Japan will roll out a dual mode vehicle that resembles a mini bus. It can run both on roads and railway tracks. Take a look at our next report.

Japan to roll out vehicle that can run on roads, railway tracks

Japan woke up into a blanket of snow as record-breaking snowfall prompts travel disruptions and a halt to the daily lives of people.

Japan witnesses record snowfall with Niigata Prefecture worst-hit

Japan's retail sales rose faster than expected in November, due to decreasing COVID-19 cases in the month, which have encouraged shoppers to ramp up spending on goods and services.

Japan retail sales gain 1.9% in November

Heavy snow in the northern and western parts of Japan has led to cancellation of&nbsp;more than 100 domestic flights&nbsp;on Sunday, said two biggest airlines functioning in the nation. &nbsp;

Around 77 flights have been stopped by ANA Holdings as of 1 pm (0400 GMT), which has affected about 5,100 passengers, said Yutaka Kitahara, operations director of the company. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/over-6000-flights-grounded-globally-over-christmas-weekend-amid-omicron-surge-439999">Over 6,000 flights grounded globally over Christmas weekend amid Omicron surge</a>

Kitahara said, "As the weather situation in northeastern Japan remains unstable, there could be more cancellations to come." &nbsp;&nbsp;

Not just this, 35 flights have also been cancelled by Japan Airlines Co as of 10 am (0100 GMT). The move will affect 1,810 passengers, said a representative of the operations division of the airline. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-and-us-draft-joint-military-plan-to-protect-taiwan-from-china-report-439491" hreflang="en">Japan and US draft joint military plan to protect Taiwan from China: Report</a>

Numerous flights have already been cancelled around the world during the Christmas weekend over staffing issues due to the spread of Omicron variant of coronavirus.

As Japan has tightened border controls, the country has reported only a dozen cases of community spread of the new variant. It has recorded just 231 Omicron infections in total, which include overseas arrivals, as per the health ministry of the country. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Heavy snow in the northern and western parts of Japan has led to cancellation of more than 100 domestic flights on Sunday, said two biggest airlines functioning in the nation.

Heavy snow in the northern and western parts of Japan has led to cancellation of more than 100 domestic flights on Sunday, said two biggest airlines functioning in the nation. Around 77 flights have been stopped by ANA Holdings as of 1 pm (0400 GMT), which has affected about 5,100 passengers, said Yutaka Kitahara, operations director of the company. Also Read: Over 6,000 flights grounded globally over Christmas weekend amid Omicron surge Kitahara said, "As the weather situation in northeastern Japan remains unstable, there could be more cancellations to come." Not just this, 35 flights have also been cancelled by Japan Airlines Co as of 10 am (0100 GMT). The move will affect 1,810 passengers, said a representative of the operations division of the airline. Also Read | Japan and US draft joint military plan to protect Taiwan from China: Report Numerous flights have already been cancelled around the world during the Christmas weekend over staffing issues due to the spread of Omicron variant of coronavirus. As Japan has tightened border controls, the country has reported only a dozen cases of community spread of the new variant. It has recorded just 231 Omicron infections in total, which include overseas arrivals, as per the health ministry of the country. (With inputs from agencies)

Heavy snow in Japan leads to cancellation of over 100 domestic flights

After Japan announced that it will not send government officials to the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022, China's foreign ministry on Friday (December 24) has urged Japan not to "politicise sports". The move is not described as a diplomatic boycott and the Japanese government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said that there were "no plans" for officials to attend the Games.

China slams Japan for not sending govt officials to Beijing Olympics

China slams Japan's decision on not sending govt officials to Beijing Olympics

As tensions continue to escalate between Taiwan and China, reports have now surfaced saying that the United States and Japan are designing a new joint military strategy for Taiwan against possible attacks coming from China.

Reports: US & Japan planning 'Attack Base' in Taiwan against possible attacks from China

A Japanese professor has come up with a prototype device 'Taste the TV'. The device allows the viewers to taste what appears on screen by licking.

