Use your Japanese Katana sword properly with these tips and tricks
Katana is a legendary Japanese sword that exudes class and sophistication. With this sword, you have equipment that you can use for prestige and cutting purposes. It was used by the traditional samurai warriors. It’s important to note that this sword was used for prestige. In fact, it was a reserve for the elite in the military. Those with exemplary skills and capabilities were assigned these swords. Here are tips and tricks for using these legendary traditional Japanese swords.
Slice It
One of the biggest functions of the katana is cutting. However, when cutting, don’t slide it like baseball. Instead, consider drawing a slice through the target. Make it similar to a hack. Use enough speed. Also, apply considerable force when cutting through standard materials.
Hold Your Katana Properly
The way you hold your katana is very important. For optional results, consider holding it properly. So, hold it right away. It will improve its cutting abilities. In particular, it will cut faster and more efficiently. It’s important to note that the grip is similar to the tennis racquet. Thus, consider seeking advice from your sports teacher on how to grip it properly. Make sure that your right hand is an inch away from the Katanas handguard. Hold it while relaxed.
Edge Alignment
Get the edge alignment right. Doing so will optimize the results. Of course, you can perfectly manage to fluff it up and achieve the best slicing action. However, good edge alignment is needed if you want optional results when it comes to cutting capabilities.
Of course, you can employ the right cutting technique. You can also get it right when it comes to holding your katana. However, poor edge alignment of your tool with your target may result in scooping your cut or losing control. Worse still, you may end up botching it up. This will bend the blades and probably damage them. Thus, holding your equipment right away as well as gripping it correctly will help you get it right when it comes to edge alignment. So, practice these three aspects on a regular basis if you want to achieve the best cutting results.
Improve the edge alignment through practice. Here, consider cutting any suspended paper sheet. Also, make sure that the blades are perfectly sharpened.
Key Takeaway
Hold it properly. Hold your sword right away. Slice properly. Hold it with relaxed hands. Don’t panic. Get the alignment right. Doing so will help you achieve the best cuts. Remember, cutting speed is connected to how you hold your sword. It also depends on how you slice it. Even more, the edge alignment plays a key role. Good luck!
The Bottom-Line
Learn how to use your traditional Japanese sword. Don’t slide it like a baseball. Understand the dos and don’ts of Japanese swords. The above tips and tricks are all you need to use your katana sword like a pro. Follow these tips and get the most out of your katana.
Special Rubik’s Cube exhibition opened in Japan
The Rubik’s Cube, also known as the Hungarian Magic Cube, broke into the Japanese market 40 years ago. On this occasion, the Hungarian Embassy in Tokyo called on the Japanese art world to create works inspired by the Rubik’s Cube. The project started in September and the “cube exhibition” was opened to the media this week.
Since its introduction, the 3D puzzle game has affected almost every area of life, including design, math, brain research etc. The special project was launched by the Hungarian Embassy in Tokyo in September, during which the artists, the works made for the anniversary of the Rubik’s Cube and the creative process were presented in short videos. The show opened on the 40th anniversary of the Magic Cube’s debut in Japan.
The unique feature of these works is that they were all inspired by the most famous Hungarian invention in the world, the Rubik’s Cube.
On 24th November, the works of art created by Japanese artists at the initiative of the Hungarian Embassy in Tokyo were presented to the Japanese press and the general public. At the solemn opening, Her Majesty Princess Takamado paid tribute as a guest of honour.
One of the most creative ideas was born by Kuma Kengo, the designer of the Tokyo Olympic Stadium and other famous Japanese buildings, who created a rotatable and movable Rubik’s cube-shaped furniture.
However, other creative ideas also impressed the audience, such as:
- Chef Koyama Susumu’s white chocolate cube creation process.
- Nakashima Jo, who has millions of views on his video channel and created a special magnetic origami Rubik’s cube.
- The eleventh-generation, renowned potter, Ohi Toshio, who has a tradition of 350 years, reproduced the colours of the cube to create fired pottery.
- A contemporary Japanese dancer who performed a dance inspired by the Rubik’s Cube.
- Kayama Hiroyasu, the owner of one of the best bars in Asia, Ben Fiddich in Tokyo, made a Unicum-based cocktail.
A documentary will be made about the artists’ creative process and creations which will soon be uploaded to the embassy’s online platforms.
According to Ambassador, Norbert Palanovics, the Hungarian Magic Cube is “experiencing its third heyday in Japan. The first was in the 1980s, when the Rubik’s Cube was introduced, and the second was in the early 2000s, when brain gymnastics games became popular. And the third is now, this year. This is not only due to the 40th anniversary, but also to the fact that many have rediscovered the cube for themselves during the restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. According to the Japanese distributor, two and a half times as many Rubik’s Cubes were sold in Japan in the first half of this year as last year.”
Read also: World’s smallest Rubik’s Cube presented in Japan
He also added that “the peculiarity of the Rubik’s Cube is that almost every Japanese person knows what it is. So far, very few knew that the cube and its inventor were Hungarian. One of our most important missions during the current project and exhibition is to make as many people as possible aware that this creative invention and its creator is Hungarian. We want the Japanese people to be able to connect the message and symbolism of the Rubik’s Cube, especially creativity, science-based playful learning and innovation, even better with Hungary.”
As the Hungarian news portal Index reports, the special objects can be seen from Wednesday, 25th November to February 2021 at the Hungarian Cultural Institute, which opened last year in the heart of Tokyo. After the exhibition, the works of art will be put up for auction, and the proceeds will be used for charity.
Read alsoCould the Rubik’s Cube help us find a solution to COVID-19?
