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September
Japan's new premier Kishida to sustain big fiscal, monetary support - for now
Written by Nur Yasmin
Japan's struggle to emerge from the pandemic-induced doldrums will leave next prime minister Fumio Kishida with little choice but to maintain massive fiscal and monetary support for a fragile economy.
But Kishida may gradually shake off the legacies of former premier Shinzo Abe's "Abenomics" stimulus policies if he strengthens his grip on power by winning forthcoming general elections, some analysts say.
Having won a ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race on Wednesday with support from various factions, Kishida is unlikely to rock the boat by overhauling the current pro-business, reflationary policies undertaken by Abe and his successor Yoshihide Suga any time soon. read more
"We must compile by year-end a stimulus package sized at several tens of trillion yen," Kishida said in a speech after the party race, signalling that Japan will lag other advanced nations in dialing back crisis-mode policies.
Wednesday's victory assures Kishida will be voted to become next prime minister in a Diet session to be convened next week, given the party's majority in parliament.
Analysts also expect little change to the Bank of Japan's ultra-loose policy given Kishida's recent comments stressing the need to underpin growth with huge monetary stimulus.
Over the long-term, however, Kishida could bring change particularly if he secures a strong mandate by winning a lower house vote this year and an upper house election next year.
Kishida has already distanced himself from Abenomics by calling for more focus on distributing wealth to households. read more
Under Abenomics - a strategy deployed by Abe in 2013 seeking to boost growth and inflation with a mix of expansionary fiscal and monetary policies - share prices and corporate profits boomed. But household wealth shrank as companies remained reluctant to boost wages. read more
"If anything, Kishida's policies will likely focus on income distribution compared to Abenomics," said Masaaki Kanno, chief economist at Sony Financial Holdings.
LESS BOJ PRESSURE
While Kishida has called on the BOJ to keep its policy ultra-loose for now as the economy tries to recover from the pandemic, he said back in 2018 the current monetary easing "cannot last forever" given the rising side-effects of prolonged stimulus.
Kishida's awareness of the demerits of radical easing could mean he will rely less on monetary stimulus to drive up growth, said Izuru Kato, chief economist at Totan Research.
"As prime minister, Kishida won't want any abrupt reversal of monetary easing. But he also won't put explicit pressure on the BOJ to ramp up stimulus," Kato said.
Kishida could also yield strong influence on how quickly the central bank withdraws stimulus, if he stays in power long enough to choose a successor when BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda's term ends in 2023.
"Debate over a post-Kuroda monetary policy framework may emerge late 2022, around the time the U.S. Federal Reserve could be deliberating interest rate hikes," said Daiju Aoki, chief Japan economist at UBS Sumi Trust Wealth Management.
"If so, the government and the BOJ may face the need to lay out their views on an exit strategy from ultra-loose monetary policy," he said. (Reuters)
September
In victory for Japan establishment, Kishida anointed next ruling-party head
Written by Nur Yasmin
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Wednesday anointed former foreign minister Fumio Kishida as its next leader in a victory for the party's establishment that virtually ensures he will become prime minister within days.
Although he enjoys only moderate popular support, Kishida was backed by some of the party's heavyweights, allowing him to stop the momentum of rising star Taro Kono, the minister in charge of the coronavirus vaccine roll-out.
It was not clear if Kishida's bland image could spell problems for the LDP in a general election due by Nov. 28. Nevertheless, he focused on populist issues - such as the need to forge a new kind of capitalism and ease divisions of wealth - in his first news conference.
"We will strive to achieve economic growth and distribution," of wealth, he said, adding there was no way to achieve growth without distributing wealth.
Kishida, who succeeds unpopular Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga who did not seek re-election as party leader after just one year in office, is almost certain to become premier at a parliamentary session on Monday because of the LDP's majority in the lower house.
He is expected to form a new cabinet and reshuffle the LDP executive in early October.
Media, quoting LDP executives, reported that the lower chamber will likely be dissolved in mid-October with an election on either Nov. 7 or Nov. 14.
ESTABLISHMENT WIN
"A win for the establishment. Kishida stands for stability, for not rocking the boat and most importantly, doing what elite technocrats tell him to do," Jesper Koll, expert director at Monex Group.