Japanese professor introduce 'Taste the TV'

Amid the ongoing diplomatic bandwagon, Japan says it won't send a government delegation to China for Beijing Winter Olympics

Japan says it would not send govt officials to upcoming winter games

As tensions between China and Taiwan are escalating, Japan and US have reportedly drawn up a draft plan for a joint operation in case of emergency.<o:p></o:p>

According to local reports from Japan’s Kyodo news agency, American and Japanese armed forces are coming together to get ready for any possible escalation in Taiwan, caused by China.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-escalating-chinese-threats-japan-passes-a-record-defence-budget-439462">Amid escalating Chinese threats, Japan passes a record defence budget</a>&nbsp;</o:p>

As per the reported plan, the US marine corps will set up temporary bases on the Nansei island chain, which will stretch from Kyushu to Taiwan. American troops will be deployed at these temporary bases.<o:p></o:p>

Japanese forces will be responsible for providing supplies of ammunition, fuel and more. They will also help in providing logistical support.<o:p></o:p>

This will be the initial stage in case of a Taiwan emergency. China has been testing the waters in Taiwan as Beijing claims that Taiwan (which is democratically governed) is China's 'sacred' territory. Beijing has been increasing its diplomatic, psychological and military pressure in Taiwan.

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-how-china-could-be-driving-up-global-inflation-439433">WATCH |</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-how-china-could-be-driving-up-global-inflation-439433/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Early in December, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had claimed that in case of a Taiwan emergency, US and Japan will not just stand by and watch. <o:p></o:p>

Taiwan has repeatedly claimed that the island nation wants peace, but has also asserted that it will not stand by and watch China attack. Taiwan officials have claimed that the nation will defend itself, if needed.<o:p></o:p>

Meanwhile, as the tensions increase in the area, Japan has approved defence budget of 5.4 trillion yen ($47.2 billion). This is the tenth year where the budget has seen an increase in the yearly defence spending, and has also crossed the usual limit of one per cent of GDP that the country has mainly maintained for decades.

<o:p>(Inputs from agencies)</o:p>

As tensions between China and Taiwan are escalating, Japan and US have reportedly drawn up a draft plan for a joint operation in case of emergency. According to local reports from Japan’s Kyodo news agency, American and Japanese armed forces are coming together to get ready for any possible escalation in Taiwan, caused by China.

As tensions between China and Taiwan are escalating, Japan and US have reportedly drawn up a draft plan for a joint operation in case of emergency. According to local reports from Japan’s Kyodo news agency, American and Japanese armed forces are coming together to get ready for any possible escalation in Taiwan, caused by China. Also read | Amid escalating Chinese threats, Japan passes a record defence budget As per the reported plan, the US marine corps will set up temporary bases on the Nansei island chain, which will stretch from Kyushu to Taiwan. American troops will be deployed at these temporary bases. Japanese forces will be responsible for providing supplies of ammunition, fuel and more. They will also help in providing logistical support. This will be the initial stage in case of a Taiwan emergency. China has been testing the waters in Taiwan as Beijing claims that Taiwan (which is democratically governed) is China's 'sacred' territory. Beijing has been increasing its diplomatic, psychological and military pressure in Taiwan. WATCH | Early in December, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had claimed that in case of a Taiwan emergency, US and Japan will not just stand by and watch. Taiwan has repeatedly claimed that the island nation wants peace, but has also asserted that it will not stand by and watch China attack. Taiwan officials have claimed that the nation will defend itself, if needed. Meanwhile, as the tensions increase in the area, Japan has approved defence budget of 5.4 trillion yen ($47.2 billion). This is the tenth year where the budget has seen an increase in the yearly defence spending, and has also crossed the usual limit of one per cent of GDP that the country has mainly maintained for decades. (Inputs from agencies)

Japan and US draft joint military plan to protect Taiwan from China: Report

Japan snubs Beijing Winter Olympic as it won't send a government delegation to China

Japan says it won't send a government delegation to China for Beijing Winter Olympics

Japan may have a global image of a high-tech country where extremely disciplines citizens walk the roads just as Yakuza, the dreaded Japanese mafia does! But the country is in news for an interesting reason. Milk!

Japanese politicians are urging people to drink milk. Ministers are drinking glasses of milk during news conferences to drive home the point. A major brand has roped in a celebrity to encourage consumption of milk and even the prime minister has joined the chorus urging the Japanese to take a nourishing sip.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-hangs-3-defends-capital-punishment-calls-it-necessary-for-atrocious-crimes-438987">Japan hangs 3, defends 'capital punishment', calls it necessary for 'atrocious crimes'</a>

“We’d like the population to cooperate in drinking an extra cup of milk than you’d normally do and make use of milk products when cooking,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday. He was speaking at a news conference that was held at the end of the parliamentary session.

Kishida is not alone in this milk crusade. On December 17, Japan's farm minister Genjiro Kaneko and Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike drank glasses of milk in their press conferences.