Coronavirus in Hungary: Favipiravir arrives from China, expected from Japan
Hungary received one million doses of Favipiravir last weekend from China, while the same amount of the Covid-19 drug is expected to arrive from Japan on Saturday, Cecília Müller, the country’s chief medical officer, said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the regular daily press conference of the central coronavirus board, Müller said that flu vaccines were being supplied to general practitioners “continuously”. She said the goal was to slow down the epidemic and to maintain the safe operation of the health system.
Outlining recent figures, Müller said that Nov. 4 had seen the highest number of daily cases so far (5,319), adding that during the past week the average age of new patients was 45 years.
In every 100,000 residents 1,540 Covid-19 patients are in the 20-29 age group, 1,331 are between 30-39, 1,632 are 40-49, and 1,473 are 50-59.
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Fully 1,589 patients are aged 60-79, and 1,408 are older than 80 per 100,000 residents, she said.
Müller also said that currently Győr-Moson-Sopron County, in the north-west, had the largest number of patients (1,174) per 100,000 residents so far.
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Resumption of poultry exports to Thailand and Japan from all parts of Hungary possible
Thailand and Japan are allowing imports of poultry produce from all parts of Hungary from October 7 and October 8, respectively, Hungary’s food safety authority (NÉBIH) said on Monday.
The authorities of the two countries are lifting the restrictions thanks to the eradication of bird flu, NÉBIH said on its website, adding the measure applied to live poultry, meat and meat products, as well as eggs and egg products.
Many major export markets, including Thailand and Japan, only impose restrictions on areas directly affected by the disease. On Sept. 8, Hungary was declared free of the disease. The last affected areas were Bács-Kiskun and Békés counties.
EU on alert for new bird flu outbreaks
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on end of September urged the member states of the European Union (EU) to step up their surveillance and bio-security measures against possible outbreaks of avian influenza (bird flu) this year.
The warning came after outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) among wild and domestic birds in western Russia and Kazakhstan over the past few months, the ECDC said in a press release. The region is a known autumn migration route for wild water birds heading to Europe, it added.
Based on past bird migration data, northern and eastern Europe are considered to be the most vulnerable regions to new outbreaks. Moreover, the urgency of the warning increases if temperatures in the already affected areas were to suddenly drop, the ECDC said.
Assessing the risk of transmission of avian influenza viruses to the general public in Europe as “very low,” the report recommends that EU states immediately increase bio-security measures at poultry farms in particular, and advises warning veterinary and wildlife health authorities of the likely risk and urging them to promptly test dead or sick wild birds.
Read alsoHungarian honey to become more expensive due to low production-rate
Japanese miracle cure for COVID-19? It is being tested in Hungary
Favipiravir is an antiviral medication developed in Japan. Several tests are being done to see how effective it is against the novel coronavirus. So far, it seems that it is able to eradicate the virus from the body in six days. Testing starts in Hungary soon.
The National Institute of Pharmacy and Nutrition recently approved the clinical testing of favipiravir on coronavirus patients in Hungary, 24 reports.
A hundred COVID-19 patients will be tested for the first time ever in Hungary with the Japanese medicine. Tests will be carried out by medical universities and the National Korányi Institute of Pulmonology (five health institutions in total), György Keserű, a scientific advisor and corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences told M1.
Hungary received enough medicine from Japan to treat 100 patients, who will be tested in the five appointed healthcare institutions. The aim of these clinical tests is to confirm the medicine’s effectiveness so that it could be completely approved for medical use against COVID-19, which could take six to twelve months.
Favipiravir is an antiviral medication used to treat influenza in Japan. It is also being studied to treat a number of other viral infections. Like the experimental antiviral drugs T-1105 and T-1106, it is a pyrazine carboxamide derivative, and it was approved for medical use in 2014. It became a generic drug in 2019, allowing the company to produce it in the People’s Republic of China.
Favipiravir has successfully treated COVID-19 patients with moderate symptoms in Japan. It was even effective with patients with incipient pneumonia, Keserű added. The scholar also emphasised how favipiravir was found to eradicate coronavirus from the body in six days, and it also helped terminate common symptoms, like fever, shortness of breath, or cough within 12 days, so there was no need for intensive care.
Read alsoCOVID-19 2nd wave: what to expect in Hungary?
Read alsoBreaking news – a new record in the number of COVID-19 infections in Hungary
Treatment of patients with favipiravir can start in Hungary
The recent announcement of Japanese clinical trials showing that the generic drug favipiravir is successful in treating Covid-19 patients is reassuring from the point of Hungarian drug development, and it will enable the treatment of patients with the drug to start in Hungary, a ministry of innovation and technology official said.
The ministry launched over twenty development programmes during the first phase of the epidemic, and the Hungarian development of the Japanese antiviral drug is led by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences’ Research Centre for Natural Sciences and the University of Pécs’s Faculty of Science, state secretary Tamas Schanda said in a statement.
The clinical study of patients in Japan showed that patients treated with Avigan, a drug containing the active ingredient favipiravir, reduced recovery times for Covid-19 patients with non-severe symptoms and, over 12 days, prevented such clinical symptoms as high fever and difficulty of breathing, the statement added.
Gábor L Kovács, the head of the Hungarian consortium HECRIN, which is in charge of clinical testing of favirapir in Hungary, said Avigan had successfully prevented the deterioration of patient’s condition and made it unnecessary to start intensive therapeutic treatment. Since the consortium has acquired the necessary licences for clinical testing of Avigan in Hungary, the use of the drug supplied by the Foreign Ministry and the Japanese government can begin in Hungary, the ministry said.
