月: 2024年4月

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.

1. Taiwan’s former president Ma Ying-jeou is visiting China from Monday. The focus is on whether he will meet with President Xi Jinping. This comes as Taiwan’s president-elect from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party is set to take office next month. 2. Israeli protesters rallied in Jerusalem on Sunday to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid growing criticism of his failure to secure the release of hostages. Tens of thousands of people gathered outside the parliament in what the Associated Press said was the largest anti-government protest since the Israel-Hamas conflict started in October. 3. An overtime cap for truck drivers in Japan took effect with the start of the new fiscal year on April 1. The move is aimed at improving working conditions for truckers and is promoting businesses to find more efficient ways to transport their goods. One private think tank estimates that if no measures are taken, the overtime cap could reduce haulage capacity by about 35 percent by 2030.