A Japanese ramen restaurant has announced that it will not allow customers to use their phones while dining.
The restaurant’s owner, Kota Kai, put the ban in place last month after observing that patrons who were using their phones to view videos took the longest to begin eating.
He claims that the thin, millimetre-wide noodles in his restaurant can rapidly turn mushy. According to Kai, even a quick film could cause a discernible impact in the ramen’s flavour.
“It’s painful for me to see the ramen that I put my soul into making get ruined right before my eyes,” he said.
Kai stated that he likes to deal with the clients directly as opposed to displaying posters about the phone restriction.
“When the seats are full and I see people stopping eating while staring at their smartphones, I tell them (to stop),” he added.
Pakistan has secured over $10.5 billion in pledges from international creditors at the one-day International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan in Geneva, which will help the cash-strapped country recover from last year’s devastating floods.
By the end of the first plenary session, Pakistan had received pledges totaling $8.57 billion, and in the second session, it had secured more than $2 billion.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the international community to help Pakistan build climate-resilient infrastructure and to grant access to the knowledge and resources needed to survive future catastrophes.
The delegations recalled their support for the emergency relief operations during the conference and reaffirmed their commitment to Pakistan’s people in support of a strong recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction.
All donations pledged at the Geneva conference
Islamic Development Bank: $4.2 billion
World Bank: $2 billion
Asian Development Bank: $1.5 billion
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank: $1 billion
Saudi Arabia: $1 billion
France: $384 million
China: $100 million
United States: $100 million
EU: $93 million
Germany: $88 million
Japan: $77 million
United Kingdom: $10 million
Azerbaijan: $2 million
The attendees voiced their solidarity and pledged financial support for the ongoing humanitarian activities as well as the achievement of the goals and key areas. The meeting was co-hosted by Pakistan and the UN.
The World Bank has pledged $2 billion, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has pledged $1 billion, and the Islamic Development Bank Group has pledged $4.2 billion over three years.
Furthermore, Asian Development Bank has pledged $1.5 billion, while the European Union has offered $93 million, Germany has pledged $88 million, China has pledged $100 million, Japan has pledged $77 million, and so on. The French government has committed $345 million, and the United States Agency for International Development has offered $100 million.
Saudi Arabia has also committed $1 billion to assist Pakistan in reconstruction efforts.
According to official data released on Friday, Japan’s core consumer prices increased 3.0 per cent year over year in September, the highest level since 2014 as households were hard-hit by the weakening yen and rising energy prices.
According to Reuters, the statistic raises inflation considerably above the Bank of Japan’s long-term 2.0 per cent target, even when volatile fresh food prices are excluded. The central bank’s claim that the present rises do not yet fulfil its criteria for persistent price growth is supported by the fact that the figure was only 1.8 per cent when energy costs were excluded.
The most recent data was in line with market forecasts, but when similar data was last seen, a VAT increase had artificially inflated prices. The rate of inflation in September was the highest in nearly 31 years, excluding years when tax increases had an impact on the rate.
“The bulk of the price increases at the moment are rises in raw material prices,” while service prices associated with wages have not seen meaningful increases, Taro Saito, an economist at NLI Research Institute, said in a note released before the data.
He projected that stabilising inflation in Japan will take longer time to achieve due to pay rises and rising service costs.
The BoJ believes the present price hikes are related to extraordinary occurrences like the conflict in Ukraine, whereas other central banks have chosen to raise interest rates to combat skyrocketing inflation.
It has persisted in its ultra-loose monetary policy and refrained from raising rates, claiming that the third-largest economy in the world has not yet attained the inflation target of 2.0 per cent that it believes is required to accelerate growth.
The yen has fallen, especially against the dollar, as a result of the widening gap between the bank’s policy and other rate increases. The yen dropped to 150 versus the dollar on Thursday, the lowest level since 1990.
