TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese business leaders and a Nobel-prizewinning biologist called upon the government to reform its vaccination programme, including allowing drive-through inoculations, as the nation struggles to contain a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Japan has secured the largest quantity of COVID-19 vaccines in Asia, as it gears up for the summer Olympics. But it has inoculated only 1.6% of its population so far, the slowest among wealthy countries. Government data on Wednesday showed that Japan has only used about a fifth of the coronavirus vaccine doses it has imported so far, underscoring logistical hurdles such as a shortage of medical staff. Twenty-four business leaders, including e-commerce group Rakuten s CEO Hiroshi Mikitani, and Nobel-winning stem cell biologist Shinya Yamanaka said a bolder and coordinated effort was needed to speed up vaccinations. The government and local administrations must not be constrained by outdated thinking and must make effective use
Japanese Home Decor Retailer Marks 34 Years Of Rising Sales And Profits
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This story is part of Forbes coverage of Japan’s Richest 2021. See the full list
Lockdowns across Japan since last spring led to a surge in sales at furniture and home decor retailer Nitori Holdings as homebound consumers snatched up items to spruce up their digs and work from home. The Tokyo-based firm reported a 29% jump in net profit to ¥92.1 billion ($853 million) on the back of a nearly 12% sales increase to ¥716.9 billion ($6.6 billion) for the fiscal year through February.
This marks the 34th year that the company has notched an increase in both earnings and revenue. Nitori’s rising share price lifted founder and CEO Akio Nitori’s net worth by 30% to $5.2 billion.