Just a quick catch up on developments.........>

JAPAN: Just a quick catch up on developments evident since Tokyo closed:

- Per Nikkei: "Japan plans to send a cash handout of Y100K to every resident,

regardless of income, to lessen the economic blow from the COVID-19 pandemic

after an earlier income support scheme met with resistance. The government

withdrew its proposal to give Y300K to qualified households that had lost

income." This was flagged previously & was initiated by the leader of the junior

party in Abe's ruling coalition, given the "limitations" of the original scheme.

- Elsewhere, per the BBC, "a nationwide state of emergency has been declared in

Japan due to the country's worsening coronavirus outbreak. The move allows

regional governments to urge people to stay inside, but without punitive

measures or legal force. The state of emergency will remain in force until 6

May. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had previously declared a month-long state of

emergency in seven regions." A reminder that officials continue to press for

broader observation of social distancing measures and the like, with several

soft data metrics pointing to greater people traffic in Tokyo vs. other major

Asia-Pac cities (when compared to their own respective averages).