Read alsoHungary put on red list by the EU due to the outstanding number of infections
PM Orbán congratulates Japanese PM Suga on election
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has sent a congratulatory letter to Yoshihide Suga on his election as the head of the Japanese government, Orban’s press chief said on Wednesday.
Suga was elected by the ruling conservative Liberal Democratic party after his predecessor, Shindzo Abe, resigned citing health reasons.
According to Xinhua, Suga was elected by both chambers of parliament, winning 314 votes in the 465-member lower house and 142 votes in the 245-member upper house.
The new prime minister is expected to form a cabinet filled with ministers who served under Abe.
Suga has vowed to push forward with Abe’s policies such as “Abenomics,” a mix of measures including monetary easing and fiscal stimulus aimed at easing deflation and stimulating growth in the Japanese economy.
In his letter, Orbán praised Hungarian-Japanese strategic cooperation and invited Suga to visit Budapest, Bertalan Havasi said in a statement.
Orban said he was proud that “through years of work, our countries’ long-term friendship has developed into strategic cooperation which is comprehensive and successful.”
He noted the celebrations of 150 years of diplomatic ties between Hungary and Japan, which he attended in person last October.
The groundwork is laid for Hungarian-Japanese relations to develop further based on mutual respect and trust, Orbán said. “I am happy to work with a seasoned and capable leader who is also committed to conservative values,” Orban wrote.
Orbán invited Suga for an official visit to Hungary, saying he hoped to “welcome a Japanese prime minister to Hungary after a thirty-year hiatus”.
He wished Japan success in hosting the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, which had been postponed from this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Read alsoPM Orbán congratulates Japanese PM Suga on election
Buying guide for the Japanese Tanto And Other FAQs
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Japanese swords have been a topic of much discussion, and really, reverence and fascination, throughout the decades since they first appeared in recordings of history. One of the types of swords that seems to captivate sword enthusiasts is the Tanto blade.
Before going into our buying guide for Tanto swords, here’s a bit of an overview of the Tanto’s history, along with other FAQs about its origins.
History Of The Tanto Blade
The Tanto blade made its entrance into Japanese history somewhere between the 794 to the 1180s. Known as the Heian Period, this was a time when powerful families were at war with each other over influence, position, and power.
To protect themselves and their possessions from enemy clans, said families hired samurai warriors as their guards. Though samurai swords had been proving their might as a weapon unlike any other, the warriors themselves felt the need for a different kind of blade.
Samurai blades were long and lean, and were wielded with great power, and yet, had a refinement about it. It was destructive as it was elegant.
And it’s this Sword that’s immediately and easily associated with the Samurai, being that it represents the warrior’s soul.
In contrast to this, the Samurai, with their desire to continue to elevate their fighting skills, thought that a shorter blade may prove more effective for strikes that are quick as they are lethal. Thus, the idea of the Tanto came into being.
It was for this reason that the Tanto’s overall form is that way that it is even today. This knife became an extremely powerful weapon in close combat and small spaces. As a result, the Samurai were seen brandishing two common weapons (unless the scale of the battle requires them to utilize more)— the Katana and the Tanto.
By the end of the Heian period, the Tanto’s design and craftsmanship saw its fruition when swordsmiths strengthened the blade whilst allowing it to still have lithe. Moreover, they began incorporating designs on its hilt, or the Tuska.
More than bringing a pristine aesthetic to the otherwise deadly blade, these designs were meant to emulate the personality and fighting style of the owner of said blade. At the same time, the swordsmiths had to be careful in not letting these designs be a hindrance to the movements of the Samurai.
By the end of the Heian period, and even more so during the Edo Period’s close, the use of the tanto had faded into legend.
Yet it was written into history as a spectacle of Japanese’s craftsmanship, tactical abilities, and strength.
Parts Of The Tanto Blade: Buying Guide For The Tanto Knife
One thing you can be sure of when it comes to following a buying a guide for this blade is that the blade itself is what needs your focus. Its parts, form, and design will serve as your guide in revealing whether a Tanto blade is authentic or is a bogus imitation of it.
High Point
The highest point of the Tanto is sharp, though in appearance and build, is quite thick. Its flat grind is meant to pierce through think objects with precision without letting the knife-holding need too much force to accomplish so. Look for that flat grind and you’ll be one step closer to authenticating the blade.
However, if you’re scouting for a blade that has a trailing swage point, the same rule applies.
That tip should still be thick, owing to the fact that it’s the match of thicker objects. For this type of knife, its opposite end usually has serrations halfway from the mid-section of the blade to its hilt.
The Hi Or Groove
The traditional design of a tanto sword has a groove only a few millimetres away from the sword’s back or Mune, similar to that of a samurai sword. The length of this slot-like line differs according to the make of the tanto.
Some have it starting from the handle all the way to the high point while others go only to about a fourth of the blade itself, still beginning from the handle.
Handle And Handle Ornament
In their original translation, the Tsuka and the Mekugi, also have a distinctness to them. Though many of the modern versions of the tanto no longer have these as a variation (they’re frequently plain and don’t have any embellishments on them), the traditional types have beautifully intricate Mekugi.
And the weaves are very tightly bound, calling back to what we’ve mentioned early about the embellishments never being a distraction to the sword holder.
Blade Collar
The tanto’s blade collar or Habaki has to be well-placed around the bottom portion of the blade connecting to the spacer and then the hilt.
This is another feature that contemporary blades have forgone. Still, for a truly authentic tanto, this is one to watch out for.
Tips On Sharpening A Tanto Blade
Now that you have a buying guide for purchasing the legendary Tanto Blade, here’s how you can maintain it and keep its blade sharp without damaging the knife itself. First, look closely and point out where the angle of the edge is. Get into the details by identifying any damages on it.
