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Mount Fuji hasn’t erupted since 1707. But for Volcanic Disaster Preparedness Day, Japanese officials have released computer- and AI-generated videos showing a simulation of a potential violent eruption of the active volcano.The videos, released this week, are meant to prepare the 37 million residents in the greater Tokyo metropolitan area for potential disasters.The Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s video warns an eruption could strike “at any moment, without warning,” depicting volcanic ash shrouding central Tokyo, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) away, within hours, paralyzing transportation, disrupting food and power, and causing long-term respiratory problems.The video ends with the message: “We need to arm ourselves with facts and prepare for disaster in our daily lives.” It shows a family’s pantry stocked with canned food and a first-aid kit.The Tokyo government said in a statement that there are currently no signs of Fuji erupting. “The simulation is designed to equip residents with accurate knowledge and preparedness measures they can take in case of an emergency,” it explained.But the videos have caused anxiety and confusion among some residents.“Are there actually any signs of eruption?” said Shinichiro Kariya, a 57-year-old hospital employee. “Why are we now hearing things like ’10 centimeters of ash could fall,’ even in Tokyo? I’m wondering why this is happening all of a sudden.”Hiromi Ooki, who lives in Mishima City, which has prime views of Fuji, said she planned to buy emergency supplies the next day. “Nature’s power is so great that maybe it’s better if it scares us a little,” she said.Representatives of both the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Japan’s Cabinet Office Disaster Prevention Division said they had not received complaints from Tokyo residents about the videos.University of Tokyo professor and risk communication expert Naoya Sekiya said the government has for years modeled scenarios for volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, but added that does not mean Fuji is about to erupt.“There’s no particular significance to the timing,” Sekiya said.Japan is highly vulnerable to natural disasters because of its climate and topography and is known for its meticulous disaster planning which spans earthquakes, typhoons, floods, mudslides and volcanic eruptions.The Japan Meteorological Agency last August issued its first-ever “megaquake advisory” after a powerful quake struck off the southeastern coast of the southern main island of Kyushu.Of the world’s roughly 1,500 active volcanoes, 111 are in Japan, which lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire.”Fuji, Japan’s tallest peak, used to erupt about every 30 years, but it has been dormant since the 18th century. Video journalist Ayaka McGill contributed to this report. Reeno Hashimoto, Associated Press
Category:
E-Commerce
European shares were trading lower on Friday following a mixed session in Asia as investors awaited a key U.S. inflation report.Economists expect the U.S. personal consumption expenditures index, due later in the day, to show inflation remained at about 2.6% in July.The futures for the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average were down 0.3%. Oil prices were also lower.In early European trading, Germany’s DAX shed 0.6% to 23,901.77 as the latest figures showed unemployment remained at 6.3% in July, for a sixth straight month. Adjusted for seasonal factors, it topped 3 million for the first time in a decade.Britain’s FTSE 100 lost 0.3% to 9,191.08 while the CAC 40 in Paris fell 0.7% to 7,712.11.During Asian trading, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.3% to 42,718.47 after a slew of data released Friday showed Japan’s factory output slumped in July as higher tariffs hit on exports to the United States. Inflation in Tokyo also slowed to 2.6% year-on-year, while the jobless rate fell to 2.3% in July from 2.5% in June.“Today’s Japanese data was mixed, with disappointing industrial production threatening third-quarter growth, while a tight labor market points to increased wages and underlying inflation remaining firm,” ING Economics said in a commentary. “We still think October is the most likely timing for a Bank of Japan rate hike.”Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 0.3% to 25,077.62, while the Shanghai Composite index added 0.4% to 3,857.93. Shares in computer chipmaker Cambricon Technologies shed 6% after soaring 15.7% on Thursday, closing at 1,492.49 yuan (about $209) a share. But it remained the priciest stock on Shanghai’s exchange after displacing Kweichou Moutai, whose shares gained 2.3% to 1,480 yuan ($207.50).Chinese computer chipmakers have seen their share prices surge as the government provides heavy support to encourage wider manufacturing and use of chips made in China.