All this effort is on to avoid huge wastage of milk. Government statistics have been quoted in news reports saying that Japan stares at a massive 5000 tonnes of milk wastage just this winter.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/now-supply-chain-disruption-hits-mcdonalds-in-japan-french-fries-take-a-hit-439149">Now, supply chain disruption hits McDonald's in Japan; French fries take a hit</a>

Japanese farmers have joined forces to prevent this wastage. They have pledged to buy 1 litre of milk from December 25 to January 3. They are drawing attention to their effort through social media by using the hashtag #1Lperday.

The industry and dairy giants have stepped up as well. Lawson Inc's convenience store chain is offering a discount of 50 per cent on a steaming cup of hot milk. They are targetting new year celebrations and offering the discount on December 31 and January 1.

Meiji Holdings Company, a dairy industry giant has gone one step ahead. It has roped in Saori Yoshida, an Olympic wrestling champion and running a campaign to increase milk consumption

The reason behind it all

Japan sees weaker demand for milk this time of the year. Schoolchildren are usually given boxes of milk in Japan. However, with kids ar home due to holiday season nationwide, huge amount of milk is unutilised.

In addition to this, major retailers temporarily close around this time of the year.

Covid pandemic has added another dimension to this. With hospitality industry still recovering from the downturn, demand for milk is slow in this sector. 
&nbsp;

Japan may have a global image of a high-tech country where extremely disciplines citizens walk the roads just as Yakuza, the dreaded Japanese mafia does! But the country is in news for an interesting reason.

Japan may have a global image of a high-tech country where extremely disciplines citizens walk the roads just as Yakuza, the dreaded Japanese mafia does! But the country is in news for an interesting reason. Milk! Japanese politicians are urging people to drink milk. Ministers are drinking glasses of milk during news conferences to drive home the point. A major brand has roped in a celebrity to encourage consumption of milk and even the prime minister has joined the chorus urging the Japanese to take a nourishing sip. Also read | Japan hangs 3, defends 'capital punishment', calls it necessary for 'atrocious crimes' “We’d like the population to cooperate in drinking an extra cup of milk than you’d normally do and make use of milk products when cooking,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday. He was speaking at a news conference that was held at the end of the parliamentary session. Kishida is not alone in this milk crusade. On December 17, Japan's farm minister Genjiro Kaneko and Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike drank glasses of milk in their press conferences. All this effort is on to avoid huge wastage of milk. Government statistics have been quoted in news reports saying that Japan stares at a massive 5000 tonnes of milk wastage just this winter. Also read | Now, supply chain disruption hits McDonald's in Japan; French fries take a hit Japanese farmers have joined forces to prevent this wastage. They have pledged to buy 1 litre of milk from December 25 to January 3. They are drawing attention to their effort through social media by using the hashtag #1Lperday. The industry and dairy giants have stepped up as well. Lawson Inc's convenience store chain is offering a discount of 50 per cent on a steaming cup of hot milk. They are targetting new year celebrations and offering the discount on December 31 and January 1. Meiji Holdings Company, a dairy industry giant has gone one step ahead. It has roped in Saori Yoshida, an Olympic wrestling champion and running a campaign to increase milk consumption The reason behind it all Japan sees weaker demand for milk this time of the year. Schoolchildren are usually given boxes of milk in Japan. However, with kids ar home due to holiday season nationwide, huge amount of milk is unutilised. In addition to this, major retailers temporarily close around this time of the year. Covid pandemic has added another dimension to this. With hospitality industry still recovering from the downturn, demand for milk is slow in this sector.

Drink milk, Japan urges people as huge wastage looms

A screen that tastes good developed in Japan

Even after a case of community spread infection from the Omicron variant was reported in Japan, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno has said that the government is not considering any immediate change in current restrictions.

Even after a case of community spread infection from the Omicron variant was reported in Japan, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno has said that the government is not considering any immediate change in current restrictions. As per reports by news agency Jiji, the government has started preparations to expand free testing to people who are not showing any symptoms. This is being done to prevent the Omicron variant from spreading. This comes a day after Health minister Shigeyuki Goto said that three infections of the Omicron variant in Osaka were cases of community transfer. The infection route, however, is not yet clear. Also read | Japan reports first case of community spread of Omicron "I believe this counts as a case of community transfer. I think this will become the first in Osaka prefecture and the first in the country," Yoshimura said. Omicron, which was detected in late November, has now spread to many parts of the world. Meanwhile, the Japanese government has told the US military to comply with coronavirus rules after US Marine corps camp Hansen in central Okinawa Prefecture were hit with multiple Covid cases. Matsuno told the US officials that in case of a violation, strict measures will be taken "including some form of punishment" while urging the US military to comply with "instructions on behavioural management". (With inputs from agencies)

Even after surge in Omicron cases, Japan rules out changes in existing curbs

Japan hanged three death-row inmates, its first executions in two years, amid growing criticism by human rights groups of the country’s use of the death penalty. Executions are carried out in high secrecy in Japan, where prisoners are not informed of their fate until the morning they are hanged.

