Society

ANA plans to cut workforce 20% over 5 yrs to survive COVID-19 crisis

Feb 06 (Kyodo) - ANA Holdings Inc. plans to reduce its workforce in the aviation business by roughly 20 percent over the next five years through natural attrition to cut costs and cope with the COVID-19 crisis that has depressed travel demand, sources familiar with the matter said Friday.

The parent of All Nippon Airways Co. expects the number of employees in the business to fall to 30,000 by March 2026 from 38,000 estimated at the end of March this year by reducing new hires and with retirement, the sources said.

The plan is the latest effort by the major Japanese airline to meet a goal of slashing costs by 100 billion yen ($950 million) over the five-year period. ANA Holdings estimates a record net loss of 510 billion yen ($4.8 billion) in the current business year ending in March, as it is struggling to deal with a slump in air travelers with no immediate end in sight to the coronavirus pandemic.

MORE Society NEWS

Kagoshima Remembers Kamikaze Pilots

A memorial service for the former Imperial Japanese Army kamikaze pilots who died during the Battle of Okinawa at the end of World War II was held on May 3rd in front of the Chiran Peace Kannon Hall in Minamikyushu City, Kagoshima Prefecture.

'Crying Sumo' Rings Out in Nisshin

The wailing of babies filled the air during the "Crying Sumo" event at Hakusan Shrine in Nisshin City, Aichi Prefecture, on Friday, held to pray for children's health and growth.

Dazzling Horseback Display in Kyoto

At Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto, the traditional Yabusame (horseback archery) ritual was performed on Saturday, with riders galloped across a 500-meter stretch at full speed while aiming arrows at targets, praying for the safety of the upcoming Aoi Matsuri, one of Kyoto's three major festivals.

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School Absence in Japan Climbs to Nearly 300,000; One Girl's Story

School absenteeism among Japanese elementary and middle school students has surged to approximately 300,000, with many students struggling to return after long holidays like Golden Week. In this context, a sixth-grade girl who overcame school absence shared her story.

Japan's Rice Flour Revolution: Ministry of Agriculture Forms 'Komeni' Team

Amid global wheat shortages due to abnormal weather conditions and the depreciation of the yen, Japan is seeing price hikes and suspensions in the sale of products like orange juice, leading some to turn to domestic alternatives like mandarin juice. One such alternative gaining attention as a substitute for imported goods is rice flour.

Japanese Child Population Declines for 43rd Consecutive Year

Ahead of Children's Day, Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications released an estimate of the country's child population, revealing a decrease of 330,000 compared to the previous year. The population of children under 15 dropped for the 43rd consecutive year, reaching a record low since data collection began in 1950.

Sony Joins Investors in Bid for Paramount

Sony Pictures Entertainment, under the Sony Group, in partnership with an American investment firm, has proposed a joint acquisition of the U.S. media giant Paramount Global for approximately 4 trillion yen ($26 billion), as reported by multiple American media sources.

Naoya Inoue VS Neri Prepare for Title Fight

Naoya Inoue, Japan's undisputed super bantamweight world champion said Saturday he has high hopes for the defense of his four belts against Mexico's Luis Nery when they fight on Monday. (Kyodo)