“Hyper-growth in China’s tech landscape is starting to feel like a zero-sum cage fight rather than a clean runway. Even Cambricon’s AI chip story, this week’s darling, is now flashing red lights, warning of trading risks after an 8% skid,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary.South Korea’s KOSPI shed 0.3% to 3,186.01, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged 0.1% lower to 8,973.10.Taiwan’s TAIEX shed earlier gains and was down less than 0.1%, while India’s BSE Sensex slipped 0.1%.On Thursday, the S&P 500 rose 0.3%, lifting the benchmark index to its second record high in a row. The Dow Jones Industrial Average reversed an early slide and gained 0.2%, enough to move past its record high set last Friday.The Nasdaq composite closed 0.5% higher, finishing just short of its all-time high set two weeks ago.Gains in the technology and communication services sectors offset losses elsewhere in the market.Tech giant Nvidia fell 0.8% a day after reporting quarterly earnings and revenue that beat Wall Street analysts’ forecasts, though the company noted that sales of its artificial intelligence chipsets rose at a slower pace than analysts anticipated.Traders also had their eye on new government reports on the job market and economy.The Labor Department reported that applications for unemployment benefits fell last week, the latest sign that employers are holding onto their workers even as the economy has slowed.The most recent government data suggests hiring has slowed sharply since this spring.Meanwhile, the Commerce Department reported that U.S. gross domestic product the nation’s output of goods and services grew at a 3.3% annual pace in the April-June quarter after shrinking 0.5% in the first three months of this year due to the fallout from the Trump administration’s trade wars.Still, the sluggishness in the job market is a key reason that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signaled last week that the central bank may cut its key interest rate at its meeting next month.In other dealings on Friday, U.S. benchmark crude lost 42 cents to $64.18 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, slid 41 cents to $67.57 per barrel.The U.S. dollar rose to 147.00 Japanese yen from 146.95 yen. The euro fell to $1.1675 from $1.1684. Teresa Cerojano, Associated Press
Category:
E-Commerce
On Friday, August 29, the United States officially removed its tariff exemption on goods valued at less than $800, a decision that will impact customers and retailers worldwide. It previously ended for packages from China and Hong Kong in May of this year. Here’s what to know: What is the de minimus exemption? The loophole, known as the de minimis exemption, allowed for $64.6 billion worth of goods to enter the United States duty free in 2024, according to data from the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agency. The only exception still allowed is for letters or actual gifts sent directly from one person to another that are valued at under $100. How will the change impact package delivery from other countries? Uncertainty around liability for the new tariffs has led many foreign post offices to suspend some, if not all, mail to the United States. Such is the case for a majority of European nations, with countries such as Germany, Sweden, and Italy suspending most services to the U.S. over the weekend. France followed suit on Monday, with the UK cutting off package delivery on Tuesday. These national postal services aimed to deliver any existing packages before the exemption ended on Friday. In some cases, those that arrive after the rule change could be returned to sender as a way to avoid fees. Certain countries, like New Zealand, have issued warnings that the receiver will be responsible for any tariffs incurred. Countries from Japan and South Korea to Canada and Mexico have also added restrictions or new stipulations. Canada Post, for instance, is only accepting U.S.-bound shipments with proof that the customer has either prepaid the duty or set up automatic billing. How are retail businesses responding to the changes? Companies have been taking steps to adjust shipments to the United States. For example, on August 25, Etsy suspended postage purchases for packages to the U.S. through Australia Post, Canada Post, Evri, and Royal Mail in the UK. Given the complexities, legal requirements, and poor experience, many postal providers will be suspending DDU service or changing delivery options to the US, the company stated. We are in close contact with these carriers and will reactivate label offerings on Etsy when they are able to support orders into the US with DDP options. Some small businesses that ship to the U.S. also ran sales in recent weeks, hoping to give customers a chance before the companies are forced to raise their prices. Brands are also using their email marketing to announce necessary price hikes, even in cases where theyre absorbing part of the additional costs.
Category:
E-Commerce
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