Japan To Suspend All New Travelers From Abroad

Japan to suspend all new travelers from abroad

The Japanese government has decided to suspend new entries of all non-resident foreign nationals following the detection of variants of the coronavirus outside the country.

The government will implement the measure between December 28 and January 31.

Junkyard Gem: 1992 Toyota Previa All-trac With 5-speed Manual Transmission

Junkyard Gem: 1992 Toyota Previa All-Trac with 5-Speed Manual Transmission

Between the boxy Toyota Van of the middle 1980s and the competent-but-unexciting Sienna of our current century, Toyota spent much of the 1990s trying to sell Americans the oddball Previa minivan. A masterpiece of engineering wrapped in a goofy-yet-futuristic-looking egg-shaped body, the Previa boasted a mid-mounted engine flipped on its side and located beneath the front seats. Later versions had an intercooled supercharger, and Previa shoppers wishing for better grip in mud and snow could get Toyota's innovative All-Trac all-wheel-drive system. All-Trac Previas are slightly easier to find in Colorado junkyards than their Camry brethren — yes, there was a Camry All-Trac in the late 1980s and early 1990s — but a Previa with All-Trac and a manual transmission? That super-rare combination is exactly what we've got for today's Junkyard Gem!

Mazda Heroes Winners Announced, And All 50 Will Be Gifted Miatas

Mazda Heroes winners announced, and all 50 will be gifted Miatas

The Mazda Heroes program is finally announcing its winners. If you recall our original story back in October this year, Mazda said it was giving away 50 MX-5 Miata 100th Anniversary Special Edition models. Each car is destined for individuals who "tirelessly dedicated themselves to their communities throughout 2020" through "selfless acts, creative thinking and contributions to community." The battle against Covid-19 has been long, and it's not over, but Mazda is trying to bring a little convertible happiness into an otherwise bleak year.

One of the winners, Jason Erdreich, is featured in the video at the top of this post. He used his skills as a shop teacher and access to 3-D printers to print thousands of pieces of PPE for medical workers who were in dire need of it. He also appears to own an NA Miata, so he's no stranger to Mazda's roadster.

Patients' Group: Ensure Medical Care For All

Patients' group: Ensure medical care for all

People with intractable diseases in Japan want the government to ensure sufferers of all illnesses can receive care during the coronavirus pandemic, which is putting an increasing burden on the medical system.

The Japan Patients Association, which comprises 93 organizations of patients with intractable or chronic illnesses, submitted an urgent request earlier this week.

Honda Announces All-new N-one Kei Car, Adds Manual-transmission Option

Honda announces all-new N-One kei car, adds manual-transmission option

The Japan-only N-One kei car has been a favorite among Honda enthusiasts since its debut in 2012. Mostly, that was due to its lovable styling — which was inspired by the 1967 N360 and the N600, its U.S. market variant — even though its was only available with a 3-cylinder mated to a CVT. Now, after eight years, Honda has announced an all-new N-One and given it a 6-speed manual transmission option.

It's a supremely rare move in the automotive world these days. Manual transmissions are hanging on by a thread, and automakers are taking them away these days rather than adding them to a new generation that didn't offer one before. Honda says it did so as a direct response to customer demands. So hey, maybe internet comments do make a difference!

Company Cancels All Orders For Third-party Sony Ps5 Faceplates

Company Cancels All Orders For Third-Party Sony PS5 Faceplates

This led to opportunities from third-party companies looking to create accessories for the console, like a company calling themselves CustomizeMyPlates. Unfortunately, it seems that the company has since been forced to cancel all orders that were placed through them for custom PS5 faceplates following a legal letter from Sony that threatened a lawsuit should they proceed.

Speaking to VGC in an email, the company said, “Before we launched, we did our due diligence and were of the opinion, that because Sony only had pending patents on the faceplates there would be no problem. But after only a day of our website being live, Sony’s lawyers asked us to change our name (at the time PlateStation5), due to trademark infringements. We thought this switch would be enough to keep everyone happy, and honestly were hoping so since we were already underway with our product development.”

A-bomb Survivors Want All Nations To Join Un Pact

A-bomb survivors want all nations to join UN pact

Survivors of the 1945 atomic bombings in Japan say they will continue collecting signatures for a campaign calling on all countries to join the United Nations treaty banning nuclear weapons.

Officials of Nihon Hidankyo, or the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, held a news conference in Tokyo on Monday.

Omaze Is Raffling Off An All-new 2020 Subaru Outback

Omaze is raffling off an all-new 2020 Subaru Outback

Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change. No donation or payment necessary to enter or win this sweepstakes. See official rules on Omaze.

Enter to win this giveaway or any other Omaze experience between now and December 31, 2020, and receive 150 bonus entries with Autoblog's exclusive code AUTOBLOG150. Simply add the discount at checkout.

Learn All About The Week's Racing Game News In Our Gaming Roundup

Learn all about the week's racing game news in our gaming roundup

Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability is subject to change.

The crossover between gearheads and gamers is growing every day. Professional race car drivers develop their chops digitally before ever stepping foot onto certain tracks thanks to racing simulators like iRacing. Entertainers like T-Pain are simultaneously diving into both automotive and gaming ventures.We even see the overlap first-hand every on our very own livestreams, where car enthusiasts of all ages from around the world join us to talk about not only their favorite cars, but also, their favorite racing and driving games. Because of all the hype, we wanted to create a place on Autoblog to talk about the gaming news of the week, and how it might relate to the automotive world (and for any parents out there, we'll try to help you make sense of some of the madness.) Enter: Autoblog's Gaming Roundup. Let's dive in.