Society

Sharp switches face mask sale to lottery as demand surge blocks site

Apr 24 (Kyodo) - Sharp Corp. said Thursday it will switch its online sale of face masks from a first-come, first-served basis to a lottery after a surge in access to its e-commerce website amid the new coronavirus crisis.

After launching sales of the face masks Tuesday, the household appliance maker received far more hits than expected and had to suspend the website, with no one actually being able to purchase the item.

Its internet of things services involving remote control of household appliances such as air conditioners and refrigerators were also disrupted because it used the same system as the e-commerce website.

Under the new lottery system, the Osaka-based manufacturer said it will first take orders for the face masks from midnight Sunday to 11:59 p.m. Monday on its website. It will hold a lottery the following day and notify the winners through email by Wednesday.

For the first round of the lottery, Sharp has prepared 30,000 boxes of face masks, each containing 50 masks. They will be sold at 3,278 yen ($30) a box with 660 yen charged for shipping. Purchases will be restricted to one box at a time.

What Is Sanaenomics?

The economic policy bannered by Prime Minister Takaichi as “Sanaenomics” is beginning to take shape, with expectations centering on lower gasoline prices and the restart of electricity and gas subsidies even as critics say the program’s substance remains unclear and insufficiently developed; framed as a successor to Abenomics with greater emphasis on growth strategy, the plan raises questions about what will change in people’s daily lives and how the administration intends to run policy behind the scenes.

Crimes by U.S. Military Personnel Hit Record High in Okinawa

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Japan to Tighten Visa Rules on Foreigners Behind on Health Insurance

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New Typhoon is Forming, Okinawa Could Be Affected Next Week

As of November 4th, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced that a tropical depression near the Caroline Islands is expected to develop into a typhoon within the next 24 hours. The system is separate from Typhoon No. 25 (Haiyan) currently near the Philippines and is projected to move northwestward once it intensifies.

Akita Woman Becomes 13th Bear Victim

Japan’s record-breaking bear crisis has entered a new and deadly phase, with authorities confirming that a 79-year-old woman missing in Akita Prefecture was found dead in the mountains, believed to be the 13th fatality from bear attacks this year.

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