Japan exchange rate

Japan will extend a coronavirus state of emergency in the Tokyo area by a fortnight, officials said Friday, less than five months ahead of the pandemic-postponed Tokyo Olympics. The emergency measure, which primarily calls for bars and restaurants to close from 8pm, was supposed to end on Sunday and has been lifted early in other regions. It has brought infections down in the capital but the rate of decline is slowing and medics say hospitals in and around Tokyo are still under strain. The government's top spokesman said the measure would continue in Tokyo and three surrounding regions until March 21 -- four days before the nationwide Olympic torch relay kicks off in northeastern Fukushima. "Regarding the critical situation of the number of hospital beds available, it does not appear that pressure is easing in a stable manner," Katsunobu Kato told reporters. The extension is expected to be officially announced on Friday evening. Despite a winter spike in Covid-19 cases, Japan has seen a comparatively small outbreak overall with just over 8,000 deaths. Tokyo logged around 270 daily infections on average over the past week -- but experts warn of a potential resurgence after restrictions are lifted. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga apologised for the imminent extension but said the government was "doing its utmost to prevent a rebound" in infections. Japan's response to the virus is in the spotlight as Tokyo prepares to host the postponed Olympics, due to start on July 23. The country launched its vaccination programme last month in a very limited fashion and has so far given first doses to around 39,000 healthcare workers. Tokyo 2020 organisers have outlined measures they say will keep the Games safe -- even without requiring participants to be vaccinated or quarantined on arrival. …

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Japanese supercomputer simulations showed that wearing two masks gave limited benefit in blocking viral spread compared with one properly fitted mask. The findings in part contradict recent recommendations from the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that two masks were better than one at reducing a person’s exposure to the coronavirus. Researchers used the Fugaku supercomputer to model the flow of virus particles from people wearing different types and combinations of masks, according to a study released on Thursday by research giant Riken and Kobe University. Using a single surgical-type mask, made of non-woven material, had 85% effectiveness in blocking particles when worn tightly around the nose and face. Adding a polyurethane mask on top boosted the effectiveness to just 89%. Wearing two non-woven masks isn’t useful because air resistance builds up and causes leakage around the edges. “The performance of double masking simply does not add up,” wrote the researchers, led by Makoto Tsubokura. In general, professional grade N95 masks were the best in protecting against infection, followed by non-woven masks, cloth masks, and finally polyurethane types, the study showed. The Riken research team previously used the Fugaku supercomputer to model how humidity can affect viral contagion and the infection risks in trains, work spaces, and other environments. As the COVID-19 epidemic has worn on, scientific consensus has grown that the virus is spread through the air and masks are effective in controlling contagion. …

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Leaders of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Public Security as well as the State Bank of Vietnam have concurred that operations of foreign exchange (forex) platforms are illegitimate, while cryptocurrencies are not methods of payment compliant with law in the nation. The statements were made during a regular government press meeting on Tuesday. According to Dao Minh Tu, Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam, foreign currency trading and derivative services can only be provided by licensed credit institutions and commercial banks. The central bank has not licensed any organization to run these services, Tu asserted. “The establishment of forex trading platforms is against the law and should be penalized accordingly,” he stated. In reality, these forex schemes are tempting new investors with promises of profit rates reaching as high as three digits. Due to the illegitimate nature of these platforms, investors will not be protected by law, Tu warned. Also commenting on the phenomenon, To An Xo, chief of the Ministry of Public Security Office, said the agency has urged the national government to order a thorough review of forex investment from the Ministry of Justice. The review will inform Vietnam’s effort to harness the forex market, plus helping investors making the right choice and avoiding scams, Xo added. Ministries should tackle issues of illegitimate forex schemes by issuing detailed guidance on the implementation of current regulations related to forex, said Do Thang Hai, Deputy Minister of Trade and Trade. Dao Minh Tu, Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam, speaks during a regular government press meeting on March 2, 2021. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre Cryptocurrency ban E-commerce regulators in Vietnam are struggling to detect illegal transactions, which in turn hinders the sector's development, Deputy Governor Tu said. For that reason, the State Bank of Vietnam has required that …

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