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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.

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Tokyo’s seas and rivers, once considered lawless backwaters beyond the reach of regular policing, are now under constant watch by a dedicated force known as the “water police,” specialists who patrol the capital’s waterways, chase down smugglers, stop reckless jet ski riders, and carry out dramatic rescue missions to save lives.

Kyoto’s world-famous Arashiyama district, a popular destination for both domestic and international tourists, is facing a growing problem of graffiti etched into the bamboo along its iconic “Bamboo Grove Path,” with more than 350 stalks now damaged — a practice that experts warn could eventually cause bamboo to weaken, fall, and even injure visitors.

Japan’s streaming industry is under growing pressure as foreign giants tighten their grip on the domestic market, with Netflix’s latest move to secure exclusive broadcast rights in Japan for every game of the World Baseball Classic next March highlighting the widening gap.

Investigators from the Immigration Services Agency conducted on-site inspections in Osaka on October 14th amid a surge in so-called 'paper companies' created by foreign nationals seeking residency.

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