Three death row inmates hanged in Japan in first executions since 2019

Japanese authorities executed three prisoners on Tuesday, the first executions in two years. The government justified the executions by saying "atrocious crimes" require the continuation of capital punishment.

Despite international criticism, including from human rights groups, Japan remains one of the few developed countries that still practice capital punishment.

There are currently more than 100 death row inmates in Japan, most of them accused of mass murder. In most cases, executions by hanging are carried out many years after sentencing.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sierra-leone-lawmakers-vote-to-abolish-death-penalty-400273">Sierra Leone lawmakers vote to abolish death penalty</a>

Yasutaka Fujishiro, 65, was one of the three executed on Tuesday. He had killed his 80-year-old aunt, two cousins and four others in 2004 with a hammer and knife.

Two others were Tomoaki Takanezawa, 54, who killed two clerks at an arcade game parlour in 2003, and his accomplice Mitsunori Onogawa, 44.

It was the first execution under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who took office in October.

"Whether to keep the death sentence or not is an important issue that concerns the foundation of Japan's criminal justice system," deputy chief cabinet secretary Seiji Kihara said.

"Given that atrocious crimes keep occurring one after another, it is necessary to execute those whose guilt is extremely grave so it is inappropriate to abolish capital punishment."

Tadashi Ara, president of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, said members "strongly protest" Tuesday's executions.

He called on the government to "abolish capital punishment and stop all executions until it is abolished".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/death-via-zoom-several-in-indonesia-given-capital-punishment-via-virtual-hearings-379546">Death via Zoom: Several in Indonesia given capital punishment via virtual hearings</a>

According to Amnesty International, at least 483 people were executed worldwide last year in 18 countries.

This represents a drop of about a quarter from the previous year, which fits with a downward trend since 2015.

However, this figure does not include the "thousands" of executions believed to have taken place in China, North Korea, and Vietnam, which keep such data secret.

In the G7 group of developed countries, only Japan and the United States still use the death penalty.

In 2019, Japan executed three death row inmates and 15 in 2018 -- including 13 members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult responsible for the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway.

It is not uncommon for authorities to notify inmates just hours before execution.

The government is being sued by two prisoners for the system, which they claim is illegal and causes psychological distress.

Additionally, the pair is seeking $22 million for the distress caused by not knowing when their execution will take place.

Watch |&nbsp;Japan defends capital punishment to combat 'Atrocious Crimes' as it executes 3 death row inmates

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/japan-defends-capital-punishment-to-combat-atrocious-crimes-as-it-executes-3-death-row-inmates-438938/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In December 2020, Japan's top court overturned a ruling prohibiting the retrial of a man regarded as the world's longest-serving death row prisoner, giving the 85-year-old new hope.

After being convicted in 1968 of robbing and killing his boss, the man's wife, and their two teenage children, Iwao Hakamada has been living under the threat of death for more than half a century.

He and his supporters contend that he confessed only after an allegedly brutal police interrogation, which included beatings, and that evidence was planted in the case.

(With inputs from agencies)

Japanese authorities executed three prisoners on Tuesday, the first executions in two years. The government justified the executions by saying "atrocious crimes" require the continuation of capital punishment.

