May 8, Monday, 2023

1. Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says he wants to further strengthen ties with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and open a new era together. Kishida spoke to reporters in Seoul on Monday morning after wrapping up his official schedule in South Korea. This is his first visit to the country as prime minister.
2. Japan’s industry ministry is encouraging domestic firms to actively seek foreign investments by showcasing successful example that led to corporate growth. Ministry officials have collated 20 cases involving firms both large and small, including startups. They all posted growth as a result of being acquired by a foreign company or through capital tie-ups. 3. Japan has officially downgraded COVID-19 to a low-level infectious disease, ranking it alongside the seasonal flu. The change means the government can no longer legally restrict public movement. The operators of the Lawson, Seven-Eleven and FamilyMart chains say they’re giving individual outlets the freedom to set their own policies on masks, hand sanitizers and partitions.