Bill Gates (65) divorces
May 5, 2021 (Wednesday) Clear, then cloudy; rain at night as well
・The government will join with industry to launch a council for joint research on quantum technologies used in information processing and communications.
In May, about 50 companies such as Toyota <7203> [Close 8,127 yen], Toshiba <6502> [Close 4,515 yen], NEC <6701> [Close 6,360 yen] will participate in the establishment of the council.
The United States and China, which are advancing large-scale investments under government leadership, are leading the world.
Since quantum communication and cryptography technologies, where Japan has strengths, are directly linked to security advantages, both the public and private sectors are accelerating practical use.
Also expected to join the council are Fujitsu <6702> [Close 17,405 yen], Hitachi <6501> [Close 5,381 yen], NTT Data <9613> [Close 1,398 yen], and others.
・Major subcommittees under consideration
1. Quantum cryptography/quantum communications: Development of highly secure cryptography and communication technologies
2. Optimization and combinatorial problems: Streamlining drug discovery and new materials development
3. Quantum simulation: Advancing AI technologies
4. Applications of quantum wave/quantum probability theory: Development of new financial products
・The Financial Services Agency and Tokyo Stock Exchange will incorporate in June rules for the Corporate Governance Code (corporate governance guidelines) requiring respect for human rights.
・The G7 foreign ministers’ meeting opens in London on the evening of the 3rd (early morning on the 4th Japan time).
On the first day, discussions will include North Korea and Iran amid dinner.
They agreed to uphold North Korea’s goal of “complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization.”
The morning of the 4th, the second day, will be dedicated to focused discussions on China.
・The G7 will begin with the foreign ministers’ meeting on the 3rd and, ahead of the June leaders’ summit, will hold ministerial meetings in a focused manner.
China will be a central theme throughout.
Repairing the fissures from the Trump era and demonstrating shared values will be a focus of the G7’s “reassertion.”
・As of April 1, the number of people under 15 years old has decreased by 190,000 year-on-year to 14,930,000.
This marks the 40th consecutive year of decline since 1982, the lowest on record.
Males 7,650,000, females 7,280,000.
・The European Commission of the European Union recommended on the 3rd that member states ease restrictions on non-essential travel to the EU, which had been generally prohibited to prevent COVID-19 infections.
Meanwhile, the U.S. state of New York will resume 24-hour subway service from the 17th for the first time in about a year, and on the 19th, restaurants, retailers, theaters, and other venues will generally lift capacity restrictions.
・Only about 2 million of healthcare workers have completed COVID-19 vaccination, about 20% of the total.
Delays in procurement nationwide and limited allocations until mid-April remain a legacy of the past.
From mid to late May, overall supply will increase, but actual adoption will continue to face labor shortages.
・Mizuho Trust & Banking <8411> [Close 1,535.0 yen] agreed with Gifti, a digital gift service, so that shareholders can choose benefits on their smartphones; Gifti <4449> [Close 3,235 yen].
By scanning a 2D barcode with a smartphone, users can select from over 500 types of gift certificates.
Companies can also display their own unique perks they wish to offer.
Depending on the number of shareholders, the annual savings could reach hundreds of thousands of yen.
In July, a service will begin allowing employees to exercise stock options via their smartphones.
・Regarding the state of emergency for COVID-19, Osaka Prefecture is finalizing arrangements to request an extension of the deadline from the government on the 11th.
Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura indicated that extending the period is unavoidable.
・China’s Ministry of Finance holds a 60% stake in the state-backed asset manager China Huarong Asset Management, which is facing credit concerns.
The government has not explicitly promised support amid market fears of implicit government guarantees.
Defaults on Chinese corporate bonds have risen sharply in recent years, with domestic yuan-denominated bonds alone totaling over 1870 billion yuan (about 3.1 trillion yen) in 2020.
Market participants question how far the Chinese government will support Huarong.
・Bill Gates and his wife Melinda announced on the 3rd their divorce.
・As of 4:00 p.m. on May 4, global COVID-19 infections (deaths) compiled by Johns Hopkins University: 1.8355 billion cases (109.14 million deaths).
United States 32,471,747 (477), India 20,282,833 (3,449), Brazil 14,779,529 (983), France 5,717,160 (311), Turkey 4,900,121 (347), Russia 4,776,844 (330).
United Kingdom 4,437,505 (1), Italy 4,050,708 (256), Spain 3,540,430 (77), Germany 3,438,212 (317), Argentina 3,021,179 (540), Colombia 2,905,254 (687).
From here, published in [Coro Premium]
http://www.koronoasa.com/info/
× ![]()