Japanese authorities executed three prisoners on Tuesday, the first executions in two years. The government justified the executions by saying "atrocious crimes" require the continuation of capital punishment. Despite international criticism, including from human rights groups, Japan remains one of the few developed countries that still practice capital punishment. There are currently more than 100 death row inmates in Japan, most of them accused of mass murder. In most cases, executions by hanging are carried out many years after sentencing. Also read | Sierra Leone lawmakers vote to abolish death penalty Yasutaka Fujishiro, 65, was one of the three executed on Tuesday. He had killed his 80-year-old aunt, two cousins and four others in 2004 with a hammer and knife. Two others were Tomoaki Takanezawa, 54, who killed two clerks at an arcade game parlour in 2003, and his accomplice Mitsunori Onogawa, 44. It was the first execution under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who took office in October. "Whether to keep the death sentence or not is an important issue that concerns the foundation of Japan's criminal justice system," deputy chief cabinet secretary Seiji Kihara said. "Given that atrocious crimes keep occurring one after another, it is necessary to execute those whose guilt is extremely grave so it is inappropriate to abolish capital punishment." Tadashi Ara, president of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, said members "strongly protest" Tuesday's executions. He called on the government to "abolish capital punishment and stop all executions until it is abolished". Also read | Death via Zoom: Several in Indonesia given capital punishment via virtual hearings According to Amnesty International, at least 483 people were executed worldwide last year in 18 countries. This represents a drop of about a quarter from the previous year, which fits with a downward trend since 2015. However, this figure does not include the "thousands" of executions believed to have taken place in China, North Korea, and Vietnam, which keep such data secret. In the G7 group of developed countries, only Japan and the United States still use the death penalty. In 2019, Japan executed three death row inmates and 15 in 2018 -- including 13 members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult responsible for the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway. It is not uncommon for authorities to notify inmates just hours before execution. The government is being sued by two prisoners for the system, which they claim is illegal and causes psychological distress. Additionally, the pair is seeking $22 million for the distress caused by not knowing when their execution will take place. Watch | Japan defends capital punishment to combat 'Atrocious Crimes' as it executes 3 death row inmates In December 2020, Japan's top court overturned a ruling prohibiting the retrial of a man regarded as the world's longest-serving death row prisoner, giving the 85-year-old new hope. After being convicted in 1968 of robbing and killing his boss, the man's wife, and their two teenage children, Iwao Hakamada has been living under the threat of death for more than half a century. He and his supporters contend that he confessed only after an allegedly brutal police interrogation, which included beatings, and that evidence was planted in the case. (With inputs from agencies)

Japan hangs 3, defends 'capital punishment', calls it necessary for 'atrocious crimes'

Japan hanged three death-row inmates on Tuesday, its first executions in two years, amid growing criticism by human rights groups of the country’s use of the death penalty. Executions are carried out in high secrecy in Japan, where prisoners are not informed of their fate until the morning they are hanged.

Japan defends capital punishment, hangs three death-row inmates

Japan has defended their use of capital punishment to combat 'Atrocious Crimes' as it executes three death row inmates convicted of mass murder.

Japan defends capital punishment to combat 'Atrocious Crimes' as it executes 3 death row inmates

As the world is battling with the surge of covid-19 variant, Japan is gearing up for the worst-case scenario possible with the third case of the variant reported.

Covid-19 Latest News: Japan reports third case of Omicron variant

Japan on Tuesday confirmed its first case of infection from the new Omicron COVID-19 variant. This means that the new strain has now spread to 17 countries.

Japan becomes latest country to detect new Omicron COVID-19 variant

In a disastrous event, fire engulfed a building in a commercial district in Japan's Osaka. 27 people are being feared dead in the unfortunate incident.

Japan: Fire engulfs building in a commercial district in Osaka

In a disastrous event, a fire engulfed a building in a commercial district in Japan's Osaka. 27 people are being feared dead in the unfortunate incident.

Japan: Police probes arson as a possible cause for a building fire in a commercial district in Osaka

An inflatable e-scooter compact enough to be stored inside a commuter's backpack has been unveiled in Japan. The Poimo, developed by the University of Tokyo, can be inflated in just over a minute, using an electric pump.

Electric scooter made up of thermoplastic polyurethane can fit into back pack

Japan's prime minister said on Wednesday that the government had overstated the value of some construction orders received from builders for years, in a blow to the credibility of official statistics widely used by investors and economists.

Officials and analysts said the builders involved were relatively small firms and therefore this practice was likely to have had only a minimal impact on gross domestic product (GDP) figures.

"It is regrettable that such a thing has happened," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said. "The government will examine as soon as possible what steps it can take to avoid such an incident from happening again."

He made the comment in parliament after the Asahi newspaper reported that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism had been "rewriting" data received from about 12,000 companies since 2013 at a pace of about 10,000 entries per year.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/slept-soundly-japans-kishida-assures-he-hasnt-seen-any-ghosts-in-pm-residence-yet-436431">'Slept soundly': Japan's Kishida assures he hasn't seen any ghosts in PM residence yet</a>

Kishida said that "improvements" had been made since January 2020 and that there was no direct impact on GDP data for the fiscal years 2020 and 2021.

