News On Japan

Tokyo falls to 9th most expensive city for expats amid weak yen

Jul 17, 2022 (Kyodo) - Tokyo has tumbled to the ninth-most expensive city for people working abroad in 2022 from third a year earlier, partly due to the weakening of the yen against the U.S. dollar and other major currencies, according to an annual cost of living survey by a U.S. consulting firm.

The Mercer's Cost of Living Survey comes as the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, now in its third year, the consequences of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, varying exchange rates, and surging prices put a squeeze on pay and savings across the world.

Hong Kong topped the list of the priciest cities in the world, a return to pole position after ceding it to Turkmenistan's capital Ashgabat in 2021.

Asian cities occupied four of the top 10, with Singapore, Tokyo and Beijing accounting for places eight through 10. ...continue reading

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Japan's tourism industry is undergoing a major shift one year after China urged its citizens to avoid traveling to Japan, with Chinese visitor numbers falling sharply and businesses in Osaka struggling to recover lost revenue, while Kyoto has successfully attracted more Western tourists through a strategy aimed at reducing its dependence on the Chinese market.

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A shrine in Gunma Prefecture has used a high-pressure cleaning drone to wash Japan's largest statue of Daikoku, cutting a maintenance job that previously took two to three weeks to just one day while reducing costs to around one-tenth of the conventional method.

The resignation of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on November 12 following allegations involving a woman suspected of links to Chinese intelligence has raised concerns in Japan over the potential impact on semiconductor investment, financial markets and the yen, as uncertainty surrounding the American AI chipmaker threatens to disrupt the global technology industry.

Japan launched a new national disaster management agency on November 2nd to strengthen its response to major emergencies, just days before a powerful earthquake struck Aichi Prefecture, injuring 24 people and renewing concerns over the possibility of a catastrophic Nankai Trough earthquake.

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