News Headlines - 15 July 2020
▽‘Now is not the time’ for Go To Travel as virus spikes, say Japan local leaders | The Japan Times
The government’s decision to move up the launch of its Go To Travel Campaign despite the resurgence of coronavirus infections in Tokyo and other areas is drawing criticism from some local leaders, while others have high hopes for an economic boost from tourism.
Some are calling for a partial rollout, limiting the regions covered. The program, initially planned for early August, is set to kick off on July 22.
▽Finance Ministry names new top bureaucrat and currency diplomat | The Japan Times
The Finance Ministry reshuffled its top brass Tuesday, with Budget Bureau chief Mitsuru Ota promoted to the highest-ranking bureaucrat and International Bureau head Kenji Okamura to the currency diplomat... Ota as chief of the Financial Bureau attracted media attention in 2017 as he spoke in parliamentary sessions about the ministry’s doctoring of documents over the controversial sale of state land to a school operator with ties to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s wife Akie.
▽Japan's retired emperor discovers new species of goby fish
Japan’s former emperor, who abdicated last year, has discovered a new species of goby fish, according to media reports. Akihito, 86, now formally known as emperor emeritus, has long been renowned among academic circles as a marine biology expert with a particular passion for gobies.
The latest finding is the ninth new spiecies discovered by the former emperor and the first since he stepped down from the Imperial throne last April following a 30-year reign.
▽Singapore's Elections See Opposition Victories, but Will Change Follow?
When Singapore’s prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, decided to call a snap election in the middle of the pandemic, he had almost everything going for him. His People’s Action Party (PAP), which has ruled Singapore since independence in 1965, was forewarned about the impending nine-day campaign sprint... But that didn’t happen. Instead, the party’s vote-share slipped from the 70 percent it received in the 2015 election to 61 percent, and the Workers’ Party captured 10 out of 93 seats. This is the largest opposition presence Singapore has seen since 1966; the Workers’ Party leader Pritam Singh will be officially recognised as leader of the opposition and given staff and resources. That’s a major concession by the government, since the role has previously been only an unofficial and unsupported one.
India has proposed to build a road in Bhutan’s ‘Yeti territory’ - which China claimed recently - enabling New Delhi to quickly access Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, which borders China.
The road, which has strategic significance, will reduce the distance between Guwahati and Tawang by 150 kilometres, ET has learnt.
This will enable India to deploy troops faster to respond to any military moves by China, not only across Tawang, but also towards the eastern region of Bhutan.