However, the news is likely to raise questions about the reliability of data that is a cornerstone for economists and investors looking to understand and forecast trends in the world's third-largest economy.

It is not the first time that issues have been raised about government data. Similar concern was voiced about a flaw in health ministry wage data found in 2018.

"The biggest problem is not the effect on the GDP per se but the damage to reliability of (official) statistics," said Saisuke Sakai, senior economist at Mizuho Research and Technologies.

"We can't help doubting this kind of issue could happen across government ministries," Sakai said.

'UNDER PRESSURE'

The construction orders data combines public and private orders, which in fiscal 2020 totalled roughly 80 trillion yen ($700 billion). The figures also feed into Japan's GDP calculations.

For the construction survey, the ministry collects monthly orders data from building companies through local prefectural authorities.

Companies that fall behind in submitting data often sent in several months' worth of figures at a time. In these instances, the ministry would instruct local authorities to rewrite the orders for the combined months as the figure for the latest, single month.

"We engaged in such a practice to reflect the actual situation regarding orders placed. If we had refused to collect data that way, the number of samples would have dwindled," said a ministry official directly in charge of the data.

The official added that the practice may have begun in around 2000, when the ministry started tracking the data.

"We were under pressure not to reduce samples, even though looking back, this practice was weird."

Furthermore, when an entry was missing from a company, the ministry would put in a tentative figure by taking the average of the orders from the rest of the industry in that month, resulting in double-counting once the missing sum arrived.

Considering Japan has hundreds of thousands of construction companies, the proportion of those concerned was very small, said Akiyoshi Takumori, chief economist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management.

"How much influence do they have? The kind of sloppy company which puts out numbers late is probably not big."

Still, Land Minister Tetsuo Saito, a veteran lawmaker of the Komeito party, the smaller of the two ruling coalition parties, confirmed the practice in parliament and said it was "extremely regrettable".

Ministry officials said they had not directly reported the data flaws to Saito's predecessor, Kazuyoshi Akaba.

Asked about the issue, the government's top spokesperson said only that the land ministry had been instructed to analyse "as soon as possible" what had led to the practice.

"We will first wait for the results of that investigation," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters.

Restating data this way, which may have broken the law, continued until January 2020 after the Board of Audit pointed it out to the ministry, the ministry said. It added that the original construction survey forms from before 2019 had already been discarded so it would be hard to restore monthly figures from previous years.

Japan's prime minister said on Wednesday that the government had overstated the value of some construction orders received from builders for years, in a blow to the credibility of official statistics widely used by investors and economists.

Japan's prime minister said on Wednesday that the government had overstated the value of some construction orders received from builders for years, in a blow to the credibility of official statistics widely used by investors and economists. Officials and analysts said the builders involved were relatively small firms and therefore this practice was likely to have had only a minimal impact on gross domestic product (GDP) figures. "It is regrettable that such a thing has happened," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said. "The government will examine as soon as possible what steps it can take to avoid such an incident from happening again." He made the comment in parliament after the Asahi newspaper reported that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism had been "rewriting" data received from about 12,000 companies since 2013 at a pace of about 10,000 entries per year. Also Read | 'Slept soundly': Japan's Kishida assures he hasn't seen any ghosts in PM residence yet Kishida said that "improvements" had been made since January 2020 and that there was no direct impact on GDP data for the fiscal years 2020 and 2021. However, the news is likely to raise questions about the reliability of data that is a cornerstone for economists and investors looking to understand and forecast trends in the world's third-largest economy. It is not the first time that issues have been raised about government data. Similar concern was voiced about a flaw in health ministry wage data found in 2018. "The biggest problem is not the effect on the GDP per se but the damage to reliability of (official) statistics," said Saisuke Sakai, senior economist at Mizuho Research and Technologies. "We can't help doubting this kind of issue could happen across government ministries," Sakai said. 'UNDER PRESSURE' The construction orders data combines public and private orders, which in fiscal 2020 totalled roughly 80 trillion yen ($700 billion). The figures also feed into Japan's GDP calculations. For the construction survey, the ministry collects monthly orders data from building companies through local prefectural authorities. Companies that fall behind in submitting data often sent in several months' worth of figures at a time. In these instances, the ministry would instruct local authorities to rewrite the orders for the combined months as the figure for the latest, single month. "We engaged in such a practice to reflect the actual situation regarding orders placed. If we had refused to collect data that way, the number of samples would have dwindled," said a ministry official directly in charge of the data. The official added that the practice may have begun in around 2000, when the ministry started tracking the data. "We were under pressure not to reduce samples, even though looking back, this practice was weird." Furthermore, when an entry was missing from a company, the ministry would put in a tentative figure by taking the average of the orders from the rest of the industry in that month, resulting in double-counting once the missing sum arrived. Considering Japan has hundreds of thousands of construction companies, the proportion of those concerned was very small, said Akiyoshi Takumori, chief economist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management. "How much influence do they have? The kind of sloppy company which puts out numbers late is probably not big." Still, Land Minister Tetsuo Saito, a veteran lawmaker of the Komeito party, the smaller of the two ruling coalition parties, confirmed the practice in parliament and said it was "extremely regrettable". Ministry officials said they had not directly reported the data flaws to Saito's predecessor, Kazuyoshi Akaba. Asked about the issue, the government's top spokesperson said only that the land ministry had been instructed to analyse "as soon as possible" what had led to the practice. "We will first wait for the results of that investigation," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters. Restating data this way, which may have broken the law, continued until January 2020 after the Board of Audit pointed it out to the ministry, the ministry said. It added that the original construction survey forms from before 2019 had already been discarded so it would be hard to restore monthly figures from previous years.

