Suicides Up In Japan For Fourth Straight Month

Suicides up in Japan for fourth straight month

The number of suicides in Japan rose for a fourth straight month in October.

The National Police Agency says the number of people who took their lives last month was 2,153, up 39.9 percent from a year earlier. The monthly total is the highest in the past five years.

Suga Marks One Month In Office

Suga marks one month in office

Japan's Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has pledged to tackle key issues as he marks his first month in office on Friday.

Suga told reporters it has been a month since he formed a Cabinet that works for the people, and he feels time has passed very quickly. He added that he is always mindful of carrying out what should be done with a sense of speed, and without hesitation.

Japan's Machinery Orders Rise For 2nd Month

Japan's machinery orders rise for 2nd month

Japan's machinery orders rose in August from the previous month, increasing for a second straight month.

The Cabinet Office says major machinery makers received about 7.1 billion dollars' worth of orders from domestic companies, up 0.2 percent in yen terms from July.

One Month After Deadly Miyazaki Mudslide

One month after deadly Miyazaki mudslide

It has been one month since a deadly mudslide, triggered by a typhoon, hit a village in Miyazaki Prefecture, southwestern Japan.

The mudslide in Shiiba Village occurred on September 6, as Typhoon Haishen was approaching Japan. The mudslide swept away the home of the construction company owner, Aioi Hideki, and the company office.

Playstation Plus Has A Free Need For Speed Game This Month

Playstation Plus has a free Need For Speed game this month

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

We'll be honest, not a whole lot happened in the world of racing games this week, and without the hype of new console announcements, there's a bit of a lull in video game news in general. That said, there are still a few things we'd love to highlight in the gaming world this week for the hardest of the hardcore. 

Japan May Ease Global Entry Controls Next Month

Japan may ease global entry controls next month

The government of Japan may ease restrictions on entry into the country by people from around the world next month.

At present, people from 159 countries and territories are denied entry in principle. But the government is holding talks to ease restrictions with more than a dozen nations and territories where the infection is under control. The government has already resumed travel for businesspeople from Vietnam, Taiwan and elsewhere.

Japan's Industrial Output Rises For 2nd Month

Japan's industrial output rises for 2nd month

Japan's industrial production rose sharply in July as factory activity continued to recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The industry ministry says production rose 8 percent in July from the previous month. It marks the second consecutive month of increase. Automakers and parts makers boosted their output for overseas markets. They had been forced to cut production as COVID-19 stifled global demand.

Corporate Service Prices Drop For 5th Month

Corporate service prices drop for 5th month

The key gauge for business in Japan has dropped for the fifth consecutive month, due to a decrease in business travel amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Bank of Japan says the Services Producer Price Index fell 0.6 percent in July from the year before. That excludes the effects of last year's consumption tax hike.

Regional Gaps In Cases One Month After Emergency

Regional gaps in cases one month after emergency

Regional gaps in coronavirus infections have emerged since the state of emergency was completely lifted in Japan a month ago. Tokyo and urban areas continue to report many cases, while 17 prefectures have not had any new infections in the past month.

Thursday marks exactly one month since the emergency ended on May 25.

Govt. Mulls Extending Emergency By About A Month

Govt. mulls extending emergency by about a month

The Japanese government is considering extending a nationwide state of emergency for the coronavirus pandemic by about a month. The declaration is currently scheduled to be in place until next Wednesday.

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo said at an Upper House Budget Committee meeting on Wednesday that the question remains whether it will be possible to say on May 6 that the state of emergency is over. He said that prospect still appears unlikely, noting that cases of infection continue to rise.