Kono, a fluent English speaker with a large following on Twitter known for being outspoken, has long been seen as something of a maverick, and was not regarded as the top choice of some of the party's powerbrokers.
Two female contenders, Sanae Takaichi, 60, and Seiko Noda, 61, dropped out after the first round.
Kishida's victory is unlikely to trigger a huge shift in policies as Japan seeks to cope with an assertive China and revive an economy hit by the pandemic.
He shares a broad consensus on the need to boost Japan's defences and strengthen security ties with the United States and other partners including the QUAD grouping of Japan, the United States, Australia and India, while preserving vital economic ties with China.
Specifically, Kishida wants to beef up Japan's coast guard and backs passing a resolution condemning China's treatment of members of the Uyghur minority. He wants to appoint a prime ministerial aide to monitor their human rights situation.
He has proposed a spending package of more than 30 trillion yen, adding that Japan likely would not raise a sales tax rate from 10% "for about a decade".
He has stressed the need to distribute more wealth to households, in contrast to the focus of Abe's "Abenomics" policies on boosting corporate profits in the hope benefits trickle down to wage-earners. (Reuters)
September
New Zealand to halt removal of 'at risk' children from families
Written by Nur Yasmin
New Zealand said on Wednesday it will put a virtual halt to the practice of taking at-risk children away from their families, a care policy that has long angered its indigenous Maori community.
Children deemed to be facing harm have been moved into state care for decades despite Maori criticism that the process is racially skewed and a legacy of colonisation. A vast majority of the children taken, a process known locally as uplifting, are Maori.
Thousands of Maori took to the streets in 2019 in protest after media reports that the children's ministry tried to take a newnew-born baby away from her mother in hospital.
Children's Minister Kelvin Davis said on Wednesday the government has accepted all recommendations of a ministerial advisory board on how to fix the child care and the protection system. The ministry had been told that removing children should be used only as a last resort.
"This report will end uplifts as we have known them," Davis said in a statement, adding that future efforts would focus on community-led prevention.
In 2019-2020, 1,334 children entered state care, according to documents on the ministry's website, of which about 60% were Maori.
Maori have called children taken into state care as New Zealand's "stolen generation" - a reference to indigenous Australians forcibly taken from their families as children under an official policy of assimilation.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, seen as a global figure on issues of woman's rights and social justice, launched a Royal Commission of Inquiry in 2018 into the abuse of young people in state care, saying the country needed to confront "a dark chapter" in its history.
The inquiry revealed in December that up to a quarter of a million children, young people and vulnerable adults were physically and sexually abused in faith-based and state care institutions from the 1960s to the early 2000s. (Reuters)
September
Pacquiao quits 'greatest sport in the world' to contest Philippines presidency
Written by Nur Yasmin
World boxing icon Manny Pacquiao announced his retirement from what he called the "greatest sport in the world" on Wednesday to focus on a run for the Philippines presidency, the biggest fight of his career.
In a 14-minute video posted on Facebook and Twitter, "Pacman", as he is known in the sport, thanked fans worldwide before closing the curtain on a 26-year boxing career that earned him world titles in eight different divisions, which to this day remains unmatched.
"I just heard the final bell. Boxing is over," said the 42-year-old Pacquiao, now a Philippines senator, drawing a flood of reactions from fans ranging from disbelief to gratitude.
Pacquiao, whose fast footwork and blistering speed of punches made him one of the top offensive fighters in the sport's history, said he was at peace with his decision, adding it was the turn of other Filipino boxers to shine.
"As I hang up my boxing gloves, I would like to thank the whole world especially the Filipino people for supporting Manny Pacquiao," he said, fighting back tears.
Pacquiao came from impoverished beginnings as a ship stowaway who started fighting on the streets as a boy, with prizes of $2 a fight. His net worth was $63 million last year, according to his Philippines statement of assets.
He is widely rated as among the best pound-for-pound fighters in history, better than Muhammad Ali, veteran promoter Bob Arum said in 2010.
George "Ferocious" Kambosos Jr, an Australian world lightweight champion and sparring partner of Pacquiao, expressed his gratitude in a gweet, saying: "Thank you for everything you did for my Career #Legend."
