News On Japan

Japan producer prices rise for 2nd straight month

May 17 (NHK) - Japan's producer prices have risen for a second straight month, echoing what's been happening worldwide as economies reopen from the pandemic and crude oil prices climb.

The Bank of Japan said in its preliminary report that the producer price index was up 3.6 percent last month from a year earlier. That is the biggest spike since September 2014.

Higher crude prices pushed up petroleum, coal and chemical products. That suggests there is optimism for an economic recovery as the coronavirus vaccine programs progress.

Rising automobile production also boosted the prices of iron, steel and non-ferrous metals.

Bank of Japan officials say external demand is driving up prices, but the outlook for oil and other products remain highly uncertain because of the surge of infections in India and elsewhere.

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Cough medicine shortages have been ongoing for over a year in Japan, creating significant challenges for both patients and healthcare providers. Hospitals and pharmacies report dwindling stocks, with some relying on alternative solutions like medicated patches.

A renowned Japanese photographer based in New York, Yasuomi Hashimura, known for his groundbreaking contributions to American advertising photography, died after being pushed on the street by a man.

A wake for Princess Yuriko of Mikasa was held at her residence within the Akasaka Estate, attended by members of the Imperial family, including Princess Aiko, the eldest daughter of the Emperor and Empress.

A suspicious object feared to be explosive was discovered at a high school in Sapporo on the afternoon of November 22nd, causing temporary chaos. The object was found to have been brought to the school by one of its students.

China says it will resume allowing visa-free visits by Japanese nationals on short-term trips from the end of this month. (NHK)

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Society NEWS

Touchless harassment, a form of obscene behavior that does not involve physical contact, is drawing increasing attention in Japan. Last month, Kyoto Prefectural Police arrested a man for persistently sniffing a girl's hair.

The 'Itami Madan' festival promoting multicultural harmony across national boundaries was held on Saturday in Itami, Hyogo Prefecture, featuring the 'janggu,' a traditional Korean drum.

A suspicious object feared to be explosive was discovered at a high school in Sapporo on the afternoon of November 22nd, causing temporary chaos. The object was found to have been brought to the school by one of its students.

A man with a distinctive snake-like tattoo on his face has been arrested for shoplifting and assaulting a convenience store employee in Tokyo. The suspect, identified as 49-year-old Masakatsu Echizenya, is accused of stealing items from a store around noon on November 15th and violently attacking the employee who confronted him.

Hifumi Kato, affectionately known as 'Hifumin,' has been officially recognized by Guinness World Records for the longest-running chess puzzle column in a magazine.

A male caretaker at Tennoji Zoo in Osaka has been sent to prosecutors on suspicion of stealing vegetables and fruits used as monkey feed.

Japan is facing a deepening crisis of poverty and inequality, with rising reports of 'invisible homeless' individuals and growing economic hardships among the population. Discussions over reforms to the country's tax and welfare systems have taken center stage, as policymakers grapple with how to provide meaningful support.

The operator of a strip theater in Osaka's Tenma district, advertised as "Western Japan's largest," has been arrested alongside nine others for exposing dancers' lower bodies to customers, police announced.