Society

Diet passes second supplementary budget

Jun 13 (NHK) - Japanese lawmakers have passed a second supplementary budget to blunt the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Upper House approved the bill on Friday. The package is worth a record 31.9 trillion yen, or almost 300 billion dollars.

It includes a program to help hard-hit businesses pay their rent, and subsidies to improve benefits for employees affected by the pandemic.

At an Upper House budget committee meeting, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo said, "The government is creating plans to stimulate tourism demand. I hope the large allocation for local subsidies in the second supplementary budget will help regional economies recover."

Abe added that the government is also considering support for the arts and culture sector.

Japan has had more than 17,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection, nearly a third of them in Tokyo. More than 900 people have died.

Ishiba Shigeru elected LDP leader

Ishiba Shigeru has been elected leader of Japan's main ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The former LDP Secretary-General is now virtually assured of becoming the next prime minister. (NHK)

Hakamada Case Ends With Acquittal After 58 Years

The Hakamada case, a decades-long legal struggle, ended with an acquittal for Iwao Hakamada (88), who, along with his sister Hideko, fought for 58 years. Hakamada was suspected of the 1966 murder of a miso company executive’s family.

Japan launches information-gathering satellite on H2A rocket

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New Red Lights for Japan's Police Cars

Japan's National Police Agency is introducing new patrol cars equipped with red lights designed to assist people with hearing impairments, flashing differently depending on whether the vehicle is on an emergency run or a routine patrol.

Over 300 New Geoglyphs Discovered by Yamagata University in Nazca

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