Japan

[ad_1] A bill aimed at bolstering measures to tackle Japan's declining birthrate was adopted at a Cabinet meeting on Friday.The bill, which amends related laws, includes plans to expand child benefits and establish a system allowing any child to enroll in day care establishments regardless of whether their parents work or not.In order to secure the funds necessary for such measures, the government will collect "support funds" from the general […]

[ad_1] Seoul – About 20% of South Korea's trainee doctors said on Friday they would resign effective Tuesday to protest a government plan to admit more students to medical schools, saying this would hurt the national health insurance system.Representatives of the trainees, who work at the country's five biggest hospitals, all in Seoul, have decided to leave their posts on Tuesday, the head of the Korea Interns and Residents Association […]

[ad_1] The United Kingdom slipped into a mild recession in the second half of 2023, showing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has so far failed to meet his pledge to grow the economy.Gross domestic product fell 0.3% in the fourth quarter, more than the 0.1% drop economists forecast, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released Thursday show. That followed an unrevised 0.1% decline in the previous three months, meeting […]

[ad_1] Osaka – A man who appeared in a viral video engaging in unsanitary behavior at a Yoshinoya beef bowl diner in Osaka was given a prison term of two years and four months, and fined ¥200,000 ($1,300) on Thursday, with the sentence also reflecting a drug offense. Ryu Shimazu, a 35-year-old construction worker, was found guilty of obstructing business operations and causing property damage by bringing a communal container […]

[ad_1] With his victory in Indonesia’s presidential election all but confirmed, Prabowo Subianto's ascendance to the country’s top post looks set to usher in a new chapter in Jakarta’s foreign relations.The ex-general is widely expected to bolster his country’s armed forces and raise Indonesia’s international standing while continuing to avoid aligning with either Washington or Beijing in the superpowers’ rivalry.But there is also an element of unpredictability when it comes […]

[ad_1] Toho Cinemas released the film “Godzilla Minus One” on Nov. 3, 2023, as part of the celebration of the 70th anniversary this year of the classic kaijū franchise. The film is a throwback in the vein of the 1954 original, garnering positive reviews and, on Jan. 23, the series’ first Academy Award nomination.Perhaps Yomiuri Giants fans will take the success of this modern spin on an old classic as […]

[ad_1] HONG KONG – Faced with diminishing job prospects as the economy slows, Chu Yi is choosing to "lie flat," a Chinese term used to describe people who work just enough to afford to spend their time on what they enjoy.The Shanghai-based 23-year-old used to work at a fashion company, but said she quit her job two years ago because she had to frequently work overtime and she hated her […]

[ad_1] Frankfurt – German automaker Volkswagen said Wednesday it was discussing the future of its activities in China's troubled Xinjiang province, following fresh allegations of human rights abuses.The Handelsblatt financial daily reported that forced labor may have been used to build a test track in Turpan, Xinjiang in 2019.VW said it had seen no evidence of human rights violations in connection with the project but that it would investigate any […]

[ad_1] Public support for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's Cabinet fell to 16.9% in February, marking a new record low for his administration since its start in October 2021, a Jiji Press opinion poll showed Thursday.The figure is also the lowest for a Liberal Democratic Party-led administration since the party returned to power in December 2012.The approval rate dropped 1.7 percentage points from January, while the disapproval rate climbed 6.4 percentage […]