'GREATEST OF ALL TIME'
In August, the father of five lost a WBA welterweight world title match against Cuban Yordenis Ugas, leaving his fight record at 62 wins, including 39 knockouts, eight losses and two draws.
"Manny Pacquiao will always be the greatest boxer of all time," said Senate President Vicente Sotto.
With his six-year term as a senator ending next year, Pacquiao this month presented himself as the best person to succeed President Rodrigo Duterte and lead the Southeast Asian nation of 110 million people. read more
While no one questions his prowess inside the ring, many political observers doubt his ability to fight entrenched poverty and social problems and handle the economic fallout and job losses from one of Asia's worst and longest-running COVID-19 epidemics.
"He is adored as a boxer, but even those who adore him as a boxer have second thoughts about his ability to govern," said Temario Rivera, a retired academic, citing his patchy Senate attendance.
Pacquiao has since 2010 divided his time between politics and big-money bouts mostly in the United States.
He promised to fight government corruption when he launched his presidential bid, remarks that further damaged his relationship with Duterte, whose bloody war on drugs and campaign to reintroduce the death penalty Pacquiao had wholeheartedly endorsed as a staunch loyalist.
Richard Heydarian, an author, columnist and academic who specialises in politics, said Pacquiao's retirement meant he will now give 100% to his political ambitions.
"I think Pacquiao is increasingly emerging as the candidate of the opposition," Heydarian said.
A new opinion poll showed Pacquiao rising a notch to fourth spot, cornering 12% of the 2,400 people surveyed, from 8% previously. (Reuters)
September
Taliban says U.S. drones must stop entering Afghanistan
Written by Nur Yasmin
The Taliban on Wednesday warned of consequences if the United States did not stop flying drones over Afghan airspace.
"The U.S. has violated all international rights and laws as well as its commitments made to the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, with the operation of these drones in Afghanistan," the Taliban said in a statement on Twitter.
"We call on all countries, especially United States, to treat Afghanistan in light of international rights, laws and commitments ... in order to prevent any negative consequences."
U.S. officials were not immediately available to comment.
The Taliban Islamist militia swept back into power in Afghanistan last month after most U.S. and other Western troops left, ending a military and diplomatic mission that began soon after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.
Taliban leaders deny Islamic State and al Qaeda militants are active in the country, although Islamic State recently claimed responsibility for bomb attacks in the eastern city of Jalalabad.
The Taliban are under pressure from the international community to renounce ties with al Qaeda, the group behind the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. (Reuters)
September
New Zealand's COVID cases jump as its battles Delta variant
Written by Nur Yasmin
New Zealand's daily coronavirus cases jumped to their highest level in weeks on Wednesday, a setback to the South Pacific nation's battle to eliminate the highly infectious Delta variant from its shores.
Health authorities reported 45 new cases, all in the biggest city, Auckland, taking the total number of cases in the current outbreak to 1,230.
It's much higher than the eight reported on Tuesday, and the highest number of daily cases since Sept 2.
COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins urged New Zealanders to stay calm, saying: "We do expect from time to time there will be blips."
Hipkins said at least 33 of the new cases are known household or close contacts of existing cases and most have been isolating at home or in quarantine facilities while infectious.
"I would encourage people not to read too much into it. We are still aiming to run this into the ground," Hipkins said at a news conference.
The continuing emergence of daily cases has raised questions whether New Zealand can eliminate the virus.
A top health official said last week that the country may never be back to zero cases again. read more
New Zealand eliminated COVID-19 last year and remained largely virus-free until an outbreak of the Delta variant in August led to a nationwide lockdown. Auckland has been in lockdown for over a month.
A delayed a vaccine rollout, however, means more people are at risk in the latest outbreak.
Ardern is now facing pressure from expatriate Kiwis and their families back home to drop her "zero tolerance" strategy and reopen borders.
The opposition National Party said on Wednesday that it would end lockdowns and reopen borders before Christmas.
"Delta is here, it may not be possible to eliminate it, and it would almost inevitably arrive into the community again. Whatever happens, we need to reopen to the world and National’s plan outlines how we can do that," National Party leader Judith Collins said.
