LOCAL GOVERNORS IN JAPAN ASK CENTRAL GOVT. TO PROVIDE COVID-19 VACCINE PLANS

Highlights –

• Local governors in Japan ask central govt. to provide COVID-19 vaccine plans.
• The central govt. has so far not provided any details of when the vaccines will be available.
• The National Governors' Association vowed to ...

JAPAN’S TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION SCHEME TO LOCAL GOVT. SEES A RISE

Highlights –

• Japan’s tax-deductible donation scheme to local govt. sees a rise.
• The ‘hometown tax’ by Japan Govt. allows people to make donations to municipalities where they do not reside.
• The workload of officials ...

CHINA’S COVID-19 CASES BREACH 100-MARK AHEAD OF WHO TEAM VISIT

• China's COVID-19 cases breached the 100-mark for the first time in recent months, ahead of Thursday's visit of the WHO team to Wuhan to investigate the nucleus of the coronavirus.
• The number of coronavirus cases in China jumped to 115 on Tuesday, the National Health Com...

JAPAN’S AMBITIOUS PLAN TO GO DIGITAL UNDER CRISIS; COVID-19 EXPOSED THE SHORTCOMINGS

Highlights –

• Japan’s ambitious plan to go digital under crisis; COVID-19 exposed the shortcomings.
• Less than 12% of administrative work is transacted online in Japan.
• Just 5.4% of citizens utilize digital applications at public...

Residents not very happy with the tourists’ behavior

Despite tourism booming, a rise in foreigners is creating issues for residents. There have been complaints in Hokkaido about foreign tourists trespassing on farmland, and many communities now have to deal with visitors with reckless behaviour and illegal dumping and severe traffic jams. Local gov...