Society

Light at the end of the tunnel? Large Japanese firms' confidence on the rise

Dec 11 (Japan Times) - Business sentiment among large companies in the October-December period rose for the second straight quarter, remaining positive after a plunge earlier this year due to the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, a government survey showed Thursday.

The confidence index covering firms capitalized at Â¥1 billion or more stood at plus 11.6 in the fourth quarter of 2020, up from plus 2.0 in the July-September period, according to the joint survey by the Finance Ministry and Cabinet Office.

The latest figure hit the third-highest level since comparable data became available from the April-June quarter of 2004.

The reading has been recovering from minus 47.6 in the April-June this year, the lowest since minus 51.3 in the first quarter of 2009 in the wake of the global financial crisis.

The index is calculated by subtracting the percentage of firms reporting worsening conditions from those observing improvements.

The survey results reflected the gradual resumption of economic activity in the country following the complete lifting in late May of a state of emergency declaration. Under the declaration, which began in April, people were asked to stay home and nonessential businesses were asked to suspend operations.

By sector, the index for manufacturers came to plus 21.6, up from plus 0.1 in the previous quarter to hit a record high. The index for nonmanufacturers stood at plus 6.7, up from plus 2.9.

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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