Ardern has announced a phased reopening plan for early next year. (Reuters)
September
Hospitalisations during Tokyo 2020 Games higher than initially reported: organisers
Written by Nur Yasmin
A total of 25 people were hospitalised due to COVID-19 during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, instead of the initially reported five, organisers said on Tuesday evening.
"The initial five we reported was the figure for overseas residents who were hospitalised," explained Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto at a news conference.
"We released those figures to gauge how much of a burden people from overseas would put on the medical system," he added.
The 25 cases now reported include Japanese residents and overseas visitors released from quarantine who were hospitalised.
"This figure gives a more comprehensive view of the situation," said spokesperson Masa Takaya of the newly released figure.
No reason was given for why the hospitalisation numbers were not released earlier.
The once-delayed Tokyo 2020 Games opened in July while the capital was under a state of emergency to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Unlike other Olympic Games, the mega-event was held largely without spectators and participants were asked to minimise contact with one another and wear masks.
During the Games, host city Tokyo saw the worst surge of cases to date. In late August, Japan saw a record high of 25,000 daily infections.
Cases within the "bubble" of over 50,000 Olympic-related visitors and participants remained low compared to national figures, however, with 863 positive cases confirmed over the course of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, according to broadcaster NHK. (Reuters)
September
Australia's federal govt to cut COVID-19 income support
Written by Nur Yasmin
Australia's federal government will wind down emergency funding for people who lost work during COVID-19 shutdowns as vaccination rates increase across the country, putting pressure on state and territory leaders to keep their economies open.
The decision to cut off federal support when inoculation levels reach 80% means individual states and territories would have to foot the bill if they decide to go into lockdown in response to any fresh outbreaks of the coronavirus.
"(This) emergency payment needs to come to an end," Frydenberg told Seven News on Wednesday. "If you look around the world ... people are starting to get about their normal lives, learning to live with the virus in a COVID-safe way."
Australia's two biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, along with its capital Canberra, have been in lockdown for several weeks as the country grapples with a Delta variant-fuelled third wave of the virus.
The shutdowns have put Australia's A$2 trillion ($1.5 trillion) economy on the brink of a second recession in as many years.
Latest data showed Australian employment dived in August as lockdowns in Sydney and Melbourne forced businesses to lay off workers and slash hours, while the jobless rate was nudged lower by a sharp fall in the number of people looking for work. read more
In other virus-free parts of the country, state and territory leaders, who have the power to close their borders under Australia's federal system of government, have done just that, hoping to avoid importing infections from the hotspots.
The federal government, which has spent more than A$9 billion ($6.5 billion) since June to support around 2 million people, wants all internal borders reopened when the 80% vaccination threshold is reached nationally, expected in November.
However, despite the creation of a national cabinet to form a cohesive response to the pandemic, some state leaders have indicated they may not follow that national plan.
Western Australian state Premier Mark McGowan has refused to rule out further lockdowns even when the vast majority of people have been vaccinated.
Frydenberg said federal income support payments will begin to be phased out when a state reaches 70% vaccination. At that level, affected workers must reapply each week to confirm their eligibility. Payments will stop two weeks after the 80% target is met.
That means that New South Wales, the most populous state and one of the epicentres of the current outbreak, would lose payments within weeks. Around 62% of people in the state have been vaccinated, above a national average of 53%.
Queensland and Western Australia, which are currently not receiving any federal income support, have the lowest vaccination rates in the country, with both states not expected to reach 80% until mid-December.
New South Wales state reported 863 new infections on Wednesday, level with a day earlier, and 15 new deaths.
Victoria state, meanwhile, reported a record number of new infections for a second consecutive day, with 950 cases and seven deaths.
Total cases in Australia stood at around 103,000, including 1,278 deaths. (Reuters)
September
Japan to end COVID-19 state of emergency on Thursday
Written by Nur Yasmin
Japan will lift a coronavirus state of emergency in all regions on Thursday as the number of new cases falls and the strain on the medical system eases, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said.
The plan takes Japan as a whole out of an emergency state for the first time in nearly six months.
"The daily new cases came down from more than 25,000 in mid-August to 1,128 yesterday ... the number of patients with serious conditions has been on a downtrend after peaking in early September," Suga told a coronavirus task force meeting.