Next, with the help of your choice of a blade stone or sharpening system, lift the knife at an angle and “slide” it onto the stone. If it doesn’t have any significant damage, then you can go ahead and use the high-grit side. As for small nicks and other similar flaws, the low-grit side will work better.
Regarding damaged blades, after sharpening them on the low-grit stone, polish them on the high-grit slab to for that clean and precise sharp edge.
Finally, the secondary edge should be sharpened even more carefully so as to avoid curving or rounding the portion that joints the main and secondary edges together. Don’t worry. It’s not as difficult as it sounds. If you’re already familiar with how to sharpen a regular knife, then you’ll be able to adjust to sharpening a tanto blade in no time.
Tokyo Olimpics to recieve 800 million US dollars to address current crisis
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will cover costs of up to 800 million U.S. dollars incurred due to the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, IOC president Thomas Bach said at a teleconference on Thursday.
The teleconference came after the IOC’s first-ever full remote meeting, which approved a financial envelope of 800 million dollars.
“We anticipate that we will have to bear costs of up to 800 million U.S. dollars for our part of the responsibility for the organization of the Games,” Bach said.
Read alsoTokyo Olimpics to recieve 800 million US dollars to address current crisis
According to Bach, 650 million dollars will go towards the organization of the postponed Tokyo Games, and an aid package of up to 150 million dollars will be provided for the Olympic Movement, including international federations, National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and IOC-recognized organisations.
The meeting also revealed that the 136th IOC session, originally scheduled to be held before the Tokyo Olympic Games’ opening ceremony this year, will instead be held virtually on July 17 and be broadcast live to the public.
Read alsoChina, Morocco and Hungary will remain the hosts of continental qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020
Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto said here on Friday that the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics will provide a “unique” opportunity for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Wei Jizhong, former Secretary-General of the Chinese Olympic Committee, was worried that the delay will affect the marketing prospects of the Beijing Winter Olympics because there are only six months between the two showpiece events.
Muto told reporters in an online briefing, “The Beijing Winter Games are going along very nicely. There might be some impact felt from the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games.
“But there will a higher level of media attention after the Tokyo Games. I think that might provide some unique opportunities.”
European Aquatics Championships to be held next May in Budapest
The European Aquatics Championships, originally scheduled to be held in Budapest this month, will be organised between May 10 and 23 next year in view of the novel coronavirus epidemic, the European swimming league LEN said on Tuesday.
The organisers announced last week that the event had been postponed to 2021 because of the epidemic.
The championships had already been postponed once, from May to August.
The LEN also announced the cancellation of the current international water polo cup seasons.
FINA announces new dates for Fukuoka World Championships
FINA, the world swimming governing body, announced on Monday that the FINA World Championships, initially scheduled for the summer of 2021 in Fukuoka, Japan, will now take place from May 13-29, 2022.
In a statement, FINA said following consultation with the city of Fukuoka, Japan Swimming Federation, organizers, athletes, coaches, technical committees, TV partners, and sponsors; FINA is pleased to announce the new date of Fukoaka worlds, says Xinhua.
“After liaising with the relevant stakeholders and receiving feedback from them, we do not doubt that the decision taken will provide the best possible conditions for all participants at the Championships. We look forward to witnessing the world’s best aquatic athletes from around the world competing in the city of Fukuoka (JPN) in 2022,” said FINA President Dr. Julio C. Maglione.
“At a time of unprecedented uncertainty, FINA hopes the announcement of these dates will allow for some clarity in planning for all concerned,” Maglione said.
The FINA World Masters Championships will take place across the island of Kyushu, from May 31-June 9, 2022.
Read alsoHungary’s first-division soccer championship NB 1 to resume on May 30
Discover how Mother’s Day is celebrated around the world!
The origins of Mother’s Day celebration date back to ancient Greece, where at the time, the Mother of the Gods, Rhea, was greeted. Since then, the goddess cult has grown into an international holiday which is celebrated all over the world. Even though Mother’s Day customs are basically similar – children surprise their mums with a bouquet of flowers or a hand-made gift – still, there are some interesting and unique traditions. Let us see what they are 😉
America
America can be considered the birthplace of Mother’s Day, being the first continent in the world where it was officially declared a national holiday.
According to the legend, the American Anna Jarvis who had been fighting for this special occasion in memory of her beloved mother can be thanked for International Mother’s Day.
Since then, Mother’s Day has had great importance in the states. According to surveys, phone lines are the busiest on that day, while tables in restaurants should be reserved weeks before, as children do not let their mothers work in the kitchen on that day.
Peru
In Peru, not only mothers but also the motherland are celebrated every year in early August. The motherland, also known as Pachamama, is an ancient mythological deity worshipped by locals. On the second Sunday in May, Peruvian mothers are celebrated with homemade gifts. Some communities commemorate deceased mothers on this day.
Brazil
In the South American country, Mother’s Day is among the most important holidays. On the second Sunday in May, children often do performances for their mothers and then go to church together. At the end of the day, all members of the family gather and bake together.
Australia
Just like in America, Mother’s Day in Australia is also held on the second weekend of May. According to Napi Doktor, during this special holiday, everyone wears carnations on their clothes: coloured carnations symbolise those mothers who are still alive, and white carnations pay homage to the deceased parents. Australians pay tribute not only to mothers but also to grandmothers and all those women who took care of them. On this day, children pamper the beloved women as a sign of their respect, bringing them breakfast to bed and giving them special gifts.
