May 13, Monday, 2024

1. Many people in Japan harbor an ambition to visit Alaska, Canada, or Scandinavian countries to see, at least once in their lifetime, the spectacular Northern Lights. But realizing this dream is becoming increasingly difficult as the cost of overseas travel is soaring due to a weakening Japanese yen, which is at the lowest level in three decades against the US dollar. Fortunately, Northern Lights enthusiasts this weekend were able to boast:” Don’t worry. You can see the aurora here in Japan!”
2. More Japanese automakers have posted record profits for the fiscal year ending in March, with the combination of a weak yen and brisk sales proving to be a windfall. Honda Motor reported group sales of 20.4 trillion yen, or about 131 billion dollars, which is up over 20 percent in yen terms from a year ago.
3. Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu be appointed as the secretary of the Russian Security Council. Shoigu has headed the defense ministry since 2012. He will be replaced by acting First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov, who has been in charge of economic policies.