News On Japan

Health ministry to approve online sales of antigen coronavirus test kits

Aug 18, 2022 (NHK) - Japan's health ministry has decided to approve online sales of antigen coronavirus test kits if they meet certain conditions such as their accuracy is on a par with government-approved products.

Sales of the products at pharmacies have been allowed since late last year, as a special measure, on the conditions that pharmacists explain how to use them to buyers.

Experts have advocated that a system should be put in place so that people would always be able to acquire affordable kits.

They say this is because the need for proof of a negative virus test result is expected to increase, if economic and social activities pick up.

They also noted that the latest surge of COVID-19 infections in Japan has flooded medical institutions with patients and made it difficult for people to get tested. ...continue reading

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Typhoon No. 7 (Mekkhala) had rapidly strengthened into a strong typhoon over waters east of the Philippines by 6 p.m. on June 21, with a central pressure of 975 hectopascals and maximum sustained winds near its center of 35 meters per second, raising the risk of a direct impact on Okinawa later this week depending on its track and intensity. The typhoon is forecast to move north-northwest through Tuesday, June 23. Around that time, it is expected to reach its peak intensity, with a central pressure near 955 hectopascals and maximum sustained winds of about 40 meters per second.

Japan delivered their strongest performance of the World Cup so far with a 4-0 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey on June 21, moving to four points in Group F and putting themselves in a strong position to reach the knockout stage ahead of their final group match against Sweden.

Mosquitoes are appearing earlier than usual this year, raising fears of a major summer outbreak as experts warn that warm May weather and repeated light rain have created ideal breeding conditions across residential areas.

Bear attacks and sightings are increasing across Japan, with multiple people injured on June 17 and experts warning that bears are becoming more accustomed to human environments, potentially leading to more dangerous and unpredictable encounters in the years ahead.

JR Central and JR West on June 17 announced pricing and service details for the new private-room seating that will be introduced on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen from October, creating a new top-tier class above the existing Green Car service.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Politics NEWS

Centrist Reform Alliance leader Ogawa has secured agreement from the leaders of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito to establish a consultative body to discuss a possible merger of the three parties.

A bill to revise the national referendum law, which sets procedures for constitutional amendments, was approved by the House of Representatives plenary session and is expected to enter deliberation at the House of Councillors Commission on the Constitution on June 24.

A draft of the joint statement from the G7 summit in France has revealed that all proposals put forward by Prime Minister Takaichi on energy security and critical minerals have been incorporated into the agreement.

Powerful gathering at the G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains as President Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, Friedrich Merz, Giorgia Meloni, Sanae Takaichi, Mark Carney, Ursula von der Leyen, Antonio Costa, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Abdel Fattah al-Sisi attend a high-level working lunch.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced new agreements on supply chain resilience and space cooperation following a summit meeting in Italy on June 15th, as the two countries pledged closer coordination on economic security and international affairs ahead of the G7 Summit.

The Japanese government has approved its first basic plan outlining concrete measures to promote public understanding of LGBT people and other sexual minorities, based on the LGBT Understanding Promotion Law that came into effect in 2023.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has partially revised a bill that would create a new offense for desecrating the national flag, removing provisions that would have punished the posting of such acts on social media.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi arrived in Italy early on June 15 Japan time, beginning the second leg of her European tour after concluding diplomatic meetings in the United Kingdom, where she reached agreements with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on strengthening cooperation in economic security, energy, advanced technologies and defense.