India
Even though Mother’s Day is a relatively new holiday in India that has not yet been officially declared a holiday, it has become very popular within a decade. Being a novel holiday, it has no great tradition; however, mothers are now celebrated even in the smallest villages, just like in America, on the second Sunday of May. Delhi has the biggest celebration, with restaurants offering special offers and souvenir shops full of trinkets. In addition to Mother’s Day in May, in the Hindu-populated parts of the country, the majestic mother – the ancient Durga Puja – is also celebrated in October. During the 10-day-long festival, India pays tribute to the victory of good over evil.
Japan
Children in the country of the rising sun try to make the most of themselves on Mother’s Day as well. They make several drawings for the second Sunday in May and surprise their mothers with special artistic compositions. In the Asian country, it is appropriate to give red carnations, but roses and greeting cards are also common gifts. Mothers and their children usually make sushi together on this special day.
Mongolia
According to Bors Online, the East Asian country is the only country in the world where mothers are celebrated twice a year. Once on 8 March within the framework of International Women’s Day, and then on 1 June that has been held together with Children’s Day since 1995. On these days, schools and offices are closed, and larger spaces are filled with celebrating families.
Ethiopia
There is no set date for Mother’s Day in this African country. As soon as the rainy season is over, the so-called Antrosht Festival is held for three days, celebrating mothers. The girls get vegetables, butter, spices, and cheeses, while the boys get different meats, especially lamb. These are used to make traditional dishes, and families sing and dance together.
France
In France, Napoleon was the first who mentioned Mother’s Day as a holiday. Still, it officially became a holiday in 1950, held in late May or sometimes early June. On this special day, French mothers can relax all day long while their children fulfil all their wishes.
Sweden
In Sweden, Mother’s Day has grown into a common charity celebration. On this day, many people buy the small plastic flowers of the Red Cross and put them on their clothes. The amount of income is given to children and mothers in need.
Hungary
As Impress Magazin reports, in Hungary, a ministerial decree listed Mother’s Day as one of the official school celebrations in 1928, perhaps that is why rhyming has become popular on that day.
Besides poems, mothers are also surprised with a bouquet of flowers or a hand-made gift.
For those who live far away from their parents, sending flowers or surprising mothers with a sweet little message can be a perfect gift, especially now when we should wait a bit with kisses and hugs.
Mothers all over the world would appreciate if you get a delightful Mother’s Day cake that your mother will love on her very special day.
Read alsoThe origins and traditions of Mother’s Day – Hungarian mothers run the world
Japan’s Abe prepares to declare state of emergency over virus spread, 7 prefectures to be affected
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday said he has started preparations for declaring a state of emergency over the continued spread of COVID-19 in Japan.
The declaration is likely to be issued on Tuesday and will take effective a day later, government officials said.
COVID-19 cases in the country have reached the 4,000 mark nationwide, with infections in Tokyo, Japan’s epicenter of the virus, continuing to surge, according to the health ministry and local authorities’ latest figures Monday.
Following a meeting with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) executives, the prime minister said that the declaration, likely to be issued on Tuesday, will cover the period through May 6 and be applicable to seven prefectures across Japan.
The prefectures to be covered by the emergency declaration will be those that have seen recent, disproportionate spikes in the COVID-19 cases, as well as those recording consistently increasing cases of infections.
Japan’s public broadcaster NHK said
the affected prefectures will be: Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Osaka, Hyogo and Fukuoka.
To cushion the downside economic effects of any restriction of people’s movements or business activities as a result of the declaration, Abe said Monday the government will compile a stimulus package to the tune of 108 trillion yen (989 billion U.S. dollars), with the details likely to be unveiled on Tuesday.
The amount, the Japanese leader said, is equates to around 20 percent of Japan’s gross domestic product and eclipses the 56.8 trillion yen package rolled out by the Japanese government during the 2008 global financial crisis.
The prime minister also announced Monday that in a bid to tackle the pandemic in Japan, the virus testing capacity of healthcare services will be doubled to 20,000 per day, as concerns have been mounting about not only the spike of cases in urban areas such as Tokyo and Osaka, but also the rising number of the COVID-19 cases of which the infection path cannot be traced or otherwise ascertained.
In recent weeks, pressure has been mounting on Abe to make the declaration amid a surge in the COVID-19 cases, with calls for the move from Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike and Hirofumi Yoshimura, the governor of Osaka Prefecture, becoming more vociferous.
Koike has described the situation of the virus spread in the capital as “astonishing” and has said that Tokyo is “on the brink,” while Yoshimura said that if left unchecked there could be an “explosive spread” of cases of the COVID-19 in Osaka.
The Japan Medical Association along with regional healthcare specialists, especially in Tokyo, have voiced concerns about healthcare facilities becoming overburden with the continued increase in infections, with concerns rife that the number of hospital beds available for the COVID-19 patients may be extremely close to capacity.
A panel of government experts warned recently the country’s healthcare system could collapse if the COVID-19 cases here continue to spike.
The healthcare system in Tokyo and four other prefectures is under increased strain and “drastic countermeasures need to be taken as quickly as possible,” the experts concluded.
Amid the crisis, Japan’s health ministry on Friday said that local governments would now be advised to accommodate the COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms in hotels amid a shortage of hospital beds.
The Tokyo metropolitan government has already begun talks with hotels to house patients with mild symptoms, with the bill to be footed by the government’s extra budget.
One of the most pertinent catalysts for the emergency declaration being issued was a panel of government experts warning recently that the country’s entire healthcare system could collapse if the COVID-19 cases here continue to spike.
Moving patients with less severe symptoms to hotels or back to their homes would free up vital bed space in hospitals for patients with more severe and potentially fatal symptoms, the health ministry has said.
In a further move to ease the strain on hospitals, the health ministry has also relaxed its conditions for the discharge of patients diagnosed with the COVID-19.