Toyota Indus Motor Company (IMC) has announced a massive price hike for all completely built-up (CBU) units offered by the Japanese automaker in Pakistan. The price of Toyota Camry is upped by Rs2 million and will now cost Rs23.3 million
The only variant of the popular hybrid model, Toyota Prius received a hike of Rs1.26 million and will be sold for Rs14.65 million. Toyota’s crossover SUV, Corolla Cross (top trim) is now priced at Rs13.4 million after a hefty increase of Rs1.17 million in its earlier price.
Finally, the automatic version of Toyota Rush will now be offered at Rs8.33 million following an increase of Rs710,000.
Toyota IMC’s CBU models, in particular, have become nearly unobtainable following the recent price jump. The government’s main purpose in the auto sector, however, is to discourage CBU imports and increase sales of locally produced vehicles. This means that all other CBUs are on the verge of suffering the same fate as Toyota.
Like the majority of automakers in Pakistan, Hyundai Nishat has joined the price hike bandwagon by raising the price of its sedan offerings; the Elantra GLS, Sonata 2.0, and Sonata 2.5 variants, due to increased shipping costs and continuous depreciation of the local currency.
The premium category sedan, Hyundai Sonata 2.0 witnessed an increase of Rs140,000 in its earlier rate of Rs6,859,000. After the price hike, the car costs Rs6,999,000. Hyundai Sonata’s top trim will now be sold at Rs7,849,000 after a price increase of Rs100,000 in its previous price of Rs7,749,000.
Hyundai Elantra GLS after getting a price of Rs150,000 will be offered at Rs4,949,000, the exact model was previously sold at Rs4,799,000.
Almost every local or imported sedan is now out of reach of the masses as the auto industry has been massively affected by the ongoing devaluation of the Pakistani currency against the US dollar, increased freight charges along with the premium culture (own trend) in the country.
The new Land Cruiser was unveiled in Pakistan by Toyota Indus Motor Company (IMC) at a staggering price of Rs72.50 million. The SUV is a one-of-a-kind vehicle in Pakistan, with pricing comparable to some of the most expensive German SUVs.
Due to the depreciating Pakistani rupee, overall inflation and rising transportation costs, the Land Cruiser, like other locally built vehicles in Pakistan, has undergone a price hike of Rs7.5 million. The luxury SUV from Toyota is now available for Rs79,999,000.
The Japanese automaker offers only one version of LC300 in Pakistan. It has a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine with 409 horsepower (hp) and 650 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque that is sent to all four wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Considering its outrageous cost, the Land Cruiser 300 is clearly out of reach for the vast majority of Pakistanis. It is, however, a wonderful addition for aristocrats who have a garage with six to ten cars.
Honda has finally debuted the long-awaited City hybrid sedan in the Indian market. The ex-showroom price of the 2022 Honda City Hybrid e:HEV is 1.9 million INR (PKR 4.7 million). It’s only available in a single ZX model with all of the bells and whistles.
Last year, the new City Hybrid made its global premiere, and it is India’s first mainstream segment automobile to have robust hybrid technology.
Powertrain
The City e:powertrain HEV’s consists of a 1.5-liter Atkinson-Cycle DOHC i-VTEC petrol engine combined with two electric motors. One serves as an electric generator, while the other serves as a propeller. The combined output of this powerplant is 124 horsepower, with a peak torque of 253 Nm. It also comes with three driving modes: EV Drive, Hybrid Drive, and Engine Drive, as well as Regeneration mode for slowing.
Fuel economy
The new Honda City Hybrid e:HEV is India’s most fuel-efficient sedan, with a stated economy of 26.50 kmpl. Honda has also included 37 high-tech Honda Connect features in the vehicle. Honda’s Sensing Technology is also being introduced for the first time in India.
Safety technologies such as Collision Mitigation Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist System, and more are included in the City e:HEV.
After the 6th generation, Honda City was retired globally, Honda Atlas Cars Pakistan Limited (HACPL) introduced the latter into the Pakistani auto market, and given the history of Pakistani manufacturers, the car may continue for years, as the 5th generation Honda City was sold by Honda Atlas for more than a decade.
Toyota announced that it will introduce its revolutionary bZ4X battery-powered SUV in its home market on May 12, as part of a larger push to minimise its carbon footprint.
