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Last Week in Japanese News 08/21/2022-08/27/2022 [1]
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Date: 2022-08-28
Hello, this is RWPOINTWOMAN, and this is Last Week in Japanese News, where I translate articles from the Easy section of the Easy Japanese news reader app. My vocabulary ranges from JLPT N5-1, but it's small; I dropped out of formal study when I dropped JapanesePod101 when it really hit me that there wasn't much N1 content. My grasp of grammar pretty much reaches up to mid-N3 thanks to Nihongoal, a YouTube channel where Rose, who is not a professional teacher, uses the Minna no Nihongo textbook to teach Japanese.
My speaking, kanji, and writing practice are practically nonexistent. My writing practice mostly consisted of written exercises and Japanese poetry I decided to write on my own. I have recently decided to start writing it by hand. I prefer tanka and nagauta to haiku.
My main form of immersion is the Easy Japanese news reader app from Todai, so this doesn't entirely get in the way of doing these segments.
On with the show!
August 21, 2022:
Apple USA: "Security flaw discovered in OS." Update called for, offered to Japan. (Asahi)
America's Apple has announced regarding its OS, which is the foundational software used in products like its smartphones, "A security flaw that we fear would allow hackers to penetrate our smartphones and tablets has been found." According to Apple, the models affected by the weakness include all iPhones from 6S onward and all iPads and iPad Pros from 5th generation onward. Apple stated that it feared that hackers could exploit the weakness to penetrate its smartphones and tablets to disseminate malware. The US federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security administration (CISA) warned, "Hackers could misuse this vulnerability," and is calling for users to perform an update as soon as possible. The update has been offered to Japan. It is believed that Apple will announce its next-generation iOS very soon and that the timing of its update is unprecedented.
Yahoo opens convenience stores, expects synergy with web. (Asahi)
Businesses like Yahoo are developing "Yahoomarts" in the center of the city where goods like groceries can be picked up in 15 minutes after being ordered online. They opened up convenience store-style establishments at their vendor campus in 3 locations including Yoyogi Uehara and Kioicho. They are using existing existing freezers for the delivery side and self-checkout to control costs. The person in charge said, "We hope we can synergize brick-and-mortar stores with online home delivery."
Chinese consumer goods chain excludes Japanese-style goods, apologizes, saying, "We hurt customers' feelings." (Asahi)
A rapidly growing Chinese chain selling miscellaneous goods and sundries in the style of brands like Uniqlo and Mujirushi Ryohin has announced that it is removing Japanese-style items and issued an apology letter. On August 18, Miniso, a Chinese chain selling miscellaneous goods and sundries, issued a statement of apology stating it was sorry, "If customers were upset," regarding what were up to now brands handled by Japanese designers. On top of all that, it revealed that from now until next March, it would do things remove Japanese-style signs from its stores and eliminate the Japanese-style elements from the stores' interiors. A customer: "I thought that these were Japanese brands. What they're apologizing for is natural." Criticism of Miniso through SNS in China has risen due to incidents such as them flying the Japanese flag at a contract signing ceremony in a foreign country.
August 22, 2022:
"Worker shortage": Pay of part-time workers, etc., to rise. (NHK)
An increasing number of companies are increasing wages, salaries, etc. due to a worker shortage. A Chinese restaurant named Hidakaya decided to pay ¥5,000 to its mid=career recruits from May 2022 onward. Its mid-career recruits are those who previously worked at another company. This ¥5,000 will be their monthly salary. For part-time workers, this is 3x their normal pay. Companies such as Uniqlo and GU are raising raising the pay of part-time workers, etc., this fall. Their hourly wage will increase by roughly 10-30%. In July, FamilyMart began allowing part-time workers, etc., to collect their wages earlier.
Online COVID antigen test kits can be sold online. (NHK)
The number of COVID-19 cases is rising and it has become difficult to get tested at a clinic. Because of this, the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare decided to make it permissible to sell home SARS-CoV-2 antigen test kits online. The expectation is that it will be necessary for a pharmacist to explain things like how to use it. The earliest sales will begin is the month of August. The test kits are for diagnostic and for research purposes. The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare said, "We have not approved it for research purposes. We do not know whether the results are accurate, so please do not use it." And then they said it has given incorrect results when used to direct treatment. If one has symptoms such as fever, then it is necessary to go to the doctor even if the test is negative. It is necessary to store this test at temperatures ranging from 2°C to 30°C.