Japan overstated some construction order data for years, PM says

In a protest against China's human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region, Top Japanese officials are likely to skip Beijing Winter Olympics.

Japan likely to join US, Australia, UK & Canada in boycotting Beijing Winter Olympics diplomatically

The US embassy in Tokyo has claimed that foreign tourists were being stopped by the Japanese Police in a suspected case of racial profiling.

The embassy in a tweet said it had received reports that a number of foreigners were detained and questioned by the police.

It asked the US citizens to carry proof of immigration and request consular notification if detained.

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The U.S. Embassy has received reports of foreigners stopped and searched by Japanese police in suspected racial profiling incidents. Several were detained, questioned, and searched. U.S. citizens should carry proof of immigration and request consular notification if detained. <a href="https://t.co/a8BkAU7eCR">pic.twitter.com/a8BkAU7eCR</a>
— U.S. Embassy Tokyo, ACS (@ACSTokyo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ACSTokyo/status/1467629914857816065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The tweet is being perceived as an unusual move from the United States, a key Japanese ally.

Reacting to the warning, top government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno told Reuters that police are questioning suspicious individuals only based on various factors, but that those decisions are not based on a person’s ethnicity or nationality.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/omicron-scare-japan-imposes-strict-quarantine-rules-for-travellers-from-india-434255">&nbsp;Omicron scare: Japan imposes strict quarantine rules for travellers from India</a>

A US Embassy spokesperson said the embassy had nothing further to add to the tweet, and the National Police Agency could not immediately comment, reports&nbsp;Reuters.

The embassy’s message comes a week after Japan closed its borders to all non-resident foreigners in one of the strongest global measures taken to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/for-nearly-30-years-this-japan-hospital-used-toilet-water-for-drinking-427965">For nearly 30 years, this Japan hospital used toilet water for drinking</a>

The Japanese government has announced strict quarantine rules for people coming from India, Greece, Romania and four US states.

While, foreign residents, as well as Japanese nationals travelling from Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota and New York to Japan, will have to mandatorily spend three days of their two-week quarantine at government-designated facilities, reported Kyodo News.

The list for three-day mandatory quarantine at government-designated facilities already includes countries such as Austria, Ecuador and France. While many are being subject to stringent quarantine requirements, such as staying in government-designated facilities for over 10 days, reported Kyodo News.

The first Omicron case was reported on Tuesday in Japan, causing it to deny re-entry of all foreigners, including residents with long-term visas, who have recently been to any of 10 African countries likely to have widespread infections of the variant.

(With inputs from agencies)

The US embassy in Tokyo has claimed that foreign tourists were being stopped by the Japanese Police in a suspected case of racial profiling. The embassy in a tweet said it had received reports that a number of foreigners were detained and questioned by the police.

