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Japan press – “Abenomics here to stay”

Justin had the news on Friday of the imminent retirement of Japanese Prime Minister Abe.

  • the end of an era for Japanese politics
Abe will not be taking Abenomics with him though, Japan Times:
  • economists say Japan’s next leader will likely maintain he basic Abenomics framework
  • “For sure, markets will be watching the continuity. I think many are assuming that things won’t change a lot, but the new prime minister will need to clearly explain that,” said Daiju Aoki, chief investment officer at UBS Wealth Management Japan.
Shunsuke Kobayashi, chief economist at Mizuho Securities:
  • “The government will need to continue to deal with the pandemic and do what’s necessary to contain it while limiting the economic damage … whoever becomes the prime minister, he or she will have to face the same issue and take the same necessary steps” 
ps. Much of Abenomics boiled down to massive policy easing from the BOJ. This is not gonna change any time soon.
Abe was PM from 2006 to 2007 and then again since 2012. He will step down on or around September 15.  He is the longest-serving Prime Minister in Japanese history. Get well soon, and enjoy your retirement sir!

Justin had the news on Friday of the imminent retirement of Japanese Prime Minister Abe.

UK PM Johnson: We do think masks have a great deal of value in confined spaces

Comments by UK prime minister, Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson
  • We have got the virus under control across the country
  • It is very important to wear a face covering in shops
  • Will look at the guidance and say more in the next few days
Judging by recent remarks by the government, it is only a matter of time now before masks are surely going to be mandatory in shops across the UK.
In the US, Trump also wore a mask in public over the weekend but we’ll see if he will start doing so outside of the hospital. If so, that could mark a change of a stance and may help to create more health awareness in mitigating the spread of the virus.

UK PM Johnson announces lock down effort in response to coronavirus threat

A pre-recorded speech from UK Prime Minister Johnson being broadcast now

  • coronavirus is the biggest threat UK has faced for decades
  •  “Without huge national effort to halt the growth of this virus, there’ll come a moment when no health service in the world could possibly cope; because there won’t be enough ventilators, enough intensive care beds, enough doctors, enough nurses”
Says people should remain at home, only go out for essentials, medical reasons
  • critical thing is to stop the disease spreading between households
  • people will only be allowed to shop for basic necessities
  • people only allowed one form of exercise a day alone or with members of your household
  • people allowed out for any medical need, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person
  • people can travel to and from work, but only where this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home
  • people should not be meeting friends or family who live outside their home
  • police will have the powers to enforce rules, including through fines and dispersing gatherings

Without a huge national effort, will come a moment when no health service in the world could possibly cope

  • says if too many people become seriously unwell at one time, the health service will be unable to handle it

More:

  • closing immediately all shops selling non-essential goods,​including clothing and electronic stores and other premises including libraries, playgrounds and outdoor gyms, and places of worship
  • will stop all gathering of more than two people, except people you live with
  • we’ll stop all social events​, including weddings, baptisms and other ceremonies, but excluding funerals
  •  restrictions will be kept under constant review
  • we will look again at restrictions in three weeks
  • we will relax restrictions if the evidence shows we are able to
  •  says the way ahead is hard, and it is still true that many lives will sadly be lost

(more…)

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