Society

Gov't considers new cash handout for needy households

May 26 (Japan Today) - Japan's government is considering another cash handout program of up to 100,000 yen each for needy households to help ease the financial strain of the prolonged coronavirus pandemic, sources close to the matter said Tuesday.

Under the envisaged plan, applicants for the new program of pandemic support would be required to meet conditions such as not possessing deposits and savings in excess of 1 million yen, but those on welfare would be excluded, according to the sources.

The government is considering providing monthly payments of 60,000 yen to single-member households, 80,000 yen to two-person households and 100,000 yen to households composed of three or more people for three months from July, earmarking 50 billion yen from the fiscal 2021 initial budget, the sources said.

The move comes as the government is considering extending its third state of emergency beyond the current end date of May 31 for about three weeks, with a fourth wave of infections triggered by highly contagious variants of the novel coronavirus showing no signs of abating.

Imperial Family Pays Tribute to War Victims

The Emperor, Empress, and their daughter Princess Aiko visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Memorial Hall in Sumida Ward on Thursday afternoon, marking their first visit to the site as Japan observes the 80th year since the end of World War II. They were greeted upon arrival by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and other officials.

First Snow Caps Mount Fuji, 15 Days Earlier Than Last Year

The Kofu Local Meteorological Observatory announced on October 23rd that the season’s first snow had been observed on Mount Fuji, which stands 3,776 meters tall. Around 6 a.m., an official visually confirmed that snow had clearly accumulated near the summit.

Tokyo’s Aging Expressway Reborn After Major Overhaul

After nearly a decade of construction, the newly rebuilt Haneda Line of the Metropolitan Expressway, one of Tokyo’s key arteries linking the city center with Haneda Airport, has been unveiled to the media ahead of its official switch to a new road on October 29th.

New Cabinet Takes On 'Takaichi Color'

The newly launched Takaichi Cabinet moved into full operation on October 22nd, with early personnel decisions revealing a clear conservative tone. Satsuki Katayama was appointed as finance minister and Kimi Onoda as minister in charge of foreign resident policy, underscoring what observers are calling the emergence of a distinct “Takaichi color.”

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.

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