March 8, Wednesday, 2023 (1:30 p.m.) Newsline 

1. Japan’s Imperial Household Agency has resumed processions of horse-drawn carriages for newly appointed foreign ambassadors, after a three-year suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic. A procession is held when newly appointed envoys present their credentials to the Emperor. Office workers and foreign tourists were seen taking pictures and videos as the carriage passed through a tree-lined avenue in the business district.
2. Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip have flown kites to mark the 12th year since the massive earthquake and tsunami devastated Japan’s northeast. The kite flying event started in 2012 with the support of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, or UNRWA. The event has since been held annually except for 2020, when it had to be canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. 3. Japan’s tourist industry is struggling with a shortage of workers as demand for travel surges in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government organized job fair in a bid to help companies affected. More than 30 businesses, including bus companies and hotel operators, sent recruiters to the fair on Wednesday. Job-hunting university students and workers seeking to switch jobs visited corporate booths, where they were briefed on the work and wages.