Society

Japan to issue new Y500 coins in November after pandemic delay

Apr 28 (Japan Times) - Japan will begin issuing newly redesigned Y500 coins from around November, the Finance Ministry said Tuesday, after their initial release in the first half of the fiscal year from April was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The new Y500 coins, minted in two colors to prevent counterfeiting, are the first redesign since 2000.

The ministry in January postponed issuance of the new coins due to delayed updates to ticket and automated teller machines amid the pandemic.

While the ministry plans to mint around 200 million of the new coins in fiscal 2021, the approximately 5 billion coins currently in circulation will still be usable.

Source: ANNnewsCH

Father Admits Killing and Body Abandonment in Kyoto

Police investigating the death of an 11-year-old boy whose body was found in a forest in Kyoto Prefecture believe his father moved the remains between several locations over a number of days in an apparent attempt to conceal the crime.

Strong Typhoon Raises High Surf Risk for Pacific Areas of Japan This Weekend

A large and powerful Typhoon No. 4, internationally named Sinlaku, was located near the Mariana Islands and moving north-northeast as of the latest update. The storm is expected to gradually shift its course eastward and pass southeast of the Ogasawara Islands around April 18, before making its closest approach around April 19.

Japan to Release 50 Million Stockpiled Medical Gloves

Japan will release around 50 million stockpiled medical gloves from next month as concerns grow over shortages of medical supplies linked to tensions in the Middle East, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said.

Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route Fully Reopens

The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route connecting Toyama and Nagano fully reopened on April 15th, marking the start of the spring tourism season along one of Japan’s most celebrated mountain routes.

Typhoon No. 4 Slowly Weakens, Ogasawara Islands Expects Rough Seas

A large and extremely strong Typhoon No. 4 (Sinlaku) was tracking north-northwest near the Mariana Islands as of April 15, with forecasters warning of high waves exceeding 4 meters around the Ogasawara Islands later this week despite a low likelihood of a direct approach to Japan.

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