April 2, Tuesday, 2024

1. Japan’s industry ministry will provide domestic semiconductor maker Rapidus with up to 590 billion yen, or nearly 3.9 billion dollars in additional financial assistance. Japanese Industry Minister Saito Ken said the ministry will make all-out efforts for the success of the next-generation semiconductor project while securing the necessary budget. 2. Fleets working along the Sea of Japan coast have kicked off the shrimp season with a good haul of a transparent pink variety known as the jewel of Toyama Bay. A local fisheries association says about 270 kilograms of broad velvet shrimp were unloaded as the first catch at the port of Shinminato on Monday. Some were as long as 7 centimeters and bigger-than-usual for this time of year. The broad velvets were put up for auction right away and fetched relatively high prices.
3. A man in southwestern Japan has lost about 110 million yen, or roughly 730,000 dollars, after falling victim to a so-called romance scam. Police say the man is in his 60s and lives in northern Kumamoto Prefecture. They revealed that he was told by someone posing as a woman on a matchmaking app that there was a way to increase his money. The man reportedly transferred cash to a designated account about 20 times.