The US embassy in Tokyo has claimed that foreign tourists were being stopped by the Japanese Police in a suspected case of racial profiling. The embassy in a tweet said it had received reports that a number of foreigners were detained and questioned by the police. It asked the US citizens to carry proof of immigration and request consular notification if detained. The U.S. Embassy has received reports of foreigners stopped and searched by Japanese police in suspected racial profiling incidents. Several were detained, questioned, and searched. U.S. citizens should carry proof of immigration and request consular notification if detained. pic.twitter.com/a8BkAU7eCR — U.S. Embassy Tokyo, ACS (@ACSTokyo) December 5, 2021 × The tweet is being perceived as an unusual move from the United States, a key Japanese ally. Reacting to the warning, top government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno told Reuters that police are questioning suspicious individuals only based on various factors, but that those decisions are not based on a person’s ethnicity or nationality. Also read | Omicron scare: Japan imposes strict quarantine rules for travellers from India A US Embassy spokesperson said the embassy had nothing further to add to the tweet, and the National Police Agency could not immediately comment, reports Reuters. The embassy’s message comes a week after Japan closed its borders to all non-resident foreigners in one of the strongest global measures taken to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19. Also read | For nearly 30 years, this Japan hospital used toilet water for drinking The Japanese government has announced strict quarantine rules for people coming from India, Greece, Romania and four US states. While, foreign residents, as well as Japanese nationals travelling from Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota and New York to Japan, will have to mandatorily spend three days of their two-week quarantine at government-designated facilities, reported Kyodo News. The list for three-day mandatory quarantine at government-designated facilities already includes countries such as Austria, Ecuador and France. While many are being subject to stringent quarantine requirements, such as staying in government-designated facilities for over 10 days, reported Kyodo News. The first Omicron case was reported on Tuesday in Japan, causing it to deny re-entry of all foreigners, including residents with long-term visas, who have recently been to any of 10 African countries likely to have widespread infections of the variant. (With inputs from agencies)

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In an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 variant Omicron, Japan will add India, Greece, Romania and four US states under strict quarantine vigilance.

Japanese nationals and foreign residents travelling to Japan from India, Greece, Romania and four US states will have to undergo stringent quarantine regulations Sunday onwards, in order to control the spread of the Omicron variant, reported Kyodo news.

While, foreign residents, as well as Japanese nationals travelling from Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota and New York to Japan, will have to mandatorily spend three days of their two-week quarantine at government-designated facilities, reported Kyodo news.

With emerging Omicron cases in the country and to curb the further spread, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno on Friday announced the expansion of the list addressing a press conference.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-capital-reports-first-case-of-omicron-variant-taking-countrys-total-to-5-434252">Also read |&nbsp;Indian capital reports first case of Omicron variant, taking country's total to 5</a>

A government task force made the decision to control the increasing number of new variant cases in Japan.

The list for three-day mandatory quarantine at government-designated facilities already includes countries such as Austria, Ecuador and France.

While many are being subject to stringent quarantine requirements, such as staying in government-designated facilities for over 10 days, reported Kyodo News.

The first Omicron case was reported on Tuesday in Japan, causing it to deny re-entry of all foreigners, including residents with long-term visas, who have recently been to any of 10 African countries likely to have widespread infections of the variant.

The country has further banned new entries by foreigners from around the globe.

In an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 variant Omicron, Japan will add India, Greece, Romania and four US states under strict quarantine vigilance. Japanese nationals and foreign residents travelling to Japan from India, Greece, Romania and four US states will have to undergo stringent quarantine regulations Sunday onwards, in order to control the spread of the Omicron variant, reported Kyodo news.

In an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 variant Omicron, Japan will add India, Greece, Romania and four US states under strict quarantine vigilance. Japanese nationals and foreign residents travelling to Japan from India, Greece, Romania and four US states will have to undergo stringent quarantine regulations Sunday onwards, in order to control the spread of the Omicron variant, reported Kyodo news. While, foreign residents, as well as Japanese nationals travelling from Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota and New York to Japan, will have to mandatorily spend three days of their two-week quarantine at government-designated facilities, reported Kyodo news. With emerging Omicron cases in the country and to curb the further spread, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno on Friday announced the expansion of the list addressing a press conference. Also read | Indian capital reports first case of Omicron variant, taking country's total to 5 A government task force made the decision to control the increasing number of new variant cases in Japan. The list for three-day mandatory quarantine at government-designated facilities already includes countries such as Austria, Ecuador and France. While many are being subject to stringent quarantine requirements, such as staying in government-designated facilities for over 10 days, reported Kyodo News. The first Omicron case was reported on Tuesday in Japan, causing it to deny re-entry of all foreigners, including residents with long-term visas, who have recently been to any of 10 African countries likely to have widespread infections of the variant. The country has further banned new entries by foreigners from around the globe.

Omicron scare: Japan imposes strict quarantine rules for travellers from India

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