Note from the compiler:
Greetings and thank you to anyone who reads this weekly newsletter! I hope you are all practicing appropriate COVID-19 measures for everyone’s safety!!
I hope this is a helpful resource to stay abreast of the latest developments in Japan and an entertaining list of news that interests a wide range of readers. My aim has been to be both informative and professional in the way I compile the news every week.
Here is this week’s newsletter. And be sure to check this week’s special edition on Ukraine too!
As usual, the longer version has bookmarks so you can skip over sections that are not of interest.
The lineup:
1. Hospital Bed Occupancy Remains High Across the Nation
2. Shionogi Files for COVID Oral Treatment Approval
3. Japan-U.S. Developments (Japan-U.S. foreign ministers phone call, Rahm Emanuel-Motegi meeting, Emanuel-Izumi Kenta meeting, etc.)
4. Foreign Policy Developments (GOJ protests arrest of diplomat in China, South Korea protests Takeshima Day memorial event, Japan-India leaders’ meeting in March, etc.)
5. Defense/Security Developments (Economic security bill approved by GOJ, enemy base strike capabilities, GOJ to buy technical documents on defense technologies from companies, Japan-Poland MOU on defense cooperation, etc.)
6. Lower House Approves the FY 2022 Budget
7. DPP Breaks Away from Opposition Ahead of Summer Election
8. Government to Raise Gas Subsidy to ¥25
9. State of the Economy
10. Other Developments (4 lawmakers leave Aso faction, LDP-DPP council on HoR electoral system reform, new condo purchases increase for 3rd straight year, pay for overtime work by GOJ officials exceed 40 billion yen, etc.)
11. Other Noteworthy News
11a. Emperor Naruhito Turns 62
11b. Government Approves Bill to Support World Class Research at Certified Universities
12. Mainichi Poll (2/21)
–Rintaro Nishimura
Image: Captain76 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Rintaro Nishimura 
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