Kishida's ruling bloc's candidates do well in state wide elections.

On Sunday, candidates endorsed by the ruling alliance of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida easily defeated their opponents backed by the largest opposition party in the first round of nationwide municipal polls. There has been speculation that Kishida may dissolve the lower house for a snap e...

Transparent clams discovered off the coast of Hokkaido provide a glimpse into the mysteries of the deep water.

The Japanese archipelago sits on the edge of the Eurasian tectonic plate, where the Philippine and Pacific plates slide beneath it. Because of this peculiar convergence, the eastern side of the Japanese shoreline swiftly collapses into a series of trenches, some of which reach approximately 10,00...

After a car strikes a deer in Hokkaido, two people die in the crash.

The collision of two cars caused by a deer in Hokkaido, northern Japan, claimed the lives of two individuals, according to the local police.

In the town of Shibecha, close to Kushiro, a minivan and truck were involved in an accident on Wednesday. The minivan's driver and passenger b...

HOKKAIDO GOVT. SUED BY A WOMAN OVER DENIAL OF SPOUSAL BENEFITS

Highlights –

• Hokkaido govt. sued by a woman over denial of spousal benefits.
• The woman in a same-sex relationship had filed the lawsuit with Sapporo District Court.
• Kaoru Sasaki seeks $43,000 for being denied spousal benefits.
...

HOKKAIDO, OKAYAMA & HIROSHIMA TO COME UNDER COVID-19 STATE OF EMERGENCY

Highlights –

• Hokkaido, Okayama & Hiroshima to come under COVID-19 state of emergency.
• Infections continue to surge ahead of this summer's Tokyo Olympics.
• Okayama and Hiroshima were planned to be put under a quasi-emergency ear...

OSAKA AND HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITY FINDS A WAY TO ANALYZE COVID-19 MUTATIONS

Highlights –

• Osaka and Hokkaido University finds a way to analyse COVID-19 mutations.
• The university developed a system capable of analyzing genetic mutations of COVID-19 much quicker.
• a simple and efficient way to generate infectious...

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 ...

HOKKAIDO PREFECTURE REPORTS 5 PEOPLE INFECTED BY COVID-19 AT A HOME GATHERING

Highlights –

• Hokkaido prefecture reports 5 people infected by COVID-19 at a home gathering.
• Japan confirmed 4 clusters of coronavirus infections.
• The authorities reported that the drinking sessions were held at the home of one person ...

HOKKAIDO MEDICAL ASSOCIATION DECLARES ‘STATE OF MEDICAL EMERGENCY’; COVID-19

Highlights –

• Hokkaido Medical Association declares ‘state of medical emergency’; COVID-19.
• Several other organizations have also joined the medical association to declare the emergency.
• Hokkaido cities like Sapporo and Asa...

JAPAN’S SAPPORO SNOW FESTIVAL STANDS CANCELED AMID RISING COVID-19 CASES

Highlights –

• Japan’s Sapporo Snow Festival stands canceled amid rising COVID-19 cases.
• This will be the first time that the country’s biggest winter festival is canceled.
• The event normally sees around 2 million domestic a...

JAPAN GOVT. PROPOSED SUSPENSION OF ‘GO TO TRAVEL’ SUBSIDY PROGRAM IN PARTS

Highlights –

• Japan Govt. proposed suspension of ‘Go To Travel’ subsidy program in parts.
• Parts of the country that are under pressure due to increase in infections may see the suspension.
• Japan has so far confirmed a recor...

JAPAN SDF TO SEND NURSES IN HOKKAIDO DUE TO SHORTAGE OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS

Highlights –

• Japan SDF to send nurses in Hokkaido due to shortage of health care workers.
• The nurses will be sent to Asahikawa city in Hokkaido.
• The central Hokkaido city has reported a series of cluster infections.
• Asahika...

HOKKAIDO VILLAGE ASSEMBLY MEMBERS TO SUBMIT BILL TO BAN NUCLEAR WASTE DISPOSAL

Highlights –

• Hokkaido village assembly members to submit a bill to ban nuclear waste disposal.
• Five out of eight assembly members will introduce the bill on Dec.15 at the regular session.
• The bill includes provisions on refusing to al...

SAPPORO AND OSAKA TO BE EXCLUDED FOR THREE WEEKS FROM JAPAN’S TRAVEL SUBSIDY PLAN

Highlights –

• Sapporo and Osaka to be excluded for three weeks from Japan’s travel subsidy plan.
• The minister in charge of Japan’s virus response, Yasutoshi Nishimura announced the same.
• The government will compensate for t...

SAPPORO AND OSAKA ARE LIKELY TO SUSPEND ‘GO TO TRAVEL’ SUBSIDY PROGRAM

Highlights –

• Sapporo and Osaka are likely to suspend ‘Go To Travel’ subsidy program.
• The suspension comes due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the above areas.
• Japan’s government panel of Medical experts...

HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN JAPAN AFRAID OF STRAINING MEDICAL SYSTEM OVER COVID-19

Highlights –

• Health care workers in Japan afraid of straining medical system over COVID-19 cases.
• The country is said to have been reporting over 2,000 new COVID-19 cases daily.
• Hospitals are said to be seeing high bed occupancies wit...

MOTHER IN HOKKAIDO IMPRISONED FOR NOT GIVING HER DAUGHTER ACCESS TO MEDICAL TREATMENT

Highlights –

• Mother in Hokkaido imprisoned for not giving her daughter access to medical treatment.
• A 22-year-old mother starved her 2-year-old daughter to death last year.
• The presiding judge for the case declared the defendant&rsquo...

TOKYO RECORDING 300 COVID-19 CASES ON AVERAGE; GOVT. PLANS TO RAISE THE ALERT LEVEL

Highlights –

• Tokyo recording 300 COVID-19 cases on average; govt. plans to raise the alert level.
• The metropolitan govt. had lowered the alert on Sept.10.
• The capital recorded more than 35,000 cases of COVID-19 infections so far.
...

HOKKAIDO EDUCATION BOARD LOST TIME CAPSULE MESSAGES WRITTEN 10 YEARS AGO

Highlights –

• Hokkaido Education Board lost time capsule messages written 10 years ago.
• The Abashiri Municipal Board of Education announced this above on Nov.17.
• The messages were written by children and other residents.
• Th...

HOKKAIDO RAISED ITS COVID-19 ALERT LEVEL TO STAGE 4 OUT OF 5 FOR SAPPORO CITY

Highlights –

• Hokkaido raised its COVID-19 alert level to stage 4 out of 5 for Sapporo city.
• The announcement was made by Hokkaido Gov. Naomichi Suzuki on Nov. 16.
• On Nov. 7 Hokkaido raised its virus alert level to stage 3.
• ...