Infected patients will be allowed to be discharged from hospital after two days provided they test negative twice for the pneumonia-causing virus.
Prior to declaring a state of emergency over the pandemic, Abe will seek the opinions from an advisory panel of medical experts and the level of emergency will have to meet specific criteria.
Once a state of emergency is declared by Abe, the government will have extended powers to instruct people to stay at home on a regional or national basis, issue closures to schools, and restrict the use of locations that facilitate large groups of people gathering together or cancel large scale events all together.
The government would also have the authority to demand that supplies deemed essential to combating the spread of the virus be sold to them or requisitioned, and be able to temporarily commandeer private land or facilities for the purposes of providing medical care.
According to the health ministry and local authorities on Monday, the total number of the COVID-19 infections in Japan stands at 4,000, with the death toll from the pneumonia-causing virus totaling 106 people, including those from the virus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama, close to Tokyo.
Of the 4,000 confirmed COVID-19 infections in Japan, the majority are still in Japan’s capital city of Tokyo, the ministry’s figures showed, which has confirmed 1,116 cases.
Osaka Prefecture has recorded 408 COVID-19 cases, Chiba Prefecture 278, Kanagawa Prefecture 267, Aichi Prefecture 228 and 203 cases have been recorded in Hyogo Prefecture.
WHO official says coronavirus epidemic “far from over” in Asia-Pacific region
A World Health Organization (WHO) official said on Tuesday the coronavirus epidemic is “far from over” in the Asia-Pacific region, as infections in Japan on Tuesday surpassed 2,000.
“This is going to be a long-term battle and we cannot let down our guard,” WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Takeshi Kasai told a virtual media briefing, urging cooperation in the region to halt the spread of COVID-19.
Japan’s health ministry and local governments said 2,183 people had been infected with the COVID-19 virus in Japan as of 8:30 p.m. local time, with 78 new cases and seven deaths recorded in Tokyo.
This has added pressure on the government to take further measures to curb the domestic spread of the virus, as Japan’s top government spokesperson denied rumors of a lockdown on Monday.
South Korea decided to begin this year’s new school year with online classes from April 9 in a gradual manner amid lingering concerns about the outbreak. The country reported 125 more cases of the COVID-19, raising the total number of infections to 9,786.
The country will force all entrants from overseas to be put under self-quarantine for two weeks beginning Wednesday midnight local time.
Thailand’s Phuket International Airport will be shut from April 10 to 30 after Phuket Province sealed its entry points by land and sea amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Ministry of Public Health on Tuesday reported 127 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections to 1,651. One person has died, bringing the total number of COVID-19 deaths to 10.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo declared a public health emergency status and a 24.75 billion-U.S. dollar spending to allow the government to edge up development budget deficit and increase the spending for efforts to curb the COVID-19 spread.
The country, which has recorded the highest death toll in Southeast Asia, has decided to ban all arrivals and transits of foreign citizens. The novel coronavirus has killed 136 people and infected 1,528 until Tuesday.
The Australian government has canceled deployment of U.S. Marines to the Northern Territory (NT) amid the coronavirus pandemic.
More than 100,000 businesses have registered for Australia‘s wage subsidy scheme announced on Monday afternoon.
The 130 billion Australian dollar (80.2 billion U.S. dollar) economic lifeline entitles employees who have had their work status affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to fortnightly payments of 1,500 AUD (926.2 U.S. dollar).
In Malaysia, a total of 43 people have died of COVID-19 with 140 newly confirmed cases, bringing the total number to 2,766, said the Health Ministry.
Singapore’s Ministry of Health reported 47 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases to 926.
The death toll in India rose to 32 as the number of confirmed cases in the country reached 1,251.
With mounting cases in the world’s second-most populous country, Indian railways said it was ready to modify 20,000 coaches into quarantine isolation units.
Maldives has seen an overall reduction of COVID-19 cases, with more patients recovering than new ones being confirmed amid stringent precautionary measures taken by the government.
The country has 17 confirmed cases of COVID-19, out of which 13 patients have made a full recovery.
One more COVID-19 patient in Vietnam has recovered on Tuesday, bringing the total cured cases in the country to 56, Vietnam News Agency reported. Its capital city of Hanoi set up makeshift stations providing 10-minute COVID-19 tests for free.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered a 15-day nationwide social distancing against COVID-19 starting from Wednesday, requiring people to stay at home, keep a distance of at least 2 meters from others, and avoid gatherings of more than two people.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Health confirmed one more COVID-19 case, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 204.
The Cambodian government decided to give tax breaks for three months to aviation companies starting from March to May to help offset losses caused by the COVID-19.
Myanmar confirmed the first death among its 14 positive COVID-19 cases.
Tokyo Olympics to be postponed until 2021!
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced here on Tuesday that Japan and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have agreed to postpone the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games by one year.
Abe made the announcement after a teleconference with IOC chief Thomas Bach, putting an end to two months speculation of the future of the Games since the outbreak of coronavirus in late January.
“I proposed to Mr Bach that we postpone the Games for a year. He 100 per cent agrees with me,” Abe said in a statement.
He added,
“This will make it possible for athletes to play in the best condition, and will make the event a safe and secure one for spectators.”
Also attending the teleconference were Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee President Yoshiro Mori and Olympics minister Seiko Hashimoto.
In the IOC’s side, Bach was joined by John Coates, the Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission, IOC Director General Christophe De Kepper and the IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi.
The IOC said later in a statement that the meeting was “very friendly and constructive” and the two leaders expressed their shared concern about the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.
The IOC statement reads,
“The Tokyo Olympics must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021.”
The two sides agreed that “the Olympic flame will stay in Japan. It was also agreed that the Games will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.”
