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Last Week in Japanese News 04/23/2023-04/29/2023 [1]

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Date: 2023-04-30

Hello, this is RWPOINTWOMAN and this is Last Week in Japanese News. Here is where I translate Japanese articles about Japan from the Easy section of the Easy Japanese news reader app into English.

In with the show!

April 23, 2023:

Panasonic recalls 1.63 million clothes drying dehumidifiers due to 11 cases of smoke, fire, 1 case of smoke in Hong Kong. (Asahi)

Panasonic has announced a recall of clothes drying dehumidifiers due to concern over fire. The targets of this recall are roughly 1.57 million clothes drying dehumidifiers sold in Japan from 2003 to the year before last and 60,000 sold in Hong Kong. Since 2007, there have been 11 cases of such appliances emitting smoke or catching fire in Japan and 1 case of emission of smoke from Hong Kong. In the case of clothes drying dehumidifiers sold within 8 years of stopping production, the manufacturer will replace them with equivalent appliances free of charge and compensation ranging from ¥10,000 to ¥20,000 for appliances sold over 8 years later.

Resumption of serialization in Comic Boost of Otome Youkai Zakuro, new artwork announced. (natalie.mu)

This was announced on the official Twitter account of Otome Youkai Zakuro on April 20 with new artwork. Otome Youkai Zakuro is a karen roman akushon* series set in an alternate Japan where humans and youkai coexist and a female hanyou named Zakuro teams up with human bachelors from the army to fight younin. Its run began in 2006 in Monthly Comic Birz, which is published by Gentosha Comics, before it moved to its successor, Monthly Birz, in 2015, but the author has been on sabbatical to raise her child. The 10th and last tankoubon was released in 2015. Furthermore, there was an anime adaptation in 2010 and a stage musical in 2017.

April 24, 2023:

Tulip festival starts in Toyama Prefecture park. (NHK)

In Tonami, Toyama Prefecture, 3 million tulips representing about 300 varieties are blooming in places like Tonami Tulip Park. A tulip festival began on April in that park. The theme of this year's tulip festival was music. At this park, 210,000 tulips were arranged in shapes like musical notes. There was also a piano stem with tulips. Those who attended could play and listen to the piano while looking at the beautiful tulips. This year, due to a provence of hot days, the festival was held on April 22. According to the organization holding the festival, this is the 72nd such festival and the 1st time the tulips were in full bloom on the 1st day. The festival will last until May 5. The organization thinks about 300,000 people will attend it.

April 25, 2023:

Tomy to raise prices of 73 toys including Rika-chan, Tomica. (Asahi)

Tomy Company has announced prices increases for 73 items including Rika-chan, which is a dress-up doll, Tomica, which is a model car, and Plarail, which is a model train. This goes into effect with the June 1 shipment and the average price increase is 8.5%. The price of the Protect the Town! Fire Engine set from the Tomica series will go from ¥2,200 to ¥2,420 tax included and the Rika-chan Happy Lemonade doll will go from ¥3,520 to ¥3,850 tax included. The primary causes include things like the increased cost of raw ingredients and increased logistics costs. Tomy raised prices twice last year, 1st in July, then in September, but this latest round reportedly targets different goods.

60% report that "the effects of increased commodity prices" will affect their Golden Week plans. (Asahi)

It has been discovered that over 60% of people say that, "rising commodity prices have changed my Golden Week plans." According to a survey by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance, while the percentage of those saying that they plan to spend Golden Week at home is down 14 points compared with last year, 63.6% of those surveyed stated that their plans had changed because of rising commodity prices. 1 out of 4 of those who answered that they were changing their plans because of increased commodity prices said, "I am changing my destination to somewhere closer by," followed by, "I am downgrading my lodgings," and, "I am buying cheaper souvenirs." Also, am average of ¥39,294 was budgeted through Golden Week, which is ¥10,000 greater than last year, but 13.9% said, "I have no choice but to spend more." Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance determined that, "As a result of increased willingness to go out," "high commodity prices are the bottleneck."

Japanese government plans to increase "Special skill No. 2" foreigners working on Japan. (NHK)

4 years ago, the Japanese government created a qualification called, "specified skill" in order to increase the number of foreigners working in Japan. Out of these, "specified skill No. 2" can be obtained by highly-skilled workers. It covers only 2 categories of work: "construction" and "jobs related to shipbuilding" and only 10 people have received this qualification so far. At a meeting, the Japanese government released its plan to increase the number of categories of jobs covered by No. 2 I'm order to increase the number of foreigners working in Japan. It stated that the plan will add 9 job categories including food and beverage manufacturing and agriculture to the existing 2 for a total of 11. When the specified skill No. 2 qualification is updated, those holding it will be able to stay in Japan permanently. They can bring their families. Because of this, there will also be people who want to immigrate with them and there might be opposition to this plan.

April 26, 2023:

Experts recommend approval of abortion drug in Japan. (NHK)

It was decided at a Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare experts that a drug meant to induce abortion be approved. The drug is Mefeego Pack and is made by a British company. It allows nonsurgical abortion. Only designated doctors can administer this through the 9th week of pregnancy. In studies of this drug, 93% of subjects completed their abortions within 24 hours. If the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare approves this drug afterwards, medication abortion will be available even in Japan. A doctor who said they wanted it approved stated, "This will make it possible to use medication for abortion 30 years after other countries could. I want it to be made cheap and easy to use." The president of the Japanese association of Obstructions and Gynecologists stated, "It will be important to explain the pros and cons of using medication and surgery."

10,000 march through Shibuya saying, "Stop discrimination against sexual minorities!" (NHK)

10,000 people marched through Tokyo's Shibuya district in order to shout, "Stop the discrimination against sexual minorities," on April 23. Sexual minorities included people attracted to the same sex and transgender people. Participants carried things like the rainbow flag as they marched. Many young people participated and expressed their individuality through things like rainbow-colored makeup and clothing. Mr. Daiki, who is gay, said, "I had thought I was the only one concerned over this, but at American universities I found peace of mind and swings where I could discuss this." A university student who came alone said, "I want various lifestyle recognized such as the gay lifestyle."

April 27, 2023:

Novel coronavirus to be classified at same level as influenza starting May 8. (NHK)

The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare announced on April 27 that it had decided to change the law to put the novel coronavirus on the Type 5 level starting May 8. This is the same as influenza. Once it is placed in Type 5, the number and range of hospitals that can treat it will increase. Patients will have to pay for things like testing and treatment. The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare recommends a quarantine length of 5 days starting the day after the positive test. It is still necessary to have things like proof of vaccination when entering Japan from another country. However, the government wants to stop this on April 29. This is because it anticipated an increase in the number of people going overseas and returning to Japan for consecutive holidays at the end of this month. It has been decided that those with symptoms such as fever and cough be tested.

April 28, 2023:

Super Dry canned beer to decrease in price due to reduction of liquor tax. Bottled beer price to increase. (Asahi)

Asahi Beer announced on April 25 that it is going to decrease the prices of canned beers intended for household consumption such as Super Dry on October 1. The liquor tax was revised effective this October and this lowered it. No specific figure for the amount it will fall by has been given, but the tax on the 350 mL canned beer will fall by ¥6.65, so prices of that might fall. Meanwhile, 307 alcoholic beverages like bottled Super Dry beer and imported wines will have their prices raised due to the increased cost of raw ingredients and logistics.

That's all for now.

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