"Thanks to progress in vaccination and administration of neutralising antibody drugs, we are entering a phase where medical services can be offered in a stable manner even if a certain degree of infections take place."
Nearly 60% of the population is fully vaccinated and the government has said all those who want shots will have had them by November.
Suga will hold a news conference at 7 p.m. (1000 GMT) to explain the decision to the public.
Earlier on the day, Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said some limitations on eateries and large-scale events would remain in place for about a month after the lifting of state of emergency to prevent a resurgence in cases
"New cases will undoubtedly rise after the emergency state is lifted," said Nishimura, who also oversees Japan's coronavirus response.
"We need to continue with the necessary measures to prevent a rebound," he said, adding that if cases surged again, reinstatement of a more limited "quasi emergency" was possible.
Restaurants in areas under emergency curbs are now required to close by 8 p.m. and not serve alcohol.
Nishimura said the government would introduce a certification system whereby only approved restaurants could stay open until 9 p.m., although the ban on alcohol would be lifted everywhere unless prefectural governors objected.
Like many other countries, Japan had struggled to contain the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant - including through the Summer Olympic Games - keeping much of the country under emergency restrictions. (Reuters)
September
Sydney's unvaccinated warned of social isolation when COVID-19 lockdown ends
Written by Nur Yasmin
Sydney residents who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 risk being barred from various social activities even when they are freed from stay-at-home orders in December, New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned on Tuesday.
Under a roadmap to exit lockdown in Australia's biggest city, unvaccinated people are already subject to delays in freedoms that will be gradually granted to inoculated residents between Oct. 11 and Dec. 1.
Berejiklian said people who choose not to be vaccinated could be barred entry to shops, restaurants and entertainment venues even after the state lifts all restrictions against them on Dec. 1.
"A lot of businesses have said they will not accept anyone who is unvaccinated," Berejiklian told Seven News on Tuesday. "Life for the unvaccinated will be very difficult indefinitely."
The two-tier system, designed to encourage more people to get vaccinated, has been criticised for both penalising vulnerable groups who have not had access to inoculations and for falling short of providing a real incentive for the vaccine hesitant.
Pubs, cafes, gyms and hairdressers will reopen to fully vaccinated people on Oct. 11 in New South Wales, home to Sydney, and more curbs will be eased once 80% of its adult population becomes fully vaccinated, expected by the end of October.
Australia is pursuing a faster reopening through higher vaccination rates despite persistent infections, largely in its two biggest cities of Sydney and Melbourne. Along with the capital Canberra, both cities are in a weeks-long lockdown.
The Delta-fuelled outbreak has divided state and territory leaders, with some presiding over virus-free parts of the country indicating they will defy a federal plan to reopen internal borders once the adult population reaches 80% vaccination, expected in November. The national vaccine rate is currently around 52%.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt welcomed the New South Wales roadmap and urged people to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
"The strongest possible reason to be vaccinated is to save your life," Hunt said.
CASES TOP 100,000
The number of COVID-19 cases recorded by Australia since the beginning of the pandemic topped 100,000 on Tuesday, with around 70% of those detected since a Delta-variant fuelled wave hit the country in mid-June.
New South Wales reported 863 new cases on Tuesday, up from 787 a day earlier, and seven new deaths. Neighbouring Victoria reported 867 new cases, its biggest daily rise ever, and four deaths.
The northeast state of Queensland reported four cases, including its first mystery case in almost two months. Officials are racing to trace the source after an aviation worker, who has not travelled interstate or overseas recently, contracted the virus.
While the state is on high alert, officials stopped short of enforcing a lockdown.
Australia had been faring relatively well until the latest wave, but a sluggish vaccine rollout left it vulnerable to the more virulent Delta strain. Deaths stand at 1,256 but the mortality rate from Delta is lower than last year due to higher vaccination rates among the vulnerable population.
In New South Wales, the number of people hospitalised dipped to 1,155 from 1,266 a week ago as dual-dose vaccination levels in people aged over 16 topped 60% in the state.
Interactive graphic tracking global spread of coronavirus: open https://tmsnrt.rs/2FThSv7 in an external browser. (Reuters)