Olympic flame lit for Tokyo 2020 in Games’ birthplace
The Olympic Flame for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games was ignited on Thursday at a ceremony in Olympia in western Greece, the birthplace of the Games.
In the role of an ancient Greek high priestess, actress Xanthi Georgiou used a concave mirror to focus the sun’s rays and light the torch at 12:10am local time.
She stood before the ruins of the 2,500-year-old temple dedicated to Greek goddess Hera, a few meters from the entrance of the ancient stadium where the Games originated 25 centuries ago, and prayed to Greek god Apollo.
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“Apollo, God of the sun and the idea of light, send your rays and light the sacred torch for the hospitable city of Tokyo,” she said.
A few moments later, dozens of dancers playing the roles of priestesses, goddesses and male youths in pleated costumes performed on the stadium’s slope inspired by ancient Greek pottery and statues.
The flame was transported in a replica of an ancient urn inside the stadium and the high priestess kindled the first Olympic torch and passed the flame to the first torchbearer, Greek shooter Anna Korakaki.
The Olympic shooting champion had won a gold and a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and is the first woman ever to start the torch relay.
The athlete was also given a branch of an olive tree, a symbol of peace, honor and victory, while a dancer released a white pigeon to symbolize the spread of Olympic ideals to the world.
Noguchi Mizuki, gold medalist in the women’s marathon at the 2004 Athens Olympics was the second runner in the Greek leg of the relay.
Due to emergency measures implemented to contain the spread of coronavirus, only a limited number of around 100 dignitaries attended the event, which was closed to the public.
Among the attendees were Greek president Prokopis Pavlopoulos and IOC president Thomas Bach, along with representatives of the Greek government, the European Commission and the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee.
Prior to the ritual of the lighting of the flame, the Olympic anthem and national anthems of Japan and Greece were played, and Olympic, Japanese and Greek flags were hoisted inside the stadium.
“Today, in these fractured times, when the great narratives are worn out and challenged, Olympia, the Olympic Games, the universal values that stem from them, continue to shine and to move the people,” said mayor of Olympia Georgios Georgiopoulos.
The mayor pointed to challenges such as the migrant crisis, climate change, global conflicts and the coronavirus epidemic, expressing hope that all can be addressed through cooperation.
“All nations will keep making our best efforts together,” said Toshiaki Endo, special representative from the Tokyo organizing committee.
“The lighting of the Olympic flame today marks the beginning of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The concept underpinning the Tokyo 2020 Olympic torch relay is ‘Hope Lights Our Way’,” he added.
The Japanese official noted that the flame will be lit in Japan by hydrogen-produced solar energy from Fukushima Prefecture, which was among the worst affected areas in the country’s 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
Hydrogen will also be used to power the Games’ cauldron in Tokyo and all fuel cell vehicles for the Games’ transportation, he added.
“I am sure our Japanese friends will once again stage an excellent Games, bringing together tradition, state-of-the-art technology and respect of the environment,” said Spyros Capralos, President of the Hellenic Olympic Commitee (HOC), which has organized lighting and handover ceremonies since 1936.
Capralos also wished the Tokyo 2020 organizers the best of luck. The city last hosted the Olympic Games in 1964.
The close of Thursday’s ceremony at the ancient stadium marked the start of the torch relay.
The relay’s first leg across Greece will end on March 19 in Athens, where the sacred flame will be delivered to the Tokyo 2020 team in a handover ceremony at the marble Panathinaic stadium, which hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.
Katerina Stefanidi, who won gold in the pole vault at the 2016 Olympics, will be the final Greek torchbearer to carry the flame inside the Panathenaic stadium, marking the end of the torch relay’s Greek leg.
A total of 600 torchbearers will carry the Olympic flame across 3,200 kilometers in Greece, passing through dozens of cities and archaeological sites, HOC officials said.
The second leg of the relay will end in July at the stadium, which will be the main venue of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
All Tokyo 2020 new venues completed on schedule
All eight permanent venues for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games have been completed, organizers announced on Friday.
The Tokyo Aquatics Centre, the last new venue to be completed, has been finished on schedule by the end of February, it said in a statement.
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It is the last new venue to be completed and “is scheduled to be inaugurated on March 22.”
A total of 43 venues — eight new permanent venues, 25 existing facilities and 10 temporary venues — will be used at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
“With the completion of all new permanent venues, the overall preparation of all venues is progressing on schedule,” the statement said.
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The Olympic Games are set to run from July 24 to August 9.
Three more countries confirm 1st COVID-19 cases, governments boost containment efforts
Armenia, the Dominican Republic, and the Czech Republic joined the list of countries reporting their first cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, while the worst-hit countries have been strengthening their efforts in the fight against the epidemic.
The first confirmed case in the Dominican Republic is a 62-year-old tourist from Italy, now in a stable condition in a military hospital, the country’s health authority said.
The Czech Republic reported the first three confirmed cases, two of which are in Prague’s Na Bulovce Hospital, and the third is in Masaryk Hospital in Usti nad Labem. The two men and a woman have all traveled to Italy recently, said Health Minister Adam Vojtech.
The first confirmed case in Armenia is a male Armenian citizen, who returned on Friday on a repatriation flight from Iran and on Sunday tested positive for COVID-19. As a precautionary measure, 30 others are to be quarantined, according to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Many countries facing new confirmed cases have been stepping up their efforts against the disease.
In the United Kingdom, local government on Sunday reported the first confirmed case in Scotland, bringing the total number across the UK to 36. The patient, who recently returned from northern Italy, is being treated in isolation, and clinicians have begun contact tracing.