The bZ4X is Toyota’s first vehicle built on a specific electric vehicle (EV) platform created in collaboration with Subaru. It’s made at the Motomachi factory, which now employs CO2-free utility power sourced from renewable sources.
It was also disclosed that the Japanese dealerships would start taking orders for the first batch of 3,000 vehicles in May 2022, with the second batch of about 2,000 vehicles anticipated early in the autumn. This year, the manufacturer plans to create and sell 5,000 units.
The Japanese manufacturer claims that its new battery electric vehicle (BEV) SUV has a power-efficiency rating of 128Wh/km and a touring range of 559 kilometers (347 miles). It is compatible with rapid DC chargers available all around the world, while its battery can be topped to 80 per cent in just 40 minutes.
All bZ4X models delivered in Japan will be leased, as per the manufacturer, to alleviate customer concerns about electric cars and allow it to apply its 3Rs (Rebuild, Reuse, Recycle) battery management system. The batteries incorporated in the SUVs will be guaranteed for ten years and 200,000 kilometers (120,000 miles) at 70 per cent capacity retention.
The Kinto service will be able to lease the bZ4X models to private clients, while the Rent-a-Lease and Toyota Mobility Services networks will be able to lease the EV to corporate customers.
Honda’s mini-SUV, the HR-V is finally approaching its second generation. The upcoming model will have some significant upgrades from styling to engine performance.
It will be bulkier, futuristic, and more powerful than the previous model, with better looks than the smaller, hybrid-only European variant introduced in 2021.
VEZEL and HR-V confusion
For those who may not know, the original name for ‘Honda Vezel’ is ‘Honda HR-V’. This hybrid vehicle has become quite famous in Pakistan for its good looks and impressive fuel consumption despite being an expensive completely built-up (CBU) unit. It is mostly witnessed with a ‘Vezel’ badging instead of ‘HR-V’ here.
The Japanese automaker said that the new subcompact SUV will be based on the same platform as the international Honda Civic variants. It has a longer wheelbase than before, and the rear suspension is now independent.
One important thing Honda revealed about the powertrain is that it will be a more responsive engine as compared to the prior one, which might be the Civic’s 180-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four, replacing the existing HR-V’s 141-horsepower 1.8-liter inline-four.
The HR-V’s engine for the base model could be the naturally aspirated 158-hp 2.0-liter inline-four from the Civic’s lower trim levels. Front-wheel drive will almost certainly be standard, with all-wheel drive as an option, and a CVT automatic transmission will almost certainly be the only transmission option. A hybrid HR-V is also expected to enter the lineup, though it may arrive later than the fuel-only model.
Honda has not officially revealed any photographs or details of the HR-V’s interior, however, it will be exciting to see how the new platform will affect its packaging. As the fuel tank was positioned behind the front seats, the previous HR-V, like the Fit, had a surprisingly low cargo floor.
The LX, Sport, EX, and EX-L variants from the current model are anticipated to continue over. Honda also published a video showcasing the new HR-V in a variety of colours, including red, silver, black, and white. Unfortunately, there is no official statement released by the company regarding its price and availability in other regions.
The number of Japanese women who committed suicide continued to rise for a second year in Japan. However, the overall suicide rate has decreased since 2021, said the Japanese police on Tuesday.
According to data from the National Police Agency, the number of women who took their own lives increased by 42 to 7,068 in the second year, 2022. While the number of men who killed themselves was decreased by 116 to 13,939.
According to some media reports, coronavirus is one of the major reasons for the cause in increasing suicide rate of women.
The pandemic has put up more distress and pressure on women after losing jobs in those sectors where Japanese women tend to work such as services and retail sectors.
According to the Japanese Health Ministry, the country has a long history of suicide culture where people died by suicide for avoiding the shame of dishonour. Japan has the highest suicide rate among the group of seven nations(G-7).
Although in 15 years, the suicide rate was dropped by 40% by national effort, the pandemic has risen suicide rate among people due to mental health problems.
