Society

ANA to cut international flights in summer by 50%

Jan 25 (NHK) - Airlines that were hoping to turn the corner this year after a rough 2020 may be in for a rude awakening. Major Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways is planning to slash international flights during the summer by 50 percent.

The company will apply the reduction from March 28 through October 30.

ANA will halt flights on 16 international routes, including from Narita to New York, and put the brakes on starting service from Haneda Airport to Istanbul and Stockholm.

Pilots will fly smaller planes on the international routes it is keeping to reduce total seating by half.

The airline has already suspended or cut international flights by about 80 percent.

ANA could make further reductions if the pandemic continues to restrict travel.

Typhoon No. 22 (Halong) Pounds Izu Islands Triggering Emergency Alerts

A special heavy rain warning was issued for Hachijo Town on October 9 as Typhoon No. 22, classified as a very strong system, brought record-breaking rainfall and violent winds to the Izu Islands. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has also issued special warnings for storm-force winds and high waves across the region, urging residents to remain on maximum alert. Footage captured shortly before 6:30 a.m. by a camera installed in Hachijo Town showed a utility pole tilting and eventually collapsing under the severe conditions. Authorities said a linear rainband has been repeatedly forming over the area since early morning.

Typhoon No. 23 (Nakri) Approaching South of Japan Over Holiday Weekend

As of 9 a.m. on October 9, Typhoon No. 23 (Nakri) was moving quickly northwest over waters south of Japan and is expected to influence weather conditions over the upcoming three-day holiday weekend. The typhoon is forecast to strengthen slightly as it approaches the Okinawa and Amami regions between October 10 and 11. Afterward, it is expected to curve northward, moving off the coast of Kyushu on October 12 and reaching waters south of Japan’s main islands by October 13.

Japanese Teachers Still Work World’s Longest Hours

Elementary and junior high school teachers in Japan still work the longest hours among their peers worldwide, according to an OECD report released on Tuesday. While the 2024 results by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development showed working hours had fallen by around four hours per week compared with the previous survey in 2018, Japan’s teachers still far exceeded their global counterparts.

Beer Shortages Hit Japan's Izakayas

Beer deliveries from Asahi Group Holdings have been disrupted following a ransomware cyberattack, causing shortages that have already begun to affect izakaya and other establishments across Japan. Some bars have reported their beer stock falling to “only one left” as supply chain delays ripple through the industry.

Magnitude 4.9 Quake Off Fukushima, No Tsunami Warning Issued

A magnitude 4.9 earthquake occurred off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture around 9:30 a.m. on October 7th, registering a maximum intensity of 4 on the Japanese seismic scale. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, there is no risk of a tsunami caused by this tremor.

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