In light of the situation, the British government has arranged a meeting of its emergency committee, to be chaired by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday.
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The U.S. state of New York confirmed its first case on Sunday, a woman in her late 30s who contracted the virus while traveling in Iran. Meanwhile, Washington State reported its second coronavirus death on Sunday evening, one day after it declared a state of emergency after the first death caused by the disease in the United States was reported in the state.
More cases of COVID-19 of unknown origin have been reported in western U.S. states, triggering concern about local person-to-person spread of the infectious disease. Oregon reported a confirmed case of a patient with no travel history nor close contact with infected individuals.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned the public of an inevitable outbreak of coronavirus within the country.
The Irish Health Department said Sunday that a secondary school in the east of Ireland will be closed for 14 days, after links with the first confirmed COVID-19 case in the country were discovered.
Meanwhile, the governments of some of the worst-hit countries have rolled out extra measures to contain a further spread of the disease.
South Korea confirmed 476 more cases on Monday, taking the total number of infections to 4,212 and the death toll to at least 22.
With virus infections soaring over the past two weeks, the country has raised its four-tier virus alert to the highest level, and designated Daegu and its neighboring county in the south Cheongdo as “special care” zones.
Daegu, about 300 km southeast of the capital Seoul, is the epicenter of the viral spread in the country. The Daegu outbreak has been closely connected with the homegrown religious sect Sincheonji, with 2,113 infections linked to the group as of Sunday morning.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in vowed Sunday to overcome the outbreak through national unity at home and in cooperation with neighboring countries such as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, China, Japan, and nearby Southeast Asian nations.
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Japan has reported more than 900 domestic cases of infection as of Friday, with over 700 related to the Diamond Princess, a cruise ship previously quarantined near Tokyo.
The government has said that the coming two-week period is crucial to containing the spread of the virus. Many large public events have been canceled, as per the government’s requirements, while popular theme parks such as Tokyo Disneyland and Universal Studios Japan have been temporarily shut.
The government has also asked all elementary, junior-high and high schools to temporarily close beginning March 2 for around a month.
Hokkaido has declared a state of emergency in the northernmost prefecture, where at least 66 infections have been confirmed as of Friday.
Iran’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education said Sunday that the outbreak has affected 987 people and killed 54 in the country.
In the central Yazd city, the construction of a hospital for the exclusive use of treating COVID-19 patients kicked off on Sunday morning, and is expected to be finished within days.
Meanwhile, people showing symptoms have been barred from leaving the city of Qom, where the country’s first two cases were reported, while educational centers have been shut down in cities and provinces seriously hit by the virus. Iran’s parliament also said Friday it would stop working temporarily.
Italy on Sunday reported a total of 1,577 confirmed cases and a death toll of 34.
A total of 15 regions and one autonomous province have seen infections, with most of those infected in the northern part of the country, including Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, and Veneto.
Giovanni Rezza, head of the Italian High Institute of Health’s Department of Infectious Diseases, said peak acceleration in Italy was still several days away, while most containment measures were put into place a week ago.
The cabinet passed a first package of measures to support households, companies, and economic sectors in the worst affected areas on Friday, and a second package to contain the impact on the overall domestic economy was announced.
By 1500 GMT on Sunday, data from the World Health Organization (WHO) showed that 87,161 cases have been confirmed in 60 countries, and death cases have increased to 2,980.
On Friday, the WHO raised the risk assessment of COVID-19 from “high” to “very high” at the global level, as an increasing number of cases in more countries were reported over the last few days.
Hungary in talks with investors in Japan, China on green bond issue
Hungary is in talks on the issue of a three- to five-year “green bond” with investors in Japan and China, Finance Minister Mihály Varga said in an interview published on business news website mfor.hu on Monday.
“We’re currently in talks on the green bond in two markets, in Japan and in China. There is stronger interest [in Japan] where a number of players have appeared as partners for an issue. We’ll launch this year; the framework will be established by mid-year on the basis of which we can decide the issue scale of such a security. We’re thinking of a three- to five-year maturity, and we’ll use the proceeds to finance investments that specifically protect the climate,” Varga told mfor.hu.
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Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced the launch of the green bond that will be used to finance climate-friendly programmes in the framework of a climate protection action plan unveiled at an annual state of the nation speech earlier in February.
Varga told mfor.hu that the government is also weighing the possibility of making the green bond available to resident retail investors, but he said the securities would first be issued to institutional investors.
Varga confirmed that a new government security targeted at Hungarians saving for retirement would be launched this year.
“We want to launch a kind of construction that draws [retail] investors with more favourable conditions, getting them to buy the securities sooner, at a younger age. We want to ensure favourable yields…[and] sufficient flexibility allowing savings to be topped up at any time, based on the needs of the client,” he told mfor.hu.
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Asked about the term of the bond, Varga said the government had “not wound up consultations on the matter of, for example, allowing access to the savings after a period of ten years, similar to the practice of pension funds, or only after the investor reaches retirement age”.
Commenting on the impact on the retail investment market of the government’s popular Plus bond, Varga said the overall effect had been “positive”. Strong demand for the Plus demand has reduced price pressure on the real estate market and supported a better balance between supply and demand, he explained.
Responding to criticism that that the high-yield bond had hoovered up retail savings from other banking sector products, Varga said banks are free to compete with the Plus bond.
“The goal is not to cannibalise the market and suck up all the money, rather it is to further improve the competitiveness of the economy and strengthen the foundations of growth by increasing savings,” he said.
“If more people make savings, that’s good for banks, too,” he added.
Varga said the earlier announced goal of raising the outstanding amount of retail government securities to 11,000 billion forints (EUR 33.3bn) in five years could be achieved before the 2023 target date.