Prime Minister Kishida infected with novel coronavirus. (NHK)
Prime Minister Kishida developed a slight fever and cough on August 20, which was during his summer vacation. He was tested on August 21 and the result was positive. Prime Minister Kishida was to return to work on August 22. Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno said, "I heard that on the 22nd, his fever fell a little and he had a slight cough. He is going to work online starting today in order to get well." Prime Minister Kishida was to go to a conference in Africa, but is thinking of participating online.
August 23, 2022:
Japanese government wants to increase number of foreigners with specified skill designation who make food, drinks, etc. (NHK)
In order to try to get foreigners to work in sectors with labor shortages, a new qualification was created in 2019. There are 12 occupational categories in "Specified Skill No. 1", and the government has decided to admit a set number over a 5-year period. The Japanese government wants to change its plan due to the effects of the novel coronavirus on the economy. The number to be admitted to work in places like restaurants will be reduced by 20,000 down to 30,000 and the number to work in places like hotels and will be reduced by 10,000 down to 10,000. Due to the number of people eating at home increasing, the number of foreigners slated to make things like meals and frozen is to be increased by 50,000, leaving a quota of 90,000. And the number tasked with working in factories that make things like semiconductors is to be increased by 20,000 for a total of 50,000. The Japanese government plans to make a decision by the end of the month.
5x as many school children infected with novel coronavirus in July compared with June. (NHK)
According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT), 269,648 children attending kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school, etc., were infected with the novel coronavirus. This is 5x greater than in June and breaks the February 2022 record of about 250,000. The ranks of those children whose infection is of unknown origin has grown to its highest level yet, and describes 64% of the ones attending elementary and middle school and 59% of the ones attending high school. The next biggest category is "infected by family". MEXT made the norm the level attending school and on summer vacation. It said that even if a classroom has more than 2 cases, if it was transmitted by family, then it is not necessary for them to isolate.
"I want to stop the nation from holding a funeral for Shinzo Abe." (NHK)
It has been decided that the funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was shot and killed, will be held in September. 17 people including Tokyo University Professor Emeritus Chizuko Ueno, author Keiko Ochiai, and Tokai University Professor Shigeki Nagayama are saying that a funeral should not be held for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe by the government. These 17 said, amongst other things, that state funerals were unconstitutional and have gathered signatures online. Professor Nagayama said, "Forcing everyone to feel sad is tantamount to violating a constitution that permits freedom of thought." The Japanese government says that the funeral is just a ceremony and no one is being told how to think or to be sad. Additionally, the cabinet ministers all decided to do this at a meeting, so it can be done, they also said.
August 24, 2022:
Hino Motors: still more mini-truck Dutro fraud discovered. (Asahi)
Hino Motors has officially announced that its data on things like exhaust mileage were fraudulent since at least 2003, but following that, on August 22, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism announced that it had identified new fraud. President Satoshi Ogiso of Hino Motors: "The additional unfair practices identified by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism are very serious and there is no room for excuses." This time, the vehicles flagged in this probe were ones like the Hino Dutro Mini Trucks sold from 2019 onward and the cumulative sales volume is about 76,000 vehicles. Reportedly, only one case was found in which an automaker failed to abide by a rule against repeat offences of this nature. Hino Motors has already stopped shipping its large- and medium-sized trucks and stopped about all domestic truck shipments.
Tirol Chocolate to increase prices after 29 years. Bonchi, too. (Asahi)
Tirol Chocolate has announced that it will increase the prices of 5 items including standard milk chocolate by ¥3-¥5 on September 5. The increase in price of the ¥20 Tirol Chocolate is accompanied by a reduction in the size and is the first such price increase since September 1993, 29 years. Also, candy maker Bonchi is raising the effective price of 14 items including Bonchi Age* is sequential order starting September 5 by decreasing the size of the package. The 80 g bag of Bonchi Age is now 70 g. The reasons why the 2 companies are increasing these prices are things like increased cost of raw ingredients and increased logistics costs.
