus first broke out in China late last year.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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