Society

ANA to halt international flights on 16 routes

Jan 26 (NHK) - The major Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways says it will suspend services on 16 international routes from late March, as demand falls amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

ANA said on Tuesday that the services to be halted in its new schedule from March 28 through October 30 include those from Narita Airport near Tokyo to New York, as well as to San Francisco.

ANA said it would also reduce the number of flights between Tokyo's Haneda Airport and Los Angeles, Sydney, and Bangkok.

The scale of operations for the period is likely to be about half of last year's initial plan. ANA has now cut about 80 percent of the international flights that had initially been planned.

The company says it will maintain a flexible approach to its operations, while keeping close tabs on demand and the coronavirus situation.

Takaichi Becomes Japan’s First Female Prime Minister

A new chapter opened in Japan’s political history on October 21st as Sanae Takaichi was elected the nation’s first female prime minister. Following her appointment by the Diet, Takaichi declared that her new cabinet would be one of “decision and progress,” pledging to move swiftly on policies from the very first day.

Hokkaido Launches Mass Culling After Bird Flu Detected

Authorities in Shiraoi, Hokkaido, have begun culling approximately 460,000 laying hens after a poultry farm in the region’s Iburi area confirmed infections of highly pathogenic avian influenza, marking the first confirmed outbreak of the season in Japan.

Tourist Graffiti Threatens Kyoto’s Iconic Bamboo Forest

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.

Japanese Streaming Services Struggle Against Netflix

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.

Japan Tightens Rules on Foreign Business Visas

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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