*Bonchi Age is the most popular brand of senbei, a fried Japanese rice crack eaten as a snack, in the Osaka area in Kansai. Like all senbei, it is made of non-glutinous rice called Uruchi-Mai, mai being one possible reading of 米, the kanji for rice.
Price of Oronamin C Drink increased for first time in 25 years. (Asahi)
It has been 25 years since the price of Oronamin C Drink* went up. Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., maker of Oronamin C Drink, Fibe-Mini, Fibe-Mini Plus, and other beverages, is going to increase the manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of Oronamin C Drink by 14% starting with the November 1 shipment. The price of this drink has not increased since April 1997, or 25 years, and the current price of ¥105 will increase by ¥15 to ¥120. Because of such causes as the prices of raw ingredients and energy steeply rising, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals said, "We are in a situation in which it is difficult for our corporation to maintain our current price."
Event celebrating 50th anniversary of establishment of relations between Japan and Mongolia held. (NHK)
The 50th anniversary of the establishment of relations between Japan and Mongolia came. An event celebrating it was held in Ulaanbataar, the capital of Mongolia, on August 22. About 1500 people were gathered and enjoyed Japanese and Mongolian dances. Dancers from Tokushima Prefecture dancing the Awa Odori and ones from Kochi Prefecture dancing the yosakoi were among the participants. The ones doing the Awa Odori danced to the sounds of flutes and drums. The Japanese participants taught Japanese-style dancing to the Mongolians and they enjoyed it together. That night, at the brightly lit venue, the dancers from Kochi Prefecture danced the yosakoi to the sound of a clapper. The Mongolians danced in traditional clothing and everyone had a good time.
August 25, 2022:
98 Afghanis who fled to Japan recognized as refugees by Japanese government. (NHK)
It has been 1 year since the Taliban assumed control of Afghanistan. According to the Immigration Services Agency, over the course of that year, 820 people have fled Afghanistan for Japan. This month, the Japanese government granted refugee status to 98 of them, it has been learned. They consisted of people who had worked at the Japanese Embassy in Afghanistan and their families. It appears that the Japanese government is concerned about things like the safety of those who worked at the Japanese Embassy and their families. These people can live and work in Japan. It is said that compared with countries like America, Japan recognizes few refugees. 98 is a new record for refugee recognition.
Hospitals finding it difficult to change way of reporting novel coronavirus infections. (NHK)
Hospitals must report data like the names, addresses, and phone numbers of people infected with the novel coronavirus to health care centers. However, this has become difficult to do due to because even if infections are rising, they are still busy. Because of this, Prime Minister Kishida said on August 24, "It is now permissible to only report data such as patient name for patients aged 65 and over and those who are symptomatic. As for others, it is permissible to simply count them." Prime Minister Kishida also said, "From September 7 onward, those who have received 3 vaccines against the novel coronavirus will be permitted to enter even if they do not have proof they are uninfected," regarding people entering Japan from other countries.
The Japanese government has decided to think about restarting 7 nuclear power plants. (NHK)
The price of crude oil has risen and electricity has become scarce due to factors like the Russian attack against Ukraine. On August 24, the Japanese government held a meeting. And then they decided to think about restarting 7 nuclear power plants shut down in the wake of the Fukushima disaster next summer. Up to now 10 such plants have been restarted. They have also decided to keep thinking about setting up safer, less expensive nuclear reactors. Until, the Japanese government had said it was not thinking about this. Groups concerned about the problems of nuclear power said, "There are also prefectures, etc., that still do not approve of nuclear power plants. It is necessary to first properly discuss this with them."
August 26, 2022:
2 Japanese companies decide whether to join a Russian state-owned company. (NHK)
On August 25, the Russian government formed a new state-owned company out of the one that was carrying out the Sakhalin 2 oil and gas exploration project. And then it told Mitsui & Co. and the Mitsubishi Corporation, which had been participating in the project up until then, to notify it of any decision to buy stock and continue on with the new company within 1 month. Mitsubishi Corporation held a meeting on August 25 and decided to buy stock in it. Mitsui & Co. also decided to buy stock in it. The 2 companies plan to notify the Russian government. The Russian government said that it will decide whether to approve the participation of these companies within 3 days of notification.